Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now, spouses of current and former ADF personnel in the
Northern Territory are set to benefit from a new program
which has been designed to boost well being and unlock
career opportunities. This program, which is already operating in Adelaide,
Perth and canbra is soon going to be delivered in
Darwin and Catherine after receiving support from the Northern Territory Government.
(00:22):
Now joining me on the line is the co founder
of the program, Claire Harris, the director of Human Quotient Group.
Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Hello, Hello, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Lovely to have you on the show. Now, Claire, tell
me a little bit about how this program works.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yes, so it's a face to face group program. We
bring spouses together and if they have small children, we
provide childcare for them as well, and they come together
and they go through I guess, a transformative experience where
they're able to pursue their own own career development, so
anything related to work and employment that could be business study,
(01:06):
job or looking for volunteering, etc. And we focus on
their well being and basically just they can learn from
each other. They get access to local supports and they
find out particularly if they're new to Darwin, new to
the top end. They get to find out about all
the services and all the great things to do, all
(01:27):
of the the activities and community connections that they can
take up as well.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
So I understand it's been operating in Adelaide, Perth, Canbra,
but it's soon going to be for us here in
Darwin and also Catherine. Why has it taken so long?
I suppose might be the question some are asking.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Oh, well, we can always ask those kinds of questions,
I guess. Look, there's been a growing awareness of the
importance around employing the partners of current serving AIGHTF members
and veterans. So there is a growing awareness that actually
to boost well being of families, we often need to
(02:07):
have two parents. If we're talking about a traditional family structure,
we need two parents working. But also employment and meaningful
employment and having a career, having a purpose is very
much linked to well being. And so we're seeing a
greater awareness of that now, which is fantastic, and I
think that's a broader awareness across the country. We are
(02:30):
a very small, very small social enterprise and I co
founded a business with my husband who's ex Navy, and
so we've seen I guess that defense lifestyle from the inside.
And we've seen all of these incredible, incredible people that
are you know, the spouses who are just talented educated,
(02:53):
often very very educated, and they're moving around the country,
and you know, it just seems like a missed opportunity
to not support them in their professional undertakings. And so
I stepped in and created the program about six or
so years ago. And I've been doing my best to
get the word out there, but as you know, it's
often challenging because there's so much going on.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Oh it's so hard as well, you know, when it
is something that you know that he's done private level
or you know by some by an individual, and and
you're really trying to get it out there and push
it out there to everyone. What's it been like for
you since you created this program as well, and seeing
it roll out in some of those other locations and
now obviously seeing it roll out in the Northern Territory,
(03:36):
and you know, tell me a little bit about some
of what you've kind of you know, what you've seen
in a real practical sense with some of these these
wives and children.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yes, I guess what it's been like. It's been absolutely
incredible to meet diverse spouses across the country. So he
mentioned Adelaide. We've run in Adelaide for three years and
we'll be running in twenty twenty six, so we've got
a really good footprint there meeting the different spouses. I mean,
(04:07):
I've met people that have PhDs, I've met people that
work in all sectors. So we have a very diverse
group of people. And as part of our model as well,
we employ spouses in the local area to actually run
the programs. So that's important. Yeah, so that's an important aspect.
So it's actually it's incredible to run the program, bring
(04:29):
spouses together. And for some of these individuals, they have
been out of the workforce for you know, years, it
could be even you know, fifteen years. We've had some
people because they've really experienced that typical defense lifestyle of
moving around a lot and also taking on the caring
(04:49):
responsibilities and so being kept I guess out of the
workforce or finding it very difficult to find jobs that
are related to their areas of expertise. We've had people
come into the programs who are starting, you know, they're
reimagining what they could do next, so they're looking for opportunities.
They're rethinking if they want to change careers or if
(05:09):
they want to use the existing skills that they have.
And we've also found that people are actually very isolated,
and I think this is a theme that we see
in general across Australia. We do have a loneliness epidemic.
People talk about that, but we see that quite often
within the defense community, simply because people are moving around
(05:31):
and then I think even as families transition and move
out of defense service, they are then needing to reconnect
with a new community potentially and sort of re establish
themselves to work. So we've had people come into the
program that you know, haven't had a job. They haven't
they don't feel confident looking for a job, and yet
(05:51):
they work with our career mentors, they get the peer
support from the group around them and they start to
apply for jobs. And we've had people that have found
jobs during our six or eight week programs and they've
kept those jobs for years and they've just felt that
absolute blossoming within themselves. They've regained their confidence, they've made friends,
(06:12):
you know, they've just powerhouses.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Yeah, how good? Now, when is this when is it
going to launch? In the Northern Territory and where can
people go to find out a bit more info.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Yeah, yes, so we're actually getting pretty close mid October,
so we're coming up very soon. But the best place
to look is we're on social media under the profile
cowork Coplay, but we have a website as well, so
that's Coworkcoplay dot com dot au and they'll be able
to navigate to the NT programs from there.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Wonderful stuff. Well, Claire Harris, lovely to talk to you
this morning. I really appreciate you having a chat with us.
I know we've got a lot of defense families that
listen to the show, so I know that they will
appreciate that information.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Awesome, Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Wonderful, Thanks so much, Thank you for your time. Thanks Claire,
Now, spouses of current and former ADF personnel in the
Northern Territory are set to benefit from a new program
which has been designed to boost well being and unlock
career opportunities. This program, which is already operating in Adelaide,
Perth and canbra is soon going to be delivered in
Darwin and Catherine after receiving support from the Northern Territory Government.
(00:22):
Now joining me on the line is the co founder
of the program, Claire Harris, the director of Human Quotient Group.
Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Hello, Hello, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Lovely to have you on the show. Now, Claire, tell
me a little bit about how this program works.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yes, so it's a face to face group program. We
bring spouses together and if they have small children, we
provide childcare for them as well, and they come together
and they go through I guess, a transformative experience where
they're able to pursue their own own career development, so
anything related to work and employment that could be business study,
(01:06):
job or looking for volunteering, etc. And we focus on
their well being and basically just they can learn from
each other. They get access to local supports and they
find out particularly if they're new to Darwin, new to
the top end. They get to find out about all
the services and all the great things to do, all
(01:27):
of the the activities and community connections that they can
take up as well.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
So I understand it's been operating in Adelaide, Perth, Canbra,
but it's soon going to be for us here in
Darwin and also Catherine. Why has it taken so long?
I suppose might be the question some are asking.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Oh, well, we can always ask those kinds of questions,
I guess. Look, there's been a growing awareness of the
importance around employing the partners of current serving AIGHTF members
and veterans. So there is a growing awareness that actually
to boost well being of families, we often need to
(02:07):
have two parents. If we're talking about a traditional family structure,
we need two parents working. But also employment and meaningful
employment and having a career, having a purpose is very
much linked to well being. And so we're seeing a
greater awareness of that now, which is fantastic, and I
think that's a broader awareness across the country. We are
(02:30):
a very small, very small social enterprise and I co
founded a business with my husband who's ex Navy, and
so we've seen I guess that defense lifestyle from the inside.
And we've seen all of these incredible, incredible people that
are you know, the spouses who are just talented educated,
(02:53):
often very very educated, and they're moving around the country,
and you know, it just seems like a missed opportunity
to not support them in their professional undertakings. And so
I stepped in and created the program about six or
so years ago. And I've been doing my best to
get the word out there, but as you know, it's
often challenging because there's so much going on.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Oh it's so hard as well, you know, when it
is something that you know that he's done private level
or you know by some by an individual, and and
you're really trying to get it out there and push
it out there to everyone. What's it been like for
you since you created this program as well, and seeing
it roll out in some of those other locations and
now obviously seeing it roll out in the Northern Territory,
(03:36):
and you know, tell me a little bit about some
of what you've kind of you know, what you've seen
in a real practical sense with some of these these
wives and children.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yes, I guess what it's been like. It's been absolutely
incredible to meet diverse spouses across the country. So he
mentioned Adelaide. We've run in Adelaide for three years and
we'll be running in twenty twenty six, so we've got
a really good footprint there meeting the different spouses. I mean,
(04:07):
I've met people that have PhDs, I've met people that
work in all sectors. So we have a very diverse
group of people. And as part of our model as well,
we employ spouses in the local area to actually run
the programs. So that's important. Yeah, so that's an important aspect.
So it's actually it's incredible to run the program, bring
(04:29):
spouses together. And for some of these individuals, they have
been out of the workforce for you know, years, it
could be even you know, fifteen years. We've had some
people because they've really experienced that typical defense lifestyle of
moving around a lot and also taking on the caring
(04:49):
responsibilities and so being kept I guess out of the
workforce or finding it very difficult to find jobs that
are related to their areas of expertise. We've had people
come into the programs who are starting, you know, they're
reimagining what they could do next, so they're looking for opportunities.
They're rethinking if they want to change careers or if
(05:09):
they want to use the existing skills that they have.
And we've also found that people are actually very isolated,
and I think this is a theme that we see
in general across Australia. We do have a loneliness epidemic.
People talk about that, but we see that quite often
within the defense community, simply because people are moving around
(05:31):
and then I think even as families transition and move
out of defense service, they are then needing to reconnect
with a new community potentially and sort of re establish
themselves to work. So we've had people come into the
program that you know, haven't had a job. They haven't
they don't feel confident looking for a job, and yet
(05:51):
they work with our career mentors, they get the peer
support from the group around them and they start to
apply for jobs. And we've had people that have found
jobs during our six or eight week programs and they've
kept those jobs for years and they've just felt that
absolute blossoming within themselves. They've regained their confidence, they've made friends,
(06:12):
you know, they've just powerhouses.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Yeah, how good? Now, when is this when is it
going to launch? In the Northern Territory and where can
people go to find out a bit more info.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Yeah, yes, so we're actually getting pretty close mid October,
so we're coming up very soon. But the best place
to look is we're on social media under the profile
cowork Coplay, but we have a website as well, so
that's Coworkcoplay dot com dot au and they'll be able
to navigate to the NT programs from there.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Wonderful stuff. Well, Claire Harris, lovely to talk to you
this morning. I really appreciate you having a chat with us.
I know we've got a lot of defense families that
listen to the show, so I know that they will
appreciate that information.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Awesome, Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Wonderful, Thanks so much, Thank you for your time. Thanks Claire,
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.