The Walk in my shoes project was developed to engage young people from diverse cultural backgrounds to produce stories and a website focussing on the diversity on Australian values in regional communities. The project hopes to increase the level of understanding, tolerance and acceptance and explore the different experiences of young and older generations from a range of diverse groups living in regional Victoria.

The Walk In My Shoes project was developed by the young people of Lead On sites in Bendigo, Echuca and Swan Hill. The Lead On Program is a community enhancement program through the engagement of young people and has been purpose-built to incorporate all sections of the community and to provide exposure for young people to real-life projects and community activities. The projects undertaken represent as broad as is possible the community as a whole. It embraces business, education, local government, new innovations and new enterprises.

This project is proudly supported by the Australian Government’s Living In Harmony programme. Administered by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, the Living In Harmony programme aims to promote mutual respect, Australian values, participation in the Australian way of life and a sense of belonging for everyone. For more information on the Living in Harmony programme, visit harmony.gov.au.

Echuca Launch

In 2006, Lead On was allocated $46,440 from the Living in Harmony funding program for a project titled Walk in My Shoes. The aim of this project was to research cultural diversity in the Echuca/Moama, Bendigo, and Swan Hill communities.

The Living in Harmony funding is about bringing people together to promote Australian values and to celebrate the Australian way of life. It is a way to understand and commit to the benefits of living in a country that embraces common values of respect, fairness, participation, acceptance and a fair go for all.

A team of young people representing the communities from Echuca, Bendigo and Swan Hill has met with participants from a variety of cultural backgrounds and recorded details of their cultural history, and the story of their migration to Australia.

These stories have now been collated and published in a book titled Walk in My Shoes and online in a Walk in My Shoes website. The book and website contain insightful stories about the diversity of people, culture and skill base contained in these relatively small rural and regional communities.

The Walk in my Shoes was launch at St Josephs College on February 6th 2008 and circulated amongst the respective communities. Participants and those interviewed attended the launch at the school.

This project is proudly supported by the Australian Government’s Living in Harmony programme.

Interviewee Comments

It has been my privilege to participate in the "Walk In My Shoes" project conducted by the staff and members of Lead On Echuca/Moama.

This innovative and rewarding project has provided a multitude of benefits for our Community. Its aim, to focus on migrants to Australia and their reasons for such migration provide a wealth of information for our Immigration planners and our civic leaders.

The manner of collection of the data, the planning of the project, the design and administration of the interview process and the subsequent production of a very high quality publication can only serve as a magnificent learning and development opportunity for all of the youthful participants.

Lead On is to be warmly congratulated for providing this opportunity.

Whilst, it was a very worthwhile project, I believe that this is a beginning rather than an end of the process of identifying and introducing recent (some) arrivals to Australia. I believe that we do not do enough at the Local Government level to foster a welcome to migrants nor do we build sufficient networks to enable some form of continuous contact with the migrants to facilitate their assimilation of their newly adopted lives.

It could well be that the Lead On process once entered, could follow up with a bringing together of the participants in this booklet and a short social discussion about what could happen next, if the sponsors, and leaders are willing to deal with the eventual Community growth program which would undoubtedly result from such an activity.

I await further discussion with interest. I believe it behoves all of us to look forward and to continue to grow, rather than to dwell in an angst ridden past as is our current desire.

Regards,

Michael Gould

Press
Riverine Herald article

Bendigo Launch

Lead On Bendigo launched the ‘Walk In My Shoes’ Book in Bendigo on Friday the 8th of February. Lead On Participant James Reade addressed over 2000 students and teachers at the Marion Centre at Catholic College Bendigo.

All students were presented with a book along with the deputy principals of the school . All students were asked to read the stories detailing the cultural diversity and journeys of people within the Bendigo, Swan Hill and Echuca Regions.

Lead On Bendigo has also presented the book to Girton Grammar School, Flora Hill Secondary College, Bendigo Library, City of Greater Bendigo and other several other community groups.

James shared his journey and encouraged all students to get involved in their community. He spoke about the rewards and many different opportunities that come about as a result of Lead On.

Press
Bendigo Advertiser article

Swan Hill Launch

Press
Swan Hill Guardian article