Culture Spring launches with lived experience service offerings
On 20th September we celebrated the launch of Culture Spring – a youth-led business unit that partners with businesses and organisations to assist them in adapting to the evolving needs of our diverse Australian community.
Powered by CMY, Culture Spring brings the perspectives and experiences of multicultural young people to the forefront of your work, organisation, project, or challenge, to ensure that it is culturally safe and inclusive.
At the vibrant launch event held at The Commons QV, over 70 attendees enjoyed an engaging evening of networking and cultural performances hosted by MCs, CMY Shout Out speaker Arozoo Rahimi and Culture Spring and Third Culture Australia’s Krushnadevsinh (Kano) Ravalji.
The audience heard the story behind Culture Spring, firstly through the reflections of Shelin David, Deputy Chair of CMY Board. Shelin, who originally championed the idea of a youth-led unit during our Futures Think Tank back in 2020, spoke of the growing desire from the business world to invest in companies with inclusive practices.
At the same time, she said that young multicultural people don’t always feel as though they can bring their whole selves to work; but working from home during COVID-19 really allowed it, with mental health and psychological safety being prioritised more than ever.
“We saw this opportunity to create more youth-led opportunities, to co-design programs or policies in workplaces with young, multicultural workforces. To bring the lived experience of young people together with the support and learned experience of CMY staff.”
Dheepa Jeyapalan, Manager of VicHealth Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems, spoke briefly highlighting the value the Culture Spring team brought to a project they partnered on.
She reflected on three key highlights from the collaboration: their real commitment to be deeply reflective and flexible in the way they worked; their dedication to ensuring that young multicultural people are not disadvantaged by the processes they had in place; and their strong desire to advocate for systemic change.
“If you’re worried about a project and how you’ll engage young people, or if you’re daunted by it at all … I really encourage you to reach out to Culture Spring.”
Chair of the Committee of Management, Rosie Thyer, then stepped up to take us through their Vision, Mission and Purpose, and introduce the team of young people behind Culture Spring who bring their expertise, lived experience and passion for change-making.
Over the past few years, with the dedicated support of Project Lead Boudene Hauraki, the team has conducted extensive market analysis, utilising their lived and professional experience to co-design and test three key service offerings: Diversity Workshops, Consultation, and Diversity Diagnostics.
In officially launching their service offerings, Rosie said: “Together we can make change for a better future. Whether it’s co-designing with communities, workshopping with workforces, or diversifying data, we take strength and pride in our culture.”
“We want you to create a future with us that is more equitable, culturally safe, and proud of our multicultural community. Young people are the drivers of change and it is time to see more youth-led solutions and actions.”
Watch Culture Spring’s intro video or find out more about their service offerings.
Introducing Culture Spring