Holly Ransom

Love seeing major cross-sector social impact collaborations: 👀 Partnerships for Local Action & Community Empowerment (P.L.A.C.E.) 💵 5 leading Australian philanthropic funders matching $19.3 million of gov't investment over 5 years 🗺️ providing national support for local initiatives 🤝 governed by a community accountability model redefining how communities + national structures collaborate 💡4 main funding priorities: Socio-economic barriers, Early childhood development, Employment support, and Australia’s Energy transition to net zero (each including a First Nations element). 🎇 P.L.A.C.E. launches in 2025, and looks like an interesting example of a national-level investment "spark" designed to be responsive & customizable to a wide range of community needs, dynamics, & dreams. 👏 We all know collaboration is easier to say than it is to achieve. For new initiatives at this scale it takes a LOT of work, meetings, zoom calls, strategy sessions, passionate advocacy, and willingness to jump in. Props to Minderoo Foundation, Paul Ramsay Foundation, The Ian Potter Foundation, Dusseldorp Forum & the Bryan Foundation for demonstrating the kind of collaboration funders so often ask for from grantees.

8

There's nothing quite like an election year to prompt all the big conversations, and it was good to sit down with Keane Bourke at Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) last week to share Orana House‘s take on recent FDV announcements (*link to video below) Of course, there’s only so much I can fit into a quick soundbite, but essentially, Orana welcomes the discussion around law reform, as well as WA Labour's commitment to refuge expansion, especially for the regions, such as Albany and Geraldton. 📢We still need to keep talking about the impacts of the housing crisis, though, and the fact that, even once we’ve supported women and their children to safety, we often have nowhere for them to move on to after refuge. We need to keep them safe and together and to continue supporting them through recovery and healing. (My own personal view: wouldn’t it be great if politics wasn’t always presented as a two-player duel? It’s not an either/or spend; investment and policy will need to simultaneously respond to *all* pillars in the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and their Children - as well as respond *specifically* to the recommendations in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan.) https://lnkd.in/g_C3TaBk

15

1 Comment

Papa Lens Podcast | Embrace Australia's Accountable & Free Spirit 💪 Embark on a journey of introspection with Papa Lens podcast as they dissect the foundations of accountability and integrity in society. Explore the delicate balance between individual freedom and societal norms, as they reflect on Australia's cultural ethos. Engage in the dialogue on the significance of upholding regulations while fostering a sense of personal agency. Join the conversation and contribute your insights on shaping a community grounded in principles of responsibility and respect. #australia #migration #podcast #new #papalenspodcast

Australia’s Department of Industry, Science and Resources has published an important AI framework, designed to help organizations navigate the impact of AI as part of their planning. I really like and appreciate this approach for three key reasons: - First, they are properly emphasizing the need to think about the Impacts of AI (social, environmental, economical), rather than solely focusing on the desired benefits. - Second, they have built this as a strategic framework to guide business leaders and teams, rather than merely targeting the technical elite. - Third, they underscore the importance of sharing knowledge, lessons learned, and best practices with customers, partners, and society. This approach illustrates an awareness of our interconnectedness (none of us operates in a vacuum) and the reality of our interdependence with both advanced technology and the natural world. It’s worth noting here that recent studies have found that ChatGPT and CoPilot use up to 3 bottles of water (for cooling) to generate 100 words. Google and Microsoft combined use more power than 100 countries to operate their advanced AI. These are staggering figures that are being drowned out by the AI hype and the AI arms race we're all being swept up in. It is clear that understanding the impact of our innovations has been sorely lacking from the AI narrative. And in this regard, Australia seems to be on the right track with the introduction of this framework. And I’m proud to say that one of the critical elements of the Responsible AI Governance program we’ve adopted here at Nuix is a rigorous Impact Assessment. There's no getting around the fact that #AI uses a lot of power and other resources... and AI has incredible benefits for society and the world. The key will be for us to become more mindful of the hidden repercussions and ensure we're optimizing the use of this technology to maximize its benefits while minimizing both its short-term and long-term risks. https://lnkd.in/edHC3-hY

10

2 Comments

How Can Australia Empower Youth Entrepreneurs? This Papa Lens episode considers an ambitious vision for Australia: creating an entrepreneurial fund dedicated to young people, allowing them to pitch ideas and receive support for solving real-world problems. The discussion explores how investing in youth could lead to homegrown innovations in fields like space exploration, pharmaceuticals, clean energy, and automotive development. By prioritizing young talent and entrepreneurial spirit, Australia could not only address pressing issues but also foster a generation of skilled innovators, ready to lead the future. #podcast #family #children #papalenspodcast #finance #future Full Episode: https://lnkd.in/gJkxS2TA

2

This is a book review of a book written by Bill Adair, the head of PolitiFact, one of the organizations engaged in the seemingly useless task of political fact-checking--seemingly useless since being caught in a lie has such minuscule consequences, particularly in politics (the Washington Post documented almost 31,000 lies during the Trump presidency, but that has not affected his political fortunes one whit), but actually also in everyday life, as this social psychology article demonstrates (https://lnkd.in/gvb9jfNv). The importance of being truthful is venerated in the leadership literature, as I wrote in Leadership BS, notwithstanding the fact that "strategic misrepresentation" is commonplace--witness Steve Jobs' "reality distortion field." As the former general counsel to President Barack Obama told Adair, "You have to periodically, maybe systematically and hopefully skillfully and with retention of a moral sense, deceive people." I would emphasize the term "skillfully." Everyone is in the sales business, as we are selling ideas, strategies, products, ourselves, much if not most of the time. And the best salespeople are adept at the art of deception. #sales #politics #lying #leadership #politicians #Trump

22

2 Comments

Nice words about All in the Mind over at Podcast Review - and so cool to be in the company of personal faves Radiolab and Science Vs https://lnkd.in/gRxQinBN "All In the Mind is an Australian podcast by ABC that explores the impact of modern life on our mental universe. If that sounds corny, don’t be turned off; this science podcast is grounded in research. Not to be confused with the BBC podcast of the same name, All in the Mind is an established weekly show that uses neurology to explain how our understanding of our world is altered by different issues and phenomena. Take their episode on the impact of the housing crisis on our perception of the future. The story is told through narrative non-fiction that perfectly marries the data with the human factor. By focalizing on one topic per episode, the team takes care to explore complicated issues that have many implications outside of the scientific field, whether that be health, politics, social science – or a combination of all three. Their research is meticulous without being impenetrable, making complicated topics like AI or schizophrenia easier for non-scientists to comprehend. Perfect for fans of Radiolab, this show consistently offers in-depth analysis that is accessible, relevant, and compelling."

51

6 Comments

𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝟏𝟔𝐬!!! [Hot off the press] I know that this is most likely inspired by Jonathan Haidt's "Anxious Generation" proposals - : "four foundational reforms are: No smartphones before high school; No social media before 16; Phone-free schools; Far more unsupervised play and childhood independence. (p 261.)" "The ban - which will not take effect for at least 12 months - could see tech companies fined up to A$50m ($32.5m; £25.7m) if they don't comply". "Gaming and messaging platforms are exempt, as are sites that can be accessed without an account, meaning YouTube, for instance, is likely to be spared." Thoughts? This is hot off the press, details are scant at the moment, so here are my initial impressions, in no particular order of importance, but love to hear your thoughts: - This feels equivalent to banning the TV in the 1940s, banning the internet in the 1990s. - Have governments thought of increasing funding to equip parents on parenting t(w)eens? We as parents are accountable for our children and often we feel ill-equipped. - Have governments thought of implementing penalties on parents who do not implement digital protection / wellbeing software on their children's devices? Or perhaps funding the purchase of this software? These software filter much of the inappropriate content on social media and you can enforce the reasonable use of social media apps. - What is the Australian Govt going to provide for teens under-16 to do as alternatives? Will there be more funding for non-screen use activities? - Given (allegedly) gaming and messaging apps are exempt, do we think the usage on those platforms will increase, resulting in greater digital addiction? - A lot of risky/predatory behaviour happens through messaging apps. If those aren't in scope, then it may increase the risk on those platforms. - Will this be retrospectively applied to under-16s who already have access to social media? - "The brain finishes developing and maturing in the mid-to-late 20s". - NIMH (US National Institute of Mental Health). So, should the ban be eventually extended to young adults well into their mid-late 20s? What is the actual root cause of the concerns around Teens + Social Media? How can we help parents be able to equip their teens to grow and make wiser decisions as they grow into adults? What are your thoughts on this? #Genz #ParentingTeens #Aotearoa #NewZealand

1

Thrilled to feature this month in Australian Institute of Company Directors on strategies for Boards and Executive Teams to strengthen adaptability and teamwork while facing disruption and adversity. Many of the tools and practices discussed in this piece are featured in my recent book Toolkit for Turbulence co-authored with Professor Martin Bean CBE, and are directly relevant to the Board / Executive Team connection. Skills such partnering, maintaining alignment in volatile conditions, high stakes decision making and dialing up the speed of learning become even more relevant as turbulence increases. Wiley #toolkitforturbulence #thinkoneteam #adaptiveleadership

46

2 Comments

Will Gen Z work less and less? #future #futureofwork #genz The "lying flat" trend, originating in China, highlights a growing movement among young people who are rejecting societal pressures to overwork and achieve at any cost. Known as 躺平 (tǎng píng), this phenomenon gained traction around 2021 as a form of protest against the relentless pursuit of productivity and the notorious "996" work culture—working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week—often enforced illegally by many Chinese companies. Lying flat is a lifestyle choice where individuals consciously decide to minimize their work efforts and prioritize their own well-being. This trend has been fueled by rising unemployment rates among Chinese youth, which hit 21.3% in June 2023 (compared to 7.5% in the U.S. during the same period). Many young people in China feel disillusioned by an extremely competitive job market that rewards those who consistently overextend themselves. Young people are expressing their discontent by sharing photos on social media of themselves lying in public spaces. Other popular expressions of this movement include "zombie-style" graduation photos, which critique the paradox of higher education, and "resignation parties" that celebrate leaving toxic work environments. Although the trend started in China, it is spreading to other countries as well. Increasingly, young people around the world are adopting the mantra "I work to live, not live to work," as highlighted by the recent Trend Impact Study 2024 by PTBRiO #genz #futureofwork

14

1 Comment

So great to have the support of SmartCompany who published an article on the Australian Women Speakers groups, and the new directory at www.womenspeakers.com.au yesterday. This initiative started on LinkedIn so it great to be able to share the article here. I have a simple premise: we need equality on the stage at business events to help women achieve gender parity in other aspects of business (and life). It’s just logical that stages should reflect society. Young women need to see other women achieving success and visibility as role models. We need to be easier to find, and the Australian Women Speakers directory solves that problem. I also believe that collectively, women speakers can support each other to gain more opportunities for the benefit of everyone. If each woman recommends other women to their own bookers and clients, then awareness will grow much faster. What works is collaboration over competition There are literally thousands of women who want to educate, share their expertise and help others. We need to give them the opportunity to do that, and as a result they will grow their profiles, grow their businesses, employ more people and share their voices. Huge thanks to Morganne Kopittke for writing the story, and to Sue Ellson, Carolyn Butler-Madden and Michelle Pascoe for their supportive comments (and for being generally awesome and great speakers!).

12

7 Comments

Sharing some insights from an awesome day facilitating a visioning workshop for the FIBRE FALE team! When we look to the future, we can often be unconsciously held back by the past - such as difficult experiences that may create fear or resistance within us, limiting our ability to move forward. Unconsciously we may play out into patterns with our team or stakeholders that keep us busy, doing what other expect of us, holding onto what is familiar even if it doesn't truly serve us or our community. Of course all of this has links to our own personal conditioning, trauma that we carry with us where-ever we go, including work. And all of us have this whether conscious or not :-) Our approach to visioning invited and created space for the team to surface unconscious patterns, fears, attachments that may hold the team back, give space to acknowledge and find some freedom from these and then create and vision for the future from a space of potential, possibility and tuning into our life force! This integrated approach to visioning, bridging the inner and outer work, allows us to keep expanding, growing, being free to best serve our communities in tune with our life essence and what we truly feel is needed to serve our society. Feel so impressed and inspired by how much honesty, authenticity, courage and willingness to be asked hard questions these three leaders brought forward. They really embody a commitment to be systems changing leaders and the kind of of approach I feel is so needed to truly live and create in alignment with truth and service. Legends Julia Arnott-Neenee Nu’uali’i Eteroa Lafaele Saphron Matamua #systemschange #facilitation #insideout #healing #visioning #strategy

30

After completing our response to the Australian Government's Department of Industry, Science and Resources consultation on Mandatory Guardrails for AI in High-Risk setting, ForHumanity's Team Australia is pleased to announce our latest effort to "examine, analyse, and mitigate downside risk associated with AI, Algorithmic, and Autonomous (AAA) Systems" by creating a certification scheme in support of Australia's Online Safety Act 2021. We will leverage ForHumanity's more than 7,000 existing risk controls, treatments, and mitigations for AAA Systems as well as our existing certification scheme for European's Digital Services Act and the UK's Children's Code, which are companion laws to Australia's Online Safety Act 2021. We invite all interested parties to join us starting October 10th at noon AEDT and we will meet weekly thereafter for 1 hr per week. We will rapidly produce the certification scheme for the future consideration of Julie Inman - Grant and her eSafety Commissioner team (Kelly T., Rocky Heckman). All are welcome to join our crowdsourced and transparent process by registering at the following link https://lnkd.in/eJT9M4yx or join Team Australia by registering for our slack community at https://lnkd.in/ercgnCjX ForHumanity supports an #infrastructureoftrust that comes from the application of Independent Audit of AI Systems (IAAIS). We create certification schemes and train individuals on those compliance criteria, seeking government endorsement or market adoption as appropriate. We know that proactive compliance with laws such as Online Safety occur when frequent independent audits are conducted by independent, third parties tasked with assuring compliance on behalf of society. Interested parties that should join these sessions include consultants and pre-audit compliance advisors, technology solution providers, auditors and concerned members of civil-society, especially experts in Online Safety. #aigovernance #onlinesafety #aiethics #independentaudit

50

9 Comments

Hi everyone Headsup I'm doing a podcast tomorrow evening, Thursday May 9th, 8:30pm Brisbane time, with Dr Ruchi Sharma, whom I met the IDIAS conference recently. Be wonderful if you were able to come along and share the below link with others. It will be a great opportunity for people to ask questions and gain helpful useful insights into this topic. #sexual assault #parentstips #sexual awareness #mentalwellbeing https://lnkd.in/gdkuNDVV

2

2 Comments

Highly relevant to strategies for #emergency #communication here in Australia. One thing that stands out for me is that strategies need to effect change well upstream of the crisis event, building communicative competence in people so they can handle a whole cluster of hazards—not only the physical but the social ones as well. Would be interested to hear your thoughts on this Kath Smith. Other context where this is worth thinking about is #drought. There was no social media during the Millennium Drought. Should we rely on the strong social norms that motivated households to save water in that mega drought in the future? I think that would be unwise. Again, would love to talk with people in water security about how to do the communicative work to address these risks and opportunities. Paula H. Jacqueline Thurgood Luther Uthayakumaran Louise Cramsie

1

Here are my 10 takeaways from a stimulating day so far at #iXsydney2024.    What’s exciting to see at this third conference is that progress has been made. Progress across corporates, within government and in the finance sector. There's a sense that a 'whole of nation' or systemic approach is finally grinding into reality.   So, what needs to happen fast within the climate and nature-positive space? 1. A mindset shift. For businesses and leaders to take responsibility for their impact on the ecosystems on which we depend. 2. An understanding of WHY we need to do this. A nature-positive approach is a re-imagining of how we (as humans) see ourselves on our planet. 3. Think in a place-based way (this is beautifully regenerative). This encourages holistic thinking. 4. For Aussie businesses to drop the outdated idea that sustainability is a short-term issue and a cost to doing business. It's not. Let's get real. 5. That sustainability is something to be managed 'over there...' No. It's about bringing it into the big tent of corporate strategy. 6. In short, Australia needs to do more - and do it faster. Kate Hartness, co-lead of the APAC Sustainability Practice, at Kearney says, 'Australia is lagging in the Pacific Region.’ 7. Collaboration. This word has been mentioned many, many times. Genuine collaboration across industries, between businesses. Anna Skarbek (who was a standout speaker) talked about the need for, 'Competitors or parallel operators working together'.  8. Building on this Anna went on, we need a 'tri-sector approach through entire supply chains, upstream and downstream.' 9. A reframing of stakeholders to rights holders. Leslie Schulz, Founder of Ngadju Conservation Aboriginal Corporation, spoke passionately about the need for Indigenous Peoples worldwide (but particularly in Australia) to be represented in a 'just transition'. 'Give us a bloody fair go.' 10. Let's not forget social cohesion and human connection. David Crosbie, CEO Community Council for Australia, changed the tone when he talked about what all of this means at a community level... and the way that we create climate-resilience when disasters strike.   Would love to hear from some of the other participants on your number 1 takeaway so far. And to share with others who weren’t there…   Aden Ridgeway JANNINE BARRON Laure Legros Eleanor Akers Heather Campbell Reece Proudfoot Matt Golding Tony Boatman Mark Roberts Anika McManus Caetano Mantovanni #ImpactXInsights #ProgressInAction

13

8 Comments

Across the globe an indigenous language is extinguished (I use that word pointedly) every 40 days. They are extinguished by monolingual colonisers. The worst in history have been English. But "English" is a recent language formed after invasions from Angles, Saxons and Normans. In December 2022 a bill recognising the Irish language in the North of Ireland became law. Yet there are only 80,000 native Irish speakers left (6,000 of those are in Belfast). Scottish Gaelic - only 57,000 speakers left. Even those meant to be protecting the language often speak English at home. Status - language is virtually dead - revival required Welsh - the success story - 892,000 native speakers - almost 30% of the population. Manx - in revival - 2,000 can write and speak Cornish - in revival - 400 advanced speakers. The loss of Celtic languages comes after centuries of brainwashing by English élites. I just had the pleasure of watching a film celebrating the defence of the Irish language. "Kneecap" on Prime Video. Incidentally the Nigerian leader of the opposition party in the UK lost a court battle after she rescinded funding from this Irish rap trio. Court ruled that UK government department, where Badenoch was minister, acted illegally in withholding funding. So how can this be? Is England the only country where an immigrant can discriminate against the native languages? I think not. Kneecap is a very funny film with great songs + Michael Fassbender. A great way to encourage language protection and revival. More information about Cambridge Endangered Languages and Cultures Group here: https://lnkd.in/exN8SK5T IMDB reviews https://lnkd.in/eqP6Jq-K Link to Prime Video https://lnkd.in/eXEDSkmQ

3

1 Comment

Our institutions and ‘leaders’ won’t save us. We are in a structural, systemic decline that is the result of decades of short-term decisions and is entirely bipartisan. The exhausting theatre will continue but it is a sideshow. This is a great opportunity. NZ is small enough that capable individuals and small groups can contribute to positive change. I see people doing this every day, in all sectors. I might disagree with them sometimes but that’s fine. Forward motion is much better than passive whinging. I think the question everyone can ask themselves daily is, ‘how will I contribute?’. Because make no mistake, there is no master plan and no secret reservoir of top-down leadership coming to help. It’s on us.

17

7 Comments