yarraReporter is Infoxchange Australia’s latest initiative, aiming to equip housing estate residents within the City of Yarra with journalism skills so they can professionally report on social issues that affect people’s livelihood, build their literacy, and provide support for culturally diverse communities and socially disadvantaged people. 

“It has been useful for me, I learn a lot; I am able to better interact with others and learn through each other's mistakes,” said participant Frank Lin, 77 year old resident of Atherton Gardens in Fitzroy. 

The training, which commenced in October and is scheduled to end in March 2009, is based on an active learning process that suits participants’ needs as adults: respecting and acknowledging that they have a vast amount of experience and responsibility to solve problems and to make decisions. 

Participants were active in reporting on the recent City of Yarra election. Concentrating on Langridge Ward, participants gathered at Collingwood Town Hall, where one of the polling stations was located, from 7.30am to noon on the Election Day, Nov 29. They were assigned to observe voter turnout, interviewed voters about their expectations on the day, and interviewed candidates by relaying issues that voters face to the candidates. 

“It was our first experience in interviewing people. I learned what went wrong after listening to the interview again.  It is important to be prepared before conducting interviews” said Thomas Abeil, yarraReporter participant.   

Social isolation is one of the pressing issues experienced by public housing estate residents, caused in part by cultural differences, language barriers and poverty. 

In the City of Yarra, according to a recent Office of Housing report, public housing estate residents experience isolation due to the “increase of programs that are developed without any consultations with them nor involve them and the increase of drug problems in Yarra community”. 

yarraReporter participants come from a diverse range of countries and cultural backgrounds.  Some are from countries that are ruled by repressive regimes where elections have never been conducted or democratically run. Reporting on elections is a good learning experience about Australia’s electoral system.   

“It was a good exercise. It is very different from Sudan, as the election is usually conducted un-transparently,” said Mr Abeil. 

The project recently secured funding as part of the City of Yarra’s Community Grants Program. 

Journalists are currently sought to act as mentors for project participants. For more information, please contact Setyo Budi at Infoxchange Australia on 0406 381 873 or budi@infoxchange.net.au.