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Jessica earns cotton win By Fiona Gowers Jessica Strauch from Goondiwindi is the ADAMA Chris Lehmann Trust Young Cotton Achiever of the Year. Jessica currently manages the northern NSW region, as well as cotton pricing for Queensland Cotton and is also part of the industry’s premier entry-level initiative, the Australian Future Cotton Leaders’ Program. She said she was “beyond humbled” to receive recognition. “It is still so surreal to be recognised for something you love doing,” Jessica said. “I suppose I’ve had quite a short but rewarding career so far in cotton. “I did have a background in agriculture but, prior to my employment within the industry, I’d actually never walked into a field of cotton. “But because of the guidance, mentorship and endless opportunities the industry has provided, I was quite quickly able to move through a range of diverse roles across different growing regions, which has led me to where I am in my current role at Queensland Cotton. “My position provides me with the opportunity to work in a global sphere with export sales and trading teams, while remaining regionally based, so that I can still immerse myself in what’s going on within our local community.” Born and bred in Gympie, where she completed her primary and secondary schooling, Jessica then studied a Bachelor of Environmental Management at Griffith University in Brisbane. Her first position in the cotton industry was as a grower services representative for Namoi Cotton, a role she said gave her incredible insight into the role of merchants and ginners. “Looking back now, I’ll be forever grateful for the chance the company took on my employment,” Jessica said. “It’s a testament to the opportunities, onthe-job training and mentorship that the industry has to provide.”
In 2020 Jessica relocated to Dubbo in NSW for Namoi Cotton, as the general manager of customer operations for the Macquarie and Lachlan Valleys. She said the role presented a “fantastic opportunity” for her to immerse herself in the operational aspects of bringing teams together, building new grower- and industry relationships and expanding on her ginning knowledge. Another career highlight had been her involvement in industry organisations and, in particular, the McIntyre Valley Cotton Field Day Committee. “For me, one of the really memorable events that I was able to assist with was the organisation of the 2019 Baylor Cotton Grower of the Year Field Day,” Jessica said. “It was not only a fantastic event from an industry advocacy and educational perspective, it was also a great networking opportunity for all involved. “What I love about the industry is the people, whether it’s growers or industry personnel, we have such a progressive and nurturing culture within the Australian cotton industry. “I love the warmth that the industry has and this real desire and need to share what we have and to educate those around us with our dayto-day practices. “The industry implements collaboration in a ground-up format that enables the sharing of key learnings and developments, which I feel has been essential in keeping the industry informed, progressive and agile in its endeavour to implement change at a sustainable pace.” Jessica said she had learned the gift of leadership through the mentorship and guidance the cotton industry had provided. And her goals for the future? “To one day be able to give back the opportunities that have been given to me is my ultimate goal of industry contribution,” she said, adding “And to share our story and highlight the wonderful career opportunities this industry has on offer.”
The ADAMA Chris Lehmann Trust Young Cotton Achiever of the Year, Jessica Strauch from Goondiwindi.
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Jessica Strauch from Goondiwindi was named the ADAMA Chris Lehmann Trust Young Cotton Achiever of the Year at the Australian Cotton Conference on the Gold Coast.
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Josh Kelly, a University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) student, Julie Tom, Reason to Thrive business development manager, Dr Samantha Brown, a UniSQ lecturer, Michelle Beatty, Reason to Thrive equine programs manager and Sharni Ephraums, a UniSQ student.
Horses for (uni) courses Horsing around will become serious business for a group of University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) students who will soon start learning about horses’ healing power. Up to six Master of Clinical Psychology students will volunteer at Reason to Thrive, a local not-for-profit organisation where qualified equine-assisted learning (EAL) facilitators work alongside horses to improve the mental, physical and social wellbeing of vulnerable youth and women. EAL provides personal development and life skills through experiential learning and psychosocial development. UniSQ psychology lecturer Dr Samantha Brown said EAL was an emerging area of research with promising findings, especially for vulnerable clients with a history of trauma. “For many people, the healing power of animals has been obvious for a long time. However, research is only just beginning to capture
the impact of animals on human wellbeing,” she said. “Research tells us that EAL can help improve client wellbeing and increase hope, particularly for vulnerable groups where traditional talk therapy may not be appropriate. “Working with horses can often help clients with a background of trauma develop a sense of empowerment and confidence that can then help them be ready to engage in more traditional forms of psychological intervention.” The students, currently undertaking an internship at the University’s Ipswich Psychology and Counselling Clinic, will work with Reason to Thrive over the next six weeks as part of their final placement experience for the year. They will observe and assist the facilitators and potentially provide support to clients. Dr Brown said it was a valuable opportunity for the students to see how EAL programs assist the community. “We are very excited to have our students connect with a local organisation providing an
innovative service to vulnerable clients,” she said. “I hope this will inspire future psychologists to work in this emerging area of wellbeing.” Sharni Ephraums is one of the students participating in the exciting placement opportunity. She hoped it would open her eyes to a new level of healing and wellbeing. “I’m looking forward to being outdoors with horses and engaging with clients away from a traditional clinical setting,” she said. “I feel most calm and not stressed when cuddling a puppy, but I’m interested to see how a big and beautiful animal like a horse can provide a safe and stable environment for people. “Equine assisted learning hasn’t been investigated a whole lot scientifically, so I’m keen to see the positive effects of this program.” Mental health is a top priority for UniSQ, which is focused on research and community partnerships that address key issues related to mental health and reduce the impact of men-
tal illness in our communities. Reason to Thrive equine programs manager Michelle Beatty said supporting the students as they completed their placement learning was a win-win. “We are excited to have the students join us and share their experience of our programs,” Mrs Beatty said. “The insight that the students will give us from a mental health viewpoint could allow our facilitators to interpret the outcomes from a different lens, which may not always be so literal.” Reason to Thrive offers two life skills programs, one for youth at-risk of becoming, or who have become, disengaged from formal education and family. The other is for women whose lives have been impacted by domestic violence. Founded in Warwick in 2017 before moving to Brisbane in 2018, the organisation has supported more than 200 young people and 100 women over the past four years.
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By Fiona Gowers
November 2022 TODAY 23
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Rural women play vital role By Fiona Gowers
Dr Karen Peel and Dr Brad McLennan (pictured) received a Research Excellence highly commended award by the Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia (SPERA) at the National Conference for Regional, Rural, and Remote Education in the Barossa Valley in October. the students beyond their online lessons, uploading materials to be sent to the distance education school, communicating with teachers, managing timetables, organising learning resources and establishing everyday routines in the school room.“ Dr McLennan said formally recognising the
skills a RET required could be transformative for rural teaching pathways. “There is an absolute need for the people who take on this role, usually women, to have a career pathway that recognises their skills and offers an opportunity for economic security.” The Capricornia Project will now move into
its third phase and take its findings on the lives and experiences of RETs to share among education stakeholders, with future credentialling opportunities in mind. “We advocate the industry establishes the RET as an occupation that is recognised, respected and valued,” Dr Peel said.
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Resilience and adaptability are familiar skills for rural and remote women across Australia. They are also some of the crucial abilities developed by the women, who, either by choice or necessity, take on the role of educating the children of the bush in a role known as remote education tutor (RET). This complex and essential education work happening in remote homes across the country is being studied in an innovative University of Southern Queensland project that was recently internationally celebrated for its work. The three-phase Capricornia Project, now in its second year, explores the lived experience of mothers and governesses in the role of RET. The research has so far shown that most often it is women in the home who take on this critical role of conduit between distance education students and their teachers. Their voice describes the high level of responsibility and complex capabilities required to fulfill the role. It has also found that when there is an opportunity to employ a RET, frequently the role is filled by young women. Critically, the University of Southern Queensland researchers have shown there is a limited career pathway and no way to gain formal qualification for the education skills required by the women who take on this role. Research found this contributes to the role of RETs being an unseen and under-appreciated occupation. In an Australia-wide survey, only 30 per cent of practising RETs believed they had a clear pathway to a career. Significantly, time constraints and competing demands impact their work-life balance. Dr Karen Peel, Dr Brad McLennan, Professor Patrick Danaher and Elizabeth Burnett received a Research Excellence highly commended award by the Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia (SPERA) at the National Conference for Regional, Rural, and Remote Education in the Barossa Valley in October. The research team, which led the Capricornia Project, presented some of its findings at the national conference. It comes after the project was also presented the 2022 Silver Award from the United States Distance Learning Association. Dr Peel said recognition for the parents and hired governesses who helped educate children in remote and rural areas was long overdue. “The remote education tutor role is undoubtedly adopting an educator’s role,” she said. “It is a crucial part of equitable education in rural Australia. “This includes supporting the learning of
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Roma’s Lee Pope on her Angel Flight to Brisbane with volunteer pilot Nigel Fotheringham and support worker Lesley.
Lee thanks her angel pilot Life has thrown its fair share of challenges at Roma’s Lee Pope, but she chooses to look on the bright side. And she was soaring high when Angel Flight chopper pilot Nigel Fotheringham ferried the 62-year-old to Brisbane for a visit with an orthopaedic specialist. “I’m very appreciative of Angel Flight,” Lee said. “I think it’s a marvellous service, I really do. I couldn’t speak highly enough of it because they are all volunteers and they do what they can.” It wasn’t Lee’s first Angel Flight and it probably won’t be her last. Diagnosed with AARSKOG syndrome, an extremely rare disease that affects a person’s
height, muscles, skeleton, genitals and appearance, Lee is riddled with osteoarthritis and her mobility limited by spinal degeneration. “That syndrome is very rare and only one per cent of the population in Australia have it at a push and I’m even a rarer example of that rare group. “I’ve probably pushed it too much by living on anti-inflammatories over the years and the window of opportunity for surgery on my back has closed; no surgeon will touch it.” With her mobility severely limited, Lee relies on her support worker Lesley and the NDIS to make life bearable. Living in a cabin behind her adopted sister’s home, she is waiting for modifications to be approved for her dwelling and a motor for her wheelchair.
“When it works, the NDIS is fabulous and I’ve got nothing but high praise, but it takes a long time to put things in place,” Lee said. “I’ve got the wheelchair, but the NDIS have to approve the motor because it’s in a higher risk category … so it’s sitting there. “I’m also waiting on a builder to start the home modifications, which means I don’t have the room to swing a cat because I can’t even get the walker in there so that’s making life pretty difficult at the moment. “When it all happens, it will be fantastic.” Lee admits she’s learned she has to pick her battles after some hard life lessons. “At one time in my life I felt like I’d lived two or three lifetimes because my mantra in life was to be a chameleon; I tried to be what everybody wanted me to be,” she said.
“In truth, I lost sight of myself and, at the end of the day, I am who I am today … and I just want my nice, peaceful life.” She has found that pottering around in her garden dominated by hardy hibiscus, surrounded by her mini dachshunds Champagne, Contessa, Khanda and Moses. “You’ve got to have something to get you out of bed in the morning,” she said of her dogs. “I prefer to look at the glass half full rather than half empty, but the garden’s looking a little bit worse for wear with all the frosts,” she said. “Everything is in big pots so they can be moved around because the ground out here is abysmal and it helps because the little dogs can’t get in there and dig things out.”
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By Di Stanley
November 2022 TODAY 25