Silencing community voices ...#ACOSS comments as does Kon from #ASRC

The Australian Council of Social Service today expressed deep concern at extensive funding cuts to community sector organisations  including policy and advocacy work. ACOSS believes this will severely weaken the Federal Government’s ability to engage with the community on important reforms that lie ahead.

“Cutting support for vital community expertise and voices is a major mistake. Community voices play a crucial role in providing on-the-ground advice and an important link connecting communities with government decision-making processes,” said ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie.

To read more please go to the ACOSS website 
and then there is this from Kon of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
which is related to this

The Commonwealth will only continue to fund agreements that it has a legislated duty to fund, such as the National Affordable Housing Agreement with the states under the Council of Australian Governments process.

 

Bookmark this Abbott Gov saying will only fund NFP areas that it has legislated duty to fund. WOAH! Think about that. #ThanksTony #auspol
— Kon Karapanagiotidis (@Kon__K) December 23, 2014

The art of Chatterboxing: taking a human from isolated silence to interconnection

In these days, when we hear a lot about depression and suicide, we are often advised to ask those in our circle of family and friends "Are you OK?"  One of the basic things in our lives is to treat others as humans just like us.  To be interested in others.  To take time to be with others.

Over on Facebook, a group has been set up called Chatterboxing.   Many of us do more than ask another "Are you OK?"  We actually find ourselves in situations where we have interesting conversations with complete strangers - hence the title of Chatterboxing meaning, in this instance, to chatter to others.

Chatterboxing is a site where one can record and celebrate the art of chatterboxing with complete strangers.  It might be on a rail journey, a bus ride, sitting at a bus stop, riding in a taxi, or at a coffee shop.

Chatterboxing is a period of connection with another human being - with someone we don't have a clue about yet some magic moment happens when we are engaged with the other quite unexpectedly.  These moments are precious.  And - who knows - it may be the only conversation that person has with another human all day.

Sometimes we never see that person again.  The joyous interlude becomes a hallowed memory.  But, sometimes, one thing leads to another - a cup of coffee, a romance, marriage, friendship, relationship.
It might be that these magic conversational moments are a vital part of building community. It might be that in this conversation we demonstrate to each other that we are human and part of something larger than ourselves.  Chatterboxing takes a human being from isolated silence to a period of interconnection with another.