Watch for Radical Ralph

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First time job seekers are urged to check their online self

Students are urged to check the privacy settings on their social media accounts and to search for their online self to see what prospective employers might find.

According to ACTU Worksite, many young job seekers don’t realise that employers will often use the web to check out job applicants.

Watch ACTU Worksite’s interview hopeful Ralph – we’re not sure his neat suit and tie and great resume will save him from this … watch now.

Radical Ralph

Wazup? says Radical Ralph

Radical Ralph was dreamt up by Melbourne-based writer and actor Tim Potter. (You might’ve seen Tim recently on the SBS comedy hit Legally Brown or in his regular stage gig with Red Stitch Actors Theatre. Radical Ralph is played by fellow actor Matt Whitty.)

The video is part of the popular www.worksite.actu.org.au website which is visited by over 10,000 secondary school students every month.

Top tips from ACTU Worksite for Schools
• Google your name to see what comes up.
• Get a professional sounding email address, simple variations on your name are best
• Create a professional sounding voicemail on your phone. If you miss a call from a potential employer it means they will get a good first impression.

Visit www.worksite.actu.org.au for lots of interesting stuff for first time job seekers.

Tim’s bio timpotter.com.au

Edunity helps SES promote Storm Safety

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Edunity SES Storm Safe Online Game

 

 

 

 

 

 

StormSafe Awareness Week is Monday 9 – Sunday 15 September 2013

Edunity and Klyp.co have produced the StormSafe education program for the Victoria State Emergency Service to teach parents, teachers and kids about preparing for storms.

Students can test who is the fastest mouse click in the west when they use the StormSafe Online Game to trim back overhanging tree branches, put away garden furniture, toys and trampolines and clear the gutters of leaf litter and muck.

The game reinforces the SES key messages of

  • unsecured items in backyards can cause damage to people and property
  • it’s easy to make your property storm safe
  • kids can help their households to be storm safe.

Along with the game, Edunity have produced a set of lesson plans and activities for teachers, with full AusVELs links for Prep – Year 8.

Play the game at www.ses.vic.gov.au/students/stormsafe-game

 

August Divercity: Neighbours, sharing, craft and connecting

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Edunity Divercity cover August 2013 City of Port PhillipDivercity readers are a happy bunch

In the April/May issue we ran a reader survey to see what you thought of our magazine. We received 280 survey responses and it seems that you like us (excellent to good 87.3%). You thought paper ruled over online (91.2%) and your favourite part was Neighbourhood News (78.3%). Thank you to those who took the time to help us provide a better community newsletter. Winners of the Readings vouchers will be notified by mail.

Read the latest Divercity now

Edunity talks to illustrator Sarah Davis

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The evolution of Sammy and Frances

Sarah Davis is a Sydney-based illustrator who has been producing eye-catching pictures for Edunity for a just over four years, and has played a major role in the evolution of our much-loved Western Water mascots Sammy the Snake and Frances the Frog. Edunity spoke to Sarah to get a picture of what goes into a great illustration.

How has your process/technique in producing Sammy/Frances images changed over the years? Have you found that modern software has been helpful?
Edunity originally approached me to give Sammy and his froggy friend Frances a bit of a modern makeover. It was interesting taking someone else’s designs and trying to reinvent characters that had already been created. I tried to retain all the original elements, but give them more expressive personalities and open friendly faces. Sammy is a tricky character because he’s part snake- part garden hose, and I had to try and make that look natural! And in the case of Freddy the frog, he needed to undergo a gender change and become Frances! The original Sammy and Frances were hand drawn, but my versions were produced digitally, usually as vector graphics, which means the images can be used for a wider range of purposes.

What are the most important considerations for you when producing a set of illustrations?
For a job like this, kid-appeal is important, as we want Sammy and Frances to be good role models for water conservation – and if kids don’t warm to them, they won’t want to be like them! So they had to be personable and friendly. From a technical point of view, the end use of the illustration is important – whether it’s intended for use on a wide range of merchandise, or a print book, whether it’s destined for one colour or 4 colour printing… that sort of thing.

Do you have a favourite Sammy or Frances illustration?
I like Frances in the shower for some reason – I think the idea of a frog in swimmers is kind of hilarious.

Sarah Davis works in a wide range of areas, including commercial illustration for advertising, film, editorial publishing, and toy design. To learn more about her work visit sarah-davis.org

Sammy and Frances evolve: a timeline

1Sammy the scientist2sherlock

Original pictures, created in 2005, show Sammy without his trigger nozzle.

4Comments to three new poses - 240107

Sarah was asked to ‘reinvent’ Sammy and Frances to keep up modern water saving trends, and to keep a wider range of students engaged.

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Recent illustrations have employed the use of imaging software to assist with colouring and layers.

sammyfrancesaveshower8Sammy 1b

This year Sarah produced a set of new images for our Sammy and Frances Save Water big book for preschool children.

Go west, go rail say pt4me2

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Sign the petition to prioritise Melbourne Metro rail over the Eastern road tunnel

PT4ME2-Facebook-profile-pic

GO RAIL

Melbourne Metro is the key to expanding Melbourne’s rail network, enabling new lines and more frequent services across the city.

Without Melbourne Metro

  • There can be NO new lines to Doncaster, Monash Rowville, Tullamarine or the new suburb of Fishermans Bend
  • Passengers will be left behind at stations as trains reach peak-hour capacity

SIGN THE PETITION HERE

GO WEST

The  proposed Western Link from the Port of Melbourne to the Western Ring Road offers a freight transport alternative to the West Gate Bridge, moving trucks off suburban streets and the projected expansion of the Port of Melbourne.

Without the Western Link

  • Truck numbers in inner West suburban streets will continue to grow
  • The expansion of the Port of Melbourne will be limited.

Support our campaign if you want:

> More frequent trains and new lines to Doncaster, Monash-Rowville and Tullamarine

> Fewer trucks on suburban streets, especially in the inner West

> Employment and economic benefits from major infrastructure projects

> Better road and public transport for Melbourne

SIGN THE PETITION HERE

 

 

Work! It’s an experience wraps up in Melbourne

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Year 10s can be a fickle bunch. But their reception of our drama about first jobs has really blown us away.

With 23 performances to over 2,500 students Work! It’s an experience has been an exciting and sometimes nerve-racking introduction to producing a drama incursion and workshop to secondary schools.



Thanks to everyone who was involved in making the May season such a great success. Red Stitch Actors Theatre cast members Tim Potter, Rosie Lockhart and Chrissy O’Neill; writer Peter Houghton; director Anne Browning and stage manager Melissa McNab.

Kudos to Bartholomew Walsh our wonderful MC who kept the questions flowing in our workshop Q and A and to our generous panel guests who answered some tricky questions from students.

ACTU Worksite for Schools also wishes to thank the following unions for their support ACTU, SDA, United Voice, AEU, VIEU and Victorian Trades Hall Council.

We are working on making the incursions available to regional areas of Victoria in 2014.
To enquire about the play for your students, call Kim Hall at Edunity on 9534 2833 or email [email protected]

It was perfect. The actors were incredible in their delivery of a very relevant issue to our students.I have strongly recommended we include this event in our curriculum in 2014.

Barbara Smith, Work Education Coordinator, Patterson River Secondary College

It was terrific – important messages delivered in a very entertaining way.

Angela Moylan, Careers Coordinator, University High School.

A very worthwhile presentation, which highlighted a range of important issues in an entertaining and accessible manner.

Margaret Rooney, Careers Pathways Coordinator, Our Lady of Sion College, Box Hill

We really liked the play and thought it was very funny! It was informative about different situations faced at work.

Year 10 student at Sacred Heart Girls College, Oakleigh.

 

Latest Divercity celebrates every family

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The June/July Divercity celebrates every family. From ballet bubs to the new Bubup Nairm Childrens’ Centre, Divercity looks at some ways that families are making the most of living in Port Phillip. Readers can win one of three Luna Park family passes by telling us about their favourite playground in Port Phillip. Read Divercity from your letterbox or online here

Divercity June/July 2013 cover

The June/July edition of Divercity celebrates every family.

 

FloodSafe Awareness game launched for the Victorian State Emergency Service

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Floodwater is dangerous, play the FloodSafe game to find out why.

Playing in floodwater exposes your kids to more than just the risks of drowning. Edunity have produced an online game for kids to discover what’s lurking in the murk as part of FloodSafe Awareness Week 2013.

Using a magnifying glass, kids get an underwater view of what’s down there in the floodwater. With a 60 second time players have to identify the hazards coming down the river. Catch a rotten branch, a dead animal or something even… smellier.

Illustrating perfectly the key messages of hidden hazards in floodwater, the game is accessible on computers, smartphones or tablet devices and its fast pace makes it appealing to children of all ages.

Alongside the game Edunity have produced a set of lesson plans for Victorian teachers from Prep – Year 8 with linking support materials, worksheets and AusVELS connections.

Discover what’s lurking in the murk, play the game here. Angela scored 235 see if you can beat her!

If you would like more detail or a quote on a similar project please call Kim on (03) 9534 2833 or email [email protected]