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Young people around Victoria are doing awesome work to bring new entertainment concepts to their communities. FReeZA Spotlight aims to celebrate and highlight those achievements.
» Catherine Burton (Manningham Fusion FReeZA)
» Nancie Schipper (Warrnmbool Ignite FReeZA)
» Jake Bray-Butler (Alpine Shire Youth Council FReeZA)
» Steve Beecher (Alexandra FReeZA)
» Michael Hardinge (Straight To the Pit a.k.a. Maroondah FReeZA)
» Zoero Theoharou (Soundslike Productions a.k.a. Stonnington FReeZA)
» Jarrod Zdrzalka (Coastal Productions, Surf Coast Shire FReeZA)
» Sean Daly (Soundwave Productions, Yarra Ranges FReeZA)
» Kate Duncan (Darebin FReeZA, formerly City of Yarra FReeZA)
» Archive
Catherine Burton (Manningham Fusion FReeZA)
1. Please briefly introduce yourself. What is your name, age, suburb and what FReeZA group are you a part of?
My name is Catherine Burton, I am 19, live in Mitcham, and am part of the Manningham Fusion FReeZA committee.
2. When did you join FReeZA and how old were you? Why did you join FReeZA?
I joined FReeZA in 2008 when I was 15 years old. I joined FReeZA because I loved going to gigs and seeing local bands, and wanted to become more involved in the local music scene.
3. What events have your FReeZA group organised in the past? Please describe some events that you worked on.
The most successful events my FReeZA group have run have been our two Epic Youth Festivals, one in 2011 and one in 2012. Both years we had an incredible turn out, and everyone who attended had a great time. In 2011, we had 360 and House Vs Hurricane played, and in 2012, Masketta Fall and New Empire.
4. Can you describe what you’ve learned from putting on these events? What are some things that worked well, and what didn’t work well?
Running these events has taught me what sorts of bands pull the biggest crowds, and what sort of events the community enjoy. I have learned everything from planning an event from the beginning, as well as what needs to be done on the event night. For example, we once ran an event with a mixed genre line up, which were not able to pull a big crowd for. This definitely taught me that those sort of shows are quite risky and difficult to pull off.
5. What has been the community’s reaction to your events?
I believe the community has had a great reaction to our events. We always have strong attendance at our shows. When running our annual Battle Of The Bands, Palooza, the bands and their parents are always incredibly appreciative of our work.
6. What other work has your group done within the community? What other work have you as an individual done in your community?
Our group recently ran an event for Healthy Food Week, to promote healthy eating within the community. As well as this, we assist Aquarena by providing them with acoustic acts and running a stage for them on their event days.
7. What events will your group be organising this year? What would you like to see happen with your FReeZA group (what events would you like to run more of)?
This year, we have already run one event, Summer Splash Day at Aquarena. This was an acoustic event to run alongside Aquarena’s summer festivities. Later in the year, we will be running a battle of the bands in June, and one other show in May which we have just began organising. We are currently waiting to see if we will be able to continue with Epic Youth Festival, which is definitely something I want to achieve again this year.
8. What do you and the other members get out of being in FReeZA? Why is FReeZA a good group to be a part of?
Being in FReeZA has given me excellent experience in running events, as well as given me excellent friends for life. Everything I know about events I have learnt from being in my FReeZA group! It's great to be a part of FReeZA to get involved in the community, make new friends, and you get to do it all whilst planning and running awesome shows.
9. Where do you think FReeZA might lead you or your committee members in the future?
I think that continuing on with FReeZA will give me and my fellow committee members excellent experience, and hopefully lead us into awesome jobs within the music industry.
10. What work do you now do? What is your role? Please provide some examples of what work (or events) you have worked on in your current role.
Whilst studying at university, I have been lucky enough to work on such events such as Big Day Out and Soundwave, working on site and setting up for the event day. As well as this, I was recently a volunteer at Pushover, which was an incredible experience.
11. How did you get into this line of work? Were there any opportunities that helped you, or any challenges in getting started?
Doing FReeZA has definitely been the best thing I've done to get started within the music industry, because it provides you with real-life experience that almost everyone within the industry appreciates. I found that volunteering for every festival possible, and working extremely hard whilst doing so, gives you a reputation that will allow you to further your career and achieve your goals.
12. If you participated in the FReeZA Central Mentoring Program, what was your experience like? Were you a mentor or mentee? What did you learn? How did it help you get to where you are now?
I am part of the Mentoring Program this year as a mentee, and although I have not started work with my mentor yet, I have already achieved a lot and had a great time. I have completed various tasks in preparation for Pushover, as well as assisting on the day of the event. I am incredibly excited to see what the rest of the program and the year will bring me.
13. How have your past FReeZA / Push experiences helped you? How has your involvement helped you to get where you are today?
I definitely would not be where I am without the assistance of FReeZA and The Push. Being involved in FReeZA has been a great thing to have on my resume, as a lot of people understand and greatly respect FReeZA committees, having been in one themselves when they were younger.
14. Were there any outstanding experiences that you had while working with FReeZA? What opportunities did you have by working in FReeZA, Push and FReeZA Central?
Volunteering at my very first Pushover in 2009 was a great experience for me. It was the first time I had volunteered at a festival before, and it got me addicted because I loved it so much!
15. If you could reverse time to when you first joined FReeZA, what advice would you have for yourself?
Never give up on FReeZA because you never know where it will lead you!
16. What are your aspirations for the future?
I would like to continue doing exactly what I'm doing now! The work I'm doing on the various music festivals is incredible and I'm stoked to be able to be involved in it. I would love to be able to compete an internship on the Vans Warped Tour in America, and become involved in that, and at the moment this is my main goal for the near future.
Nancie Schipper (Warrnmbool Ignite FReeZA)
1. Please briefly introduce yourself.
Nancie Schipper, 12 y.o., Killarney & part of Warrnambool 'IGNITE' FReeZA.
2. When did you join FReeZA and how old were you?
Ionly recently found out about FReeZA in November last year when I registered for a local event, and I'm now in the process of joining the IGNITE Creative Group.
3. What was/is your role in your FReeZA group and what do you hope to learn?
I’m not too sure yet what my role will be, but I am excited about learning about what is involved in promoting and organising youth events. Anything that has to do with music and the arts is fine with me!
4. What events have you been involved in with FReeZA?
I competed in a Disc-Covered 'Like A Version' competition in Warrnambool late last year. I would like to do a lot more with FReeZA.
5. Can you describe what you’ve learnt from being involved in these events?
The concert was really well run, and the sound was fantastic. There were lots of behind the scenes people to help everything work smoothly, and the judging at the end was really constructive and thoughtful. I love it how everyone and anyone can get up and have a go, no matter what level or ability you are at. I can’t think of anything bad about the event.
6. What other work have you done within the community?
I have done several fundraises for things like raising money for Cancer Care, Christmas Carols and also council run events. My brother and I are performing for the Royal Childrens Hospital appeal at Caramut in March, and hope to help raise lots of money for it.
7. What events do you hope your group be organise this year?
It's a bit hard to say just yet (we are currently planning), but I would like to see more open mike nights for younger people like me, and also see lots more people busking on the streets of Warrnambool. Busking can really create a lot of atmosphere, and make people happy when doing their shopping up and down the street. Its a great chance for musicians also to get some money to pay for their instruments, and raise money for charity.
8. Why is FReeZA a good group to be a part of?
FReeZA seems like a really good program to meet and work with other young people. I am looking forward to making friends, and being part of a group which I have an interest in, learning new skills and providing opportunities for other young people.
9. Where do you think FReeZA might lead you or your committee members in the future?
I’m really not sure just yet, but it will definitely help me to appreciate all the work that is done behind the scenes, before and after a gig. It will also help knowing other like minded people in the music industry.
10. What are your aspirations for the future?
One day, I would love to be able to sing at the Folk Festival in Port Fairy. I’ve seen some really great performers there over the years, and the atmosphere & crowds are just awesome. I’d be very happy if I could to be a music teacher too and help people follow their dreams.
Jake Bray-Butler (Alpine Shire Youth Council FReeZA Committee, Bright)
1. Please briefly introduce yourself. What is your name, age, suburb and what FReeZA group are you a part of?
My name is Jake Bray – Butler from Bright, Victoria, and I’m 18 years old. I belong to the Alpine Shire Youth Council FReeZA Committee.
2. When did you join FReeZA and how old were you? Why did you join FReeZA?
I was 14 when I first got involved with FReeZA – I was looking to take on some volunteer work to become more involved with my community, and this FReeZA/ Youth Council seemed like a good way to do that.
3. What was/is your role in your FReeZA group? What has working in this role taught you?
I have held numerous roles including committee member and committee leader. I have learnt a lot about working with other people, as well as events organisation. Last year I completed my Certificate 3 in Events Management and Organisation.
4. What events have your FReeZA group organised in the past? Please describe some events that you worked on.
We have worked on a number of events including dance parties, skate events, youth awards, and live music events. The ‘Indigo Rocks’ live music event was one of the most successful events we have organised, attracting at least 600 people. It was a joint project between the Alpine and Indigo Shires, and was followed by the ‘Bright N Loud’ event. It was a massive effort, but it came to fruition due to the dedication of all involved.
5. Can you describe what you’ve learnt from putting on these events?
New things work well – we learnt that people get bored of a certain type of event if it is too frequent, so new and different events are always welcome. It is also rewarding to organise events that appeal to a range of interest groups.
6. What has been the community’s reaction to your events?
Most of our events are met with positive reactions – very rarely does the community react negatively to one of our events. Some of our events have been poorly attended, however we have treated these as a learning experiences to further our event planning skills.
7. What other work has your group done within the community? What other work have you as an individual done in your community?
Our group is made up of a number of highly motivated individuals, who are all proactive within the community. These range from being involved with a number of sports (both playing and coaching), to taking on a position with the local Bendigo Bank as a Junior Observer to the Board of Directors. Other work/ activities include Bluelight Committees, SRCs, Community Head Shave and countless other volunteer roles.
8. What events will your group be organising this year? What would you like to see happen with your FReeZA group (what events would you like to run more of)?
Most of our events have concluded – we now only have a couple of skate events remaining. These have been particularly popular, and we will run more of these in the future. It would also be good to see a return to the large scale live music events as described earlier.
9. What do you and the other members get out of being in FReeZA? Why is FReeZA a good group to be a part of?
We enjoy getting things done, and networking with each other. Our committee boasts a diverse range of young people who all bring something different to the group. We are geographically diverse as well, which provides us with a unique opportunity to meet fellow proactive young people from across our Shire. Being involved with FReeZA has also provided us all with skills which will help us later in life, such as organisational, team working, and leadership skills.
10. Where do you think FReeZA might lead you or your committee members in the future?
I believe there are some members of our committee who would like to embark on a career in events management, and FReeZA has been a great starting place for them. There are also a number of members who are interested in sound tech careers, and once again, FReeZA has offered them a number of valuable experiences.
11. What work do you now do? What is your role?
I am currently employed by Alpine Shire Council as a Social Media Intern. As part of this role, I have assisted the FReeZA committee in event promotion – through both social media and traditional methods, such as press releases.
12. How did you get into this line of work? Were there any opportunities that helped you, or any challenges in getting started?
Through my involvement in the FReeZA committee, I was offered a part time cadetship in this area. My previous involvement with the FReeZA enables me to secure the position.
13. How have your past FReeZA / Push experiences helped you? How has your involvement helped you to get where you are today?
I have learnt much about life and how to work with other people. This is integral to any workplace environment. My organisational skills have also benefited greatly. In my roles on the FReeZA committee, I have also been required to take on public speaking. I am now a confident public speaker – an invaluable skill which many adults struggle with.
14. Were there any outstanding experiences that you had while working with FReeZA? What opportunities did you have by working in FReeZA? The FReeZA program has been an ongoing experience over a period of years which I have found particularly beneficial and outstanding – everyone involved has been able to evolve and develop their skills at their own pace – really, the whole program has been great.
15. If you could reverse time to when you first joined FReeZA, what advice would you have for yourself?
Throw yourself in! Don’t worry about speaking up and offering your opinion. Just do it!
16. What are your aspirations for the future?
I hope to get into Medicine and return to the country area as a general practitioner.
Steve Beecher (Alexandra FReeZA, Shire of Murrindindi)
1. Please briefly introduce yourself. What is your name, age, suburb and what FReeZA group are you a part of?
My name is Steve Beecher, an 18 year old living in the little town of Alexandra. Still in Year 12 and with a passion for music, I am part of the Alexandra FReeZA committee.
2. When did you join FReeZA and how old were you? Why did you join FreeZA?
I only joined FReeZA in the early months of this year. My band, 400 Watts, entered FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands, which caught my interest in the organisation. After talking a little with a couple of friends on the committee, I decided I wanted to be a part of it all, and started attending meetings.
3. What was/is your role in your FReeZA group? What has working in this role taught you?
Essentially I do a bit of everything with the other guys, which means we’ve all done things such as gear set-up, advertisement design and worked backstage with other bands. The diversity of these roles has developed an appreciation for the different aspects of putting up events, and just generally developed my own business skills and knowledge.
4. What events have your FReeZA group organised in the past?
The committee has done pool parties, DJ nights and just recently organised the Murrindindi/Strathbogie Shire’s FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands. Seeing as I haven’t been on board for so long, my main input was in the battle, which went down really well with Melbourne band, Built On Secrets, headlining. From a muso’s point of view, it was awesome to see such an enthusiastic crowd.
5. Can you describe what you’ve learnt from putting on these events?
Advertising and organisation is the key! I’ve learnt that if an event is to be successful, EVERYBODY needs to know about it. Along with that important point, the committee works really well together, covering everything that needs to be organised.
6. What has been the community’s reaction to your events?
The pool parties have always been popular: hot weather, water and music. For all the events though, we’ve had a lot of really positive responses.
7. What other work have you or your group done within the community?
Most of our group is involved in other community based affairs such as the Truck Ute and Rod Show. Myself? I’m fairly busy doing Year 12, though I try to have heavy input in musical events, and hope to get involved with some more of the arts.
8. What events will your group be organising this year?
I’m certain there will be a pool party or two, along with some more DJ/Hip Hop events and workshops. An aim of ours is to host a day or weekend of a mixture of things including live music, dance/skate comps and other activities.
9. What do you and the other members get out of being in FReeZA?
The stand out benefit is watching as an event we created and organised takes off. It is also awesome to meet other bands, and making friends that you know you will end up jamming or working with sometime down the track.
10. Where do you think FReeZA might lead you or your committee members in the future?
Some of us are already set on going into events management and doing sound and lighting with a company we hire quite frequently. I’m sure I’ll end up gigging in the future, maybe still with the help of these guys in the group.
11. How have your past FReeZA / Push experiences helped you?
I’ve learned what it takes to get an event to come together, and I’ve met some cool people in the different industries. It’s really motivated me to do more things, and the skills have definitely come in use for other things.
12. Were there any outstanding experiences that you had while working with FReeZA?
The best experience was being backstage during the FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands, and socialising with the battlers before they went on stage. Seeing all the nerves and confidence before going on stage was cool to see from a different perspective.
13. If you could reverse time to when you first joined FReeZA, what advice would you have for yourself?
Get in there from the get-go! Talk to anyone and everyone. But really, I wouldn’t reverse time; it was all a good experience. Yep, including the mistakes.
14. What are your aspirations for the future?
Full-time musician sounds good, though realistically I’ll be in the IT industry. Hopefully I’ll still be lurking around backstage in certain events!
Michael Hardinge (Straight To the Pit a.k.a. Maroondah FReeZA)
Please briefly introduce yourself.
My name is Michael Hardinge, I’m currently 17, Live in the small town of Healesville and I’m apart of the Straight To the Pit FReeZA crew in Maroondah.
When and why did you join FReeZA?
I joined FReeZA At the start of this year, I was 16 at the time. I was talking to a friend at about what I wanted to do as a job in the future, and he heard that EV’s was looking for a new crew for 2012, it was just what I was looking for considering I am very interested in event management this was a perfect opportunity to get a taste of what it was like - So I looked into it and applied to be a part of the crew, and luckily I was accepted!
What is your role in your FReeZA group? What has working in this role taught you?
There are many roles in our FReeZA group, and we all do a bit of everything so everyone has had a chance to get a taste of it all. But in doing that, you get so much more of a better understanding of the music industry in general. This has taught me so much as a whole about the business side of the industry and opened up my knowledge of it all.
What events have your FReeZA group organised in the past?
The events my FReeZA group has put on in this short amount of time is an amazing effort. So far this year we have had some big names come through the EV’s doors, such as Australian hardcore band Deez Nuts and 2011 X- Factor finalist Declan Sykes, with many more big names to come in the coming months such as House Vs Hurricane. It’s so much fun working with higher profile bands as it just gives you such a great understanding of how some of your favourite bands run their tours behind the scenes.
Can you describe what you’ve learnt from putting on these events?
The amount of stuff I have learnt from putting on some of these events is incredible. My business skills have improved so much, along with other great people skills which I didn’t have a lot of before the program.
What has been the community’s reaction to your events?
The reaction to the events we have put on so far has been insane, we have had great responses from the gigs so far, and such great turnouts!
What other work have you as an individual done in your community?
Outside of the FReeZA group, I’ m a musician and a filmmaker, music is my biggest passion in the world, I have a YouTube channel called MissingMyMind95 where I make drum/full band covers of songs and that is what I do in a lot of my spare time.
What events will your group be organising this year? What would you like to see happen with your FReeZA group (what events would you like to run more of)?
I’m really excited about the events that we have coming up. We are having House Vs Hurricane and some other big names in the Australian scene. I love putting on those sorts of gigs, although it would be so cool to get a big name international band and raise the bar a bit.
What do you and the other members get out of being in FReeZA?
The amount of knowledge myself and the whole EV’s crew have got out of the program so far is great. I think we could all go into any part of the music industry as a future job and we would have a head start and a taste of what everything is like thanks to FReeZA.
Where do you think FReeZA might lead you or your committee members in the future?
It’s hard to tell, FReeZA opens so many doors with endless opportunities, but only time will tell with what happens in the future with myself and the rest of the crew.
How have your past FReeZA experiences helped you?
Past experiences have helped me a lot. It makes you a better person in general, because of FReeZA, my people skills have gone up, I’m a lot more outgoing, and on a business side of the scale it just gives you that little bit more knowledge that you need to be on top of what you’re doing.
Were there any outstanding experiences that you had while working with FReeZA?
One of my best experiences so far with FReeZA is being the stage manager for the huge Deez Nuts show that we put on a few months back. One of the best experiences I’ve ever had.
If you could reverse time to when you first joined FReeZA, what advice would you have for yourself?
Well I definitely would not tell myself to change anything, so far everything has been amazing and mistakes have been a good learning experience, so I would just tell myself to enjoy it as much as you can.
What are your aspirations for the future?
My main goal for the future is to own and operate my own full service music company. Anything from artist management, touring agency, recording studios, publicity agent, photographer all the way through to a record label.
Zoero Theoharou (Soundslike Productions a.k.a. Stonnington FReeZA)
Please briefly introduce yourself.
My name is Zoero Theoharou, I'm 20 and I'm from Soundslike Productions (Stonnington FReeZA).
When and why did you join FReeZA and how old were you?
I joined FReeZA mid-2010 when was18 years old. I joined FReeZA because I wanted to get more involved with the local community and I also wanted to gain some hands on music industry experience.
What is your role in your FReeZA group and what has working in this role taught you?
In Soundslike Productions we don't have individual roles as such, we usually share all the roles. I've dabbled in everything from developing concepts to marketing to band booking and other various roles like stage managing and artist liaising. These roles have taught me many things - such as how to put on successful events and work in a team, and also helped me build my confidence. It's also taught me that what you put in is what you'll get out and to grab hold of every opportunity you can because you never know where it will lead you.
What events has your FReeZA group organised?
Soundslike Productions have organised many events including Phoenix Skate Park Jam, the FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands and Viva Youth Festival. The Battle of the Bands is always good fun to organise and it's interesting seeing the local upcoming talent. Viva Youth Festival is probably considered our major event, a lot of planning and discussion goes into it. Viva Youth Festival is an event run by Stonnington but we run the stage and entertainment side of it, and as the years progress we've become more involved. Unfortunately in the last two years the festival has been rained out (which was disappointing as we had 360 lined up to play at the most recent one), so these circumstances have led us and council to change the date.
Can you describe what you've learnt from putting on these events?
I've learnt many things from putting on these events. Basic things like developing a concept early on and giving enough time to plan for an event is very important.
What has been the community’s reaction to your events?
The community has been very supportive and all are events have been well attended.
What events will your group be organising this year?
We are currently organising the upcoming FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands. Our FReeZA group is quite structured in terms of the events we run. Most of our events happen annually; e.g. Battle of the Bands, Phoenix Skate Park Jam and Viva. Later his year we are also planning on having our first metal gig, which should be very interesting as most of our events are indie and hip-hop based.
What do you and the other members get out of being in FReeZA?
It's a great way to stay connected and work with other young people with similar goals. It's really rewarding seeing an event come together after all the planning, and it opens up so many doors. We're like a little family, we all learn off each other and have different views and ways of going about things.
Where do you think FReeZA might lead you or your committee members in the future?
I think FReeZA is a fantastic program, it's already given other committee members and myself the opportunity to work on festivals and within the music industry in paid roles.
Where do you work?
I currently work at a music venue (Palace Theatre) in the cloak room and on the floor, but I've recently also been given the chance to work in the office of the venue doing administration. There are endless amounts of festivals I've worked on. Some of my favourites include; Push Over, Soundwave, Moomba and Harvest.
How did you get into this line of work?
It all started when I was in early high school. I'd attend local FReeZA gigs and loved them. From there on I got involved in community radio where my main objective was to promote local young talent by playing their music and organising interviews. After high school I started getting more involved with music and joined FReeZA and began volunteering on festivals, and then also decided to study music business. From then on, with hard work and a great deal of networking my passion and opportunities just grew.
Are you participating in any type of mentoring program at the moment?
I have recently been selected as a mentee as part of The Push - Music Industry Mentoring Program. The program has just started up and I have been placed with Chris O'Brien from Soundwave. So far it's going well.
How have your past FReeZA / Push experiences helped you?
It's all about networking, experience and opportunities. Those are the key words and concepts. FReeZA has given me hands on experience, the chance to network and has opened so many doors.
Were there any outstanding experiences that you had while working with FReeZA?
I think being involved in FReeZA as a whole is outstanding.
What are your aspirations for the future?
In the future I'd ultimately like to be working full time within the Industry and/or running my own touring/events company. I think I'm definitely on my way there; it's just a matter of continuing to network, developing more skills and taking up every opportunity that comes my way.
Jarrod Zdrzalka (Coastal Productions, Surf Coast Shire FReeZA)
Please briefly introduce yourself. What is your name, age, suburb and what FReeZA group are you a part of?
Jarrod Zdrzalka, Youth Development Officer at Surf Coast Shire for nearly 3 years. I am in my 30s, you have to guess which end of the scale I am! Our offices are based in beautiful Torquay, with our shire stretching down the coast to Lorne and inland to Winchelsea and Moriac. I assist the Coastal Productions FReeZA committee, which we have sub committees of based around the Shire. Currently we have a Lorne Division, Torquay Division, and a Street Art Division. I cover a bit of ground!
When did you join FReeZA and how old were you? Why did you join FReeZA?
The FReeZA program is in my portfolio with my role as a Youth Development Officer, as above, come May 2012 have been in this role for 3 years. I really enjoy working alongside young people; they are inspiring with their creativity. I am learning from them all the time
What was/is your role in your FReeZA group? What has working in this role taught you?
I recruit members, assist young people in delivering events/programs manage administration, research, resources, manage our PA equipment, etc. I look at myself as the gopher for the young people. Look for new ideas, different options to present to the committees and see what they come up with. I am always pleasantly surprised at the end result.
What events have your FReeZA group organised in the past? Please describe some events that you worked on.
The biggest undertaking for Coastal Productions was definitely last year putting on Concrete Audio, a multi-arts youth festival. Our first large scale festival incorporating; live bands, DJs, a street art mural, short film comp and BMX/skate comps all in one day. Running four events in one day with separate workshops leading up to the festival was huge and a great result. Amongst that, we have hosted pool parties, band nights, ramp jams & event support.
Can you describe what you’ve learnt from putting on these events? What are some things that worked well, and what didn’t work well?
Planning, planning and planning. Also, I am no expert any particular field. So I find it imperative to surround myself with experts in areas of interest all things FReeZA. This allows me to deliver good outcomes for my committees of young people. If they have an interest in areas such as street art or multi media, then I have my 'go to’ experts to annoy!!
What has been the community’s reaction to your events?
I think with each FReeZA/youth worker, young people need to take time to accept or approve of you, so it has taken a while to get a solid committee and then the committee to build a reputation for putting on quality events. Over this time I have made sure I have been consistent in my approach with young people involved in any Coastal Productions venture. From this, the community is starting to know that these young people are passionate and committed to put on their FReeZA events.
What other work has your group done within the community? What other work have you as an individual done in your community?
Last year, the crew was asked to give event support to the Rip Curl Pro Civic Reception by running their PA. It was a high profile event with technical challenges ahead of them, running sound to two different rooms for public speaking, plus one of the young people were asked to play live in the foyer as guests arrived.
What events will your group be organising this year? What would you like to see happen with your FReeZA group (what events would you like to run more of)?
As highlighted earlier, I have a few groups of young people dotted across the Shire repping the Coastal Productions committee. With that there are a number of ages and interests. Currently some young people are planning a disco/dance party in Torquay and some live sound training for the more senior committee members that run our PA. There is some interest in hosting a skate/BMX series across the Shire, so we will have a look at that later in the year.
What do you and the other members get out of being in FReeZA? Why is FReeZA a good group to be a part of?
The energy and ideas the young people come up with is contagious, they really are a creative bunch. The FReeZA program allows young people to expand on their interests with support of an organisation behind them. When committee members are asking for community/industry support, it does give them some validity in what they are asking for.
Where do you think FReeZA might lead you or your committee members in the future?
I know that each project/committee will always bring something different to the table every time. We have never done the same thing twice which makes it fun.
What work do you now do? What is your role? Please provide some examples of what work (or events) you have worked on in your current role.
I am currently working on National Youth Week Street Art Project which has a Youthbeyondblue focus. It makes the young people works towards a topic which challenges them. It has also started some great and informal conversations about mental health. Pool parties & dance parties, when we generally put on bands.
How did you get into this line of work? Were there any opportunities that helped you, or any challenges in getting started?
As long as I can remember, I have always worked alongside young people, professionally through my employment or personally through coaching mountain biking.
How have your past FReeZA / Push experiences helped you? How has your involvement helped you to get where you are today?
FReeZA has allowed me to support young people in our area at the grass roots level. As a starting point, it has been great to hear young people that have gone through the FReeZA program to continue their own dreams. Member of bands such as King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have started in our FReeZA program, who recently played at Big Day Out.
Were there any outstanding experiences that you had while working with FReeZA? What opportunities did you have by working in FReeZA, Push and FReeZA Central? Knowledge is power!! Greg at Office for Youth is awesome at guiding you in the right direction and offering advice. And what can you say about the staff at The Push. If they don’t know the answer to your question, it’s not worth asking. The world needs more organisations like The Push. Passionate, friendly and helpful, you can’t go wrong.
If you could reverse time to when you first joined FReeZA, what advice would you have for yourself?
I would not want any advice from myself, as I think it is all a part of the journey to learn as you go. I have enjoyed all of it. I have never been afraid to try new ideas out and that has definitely worked. I will keep going with philosophy.
What are your aspirations for the future?
Keep it real!!! Keep listening to the young people because they have way better ideas than I do. Let them own it! Have fun on the way.
Sean Daly (Soundwave Productions, Yarra Ranges FReeZA)
Please briefly introduce yourself. What is your name, age, suburb and what FReeZA group are you a part of? 
Sean Daly, 32. I live in the outer eastern 'burbs of Melbourne and I'm from Yarra Ranges Council - FReeZa group ‘Soundwave Productions’.
When did you join FReeZA and how old were you? Why did you join FReeZA?
I came on board as a program worker just before Christmas in '09 and that was my first time in the role or working for/with FReeZa in an off-stage capacity.
What was/is your role in your FReeZA group? What has working in this role taught you?
My role is to manage/oversee the program and our music events, those budgets, the paper work and administrative responsibilities that come with them and a lot of emails.
What events have your FReeZA group organised in the past? Please describe some events that you worked on.
Earlier this year we hosted a South Eastern Skate League Heat at our local bowl and put a BBQ and chucked some bands on as well. We then had a ‘Friday 13th’ band fest with a stack of scene/core/rock bands which was a load of fun...and then…we went straight into hosting heats for the Push Start Battle Comp. Five of them actually. The group then hosted the regional Final (as well) for the Eastern Metro Region. We’ve been a pretty busy group this year!
Can you describe what you’ve learnt from putting on these events? What are some things that worked well, and what didn’t work well?
Good: local bands bringing local people. They are usually more keen to play, less expensive to pay and tend to invest more in the event and their performances than some bigger name acts out there. So being a supporter of locals has been a real ‘WIN’ for our shows. We’ve also consistently held a mix of genres and styles at our events, which has worked really well for us too. The crowds seem to enjoy the variety and it draws a wider range of audiences.
Bad: leaving promotion too late always hurts numbers...and relying on Facebook instead of actual face-to-face, handing our fliers, posters up all over the place and effort like that.
What has been the community’s reaction to your events?
By putting on ‘more’ but ‘smaller’ events in our shire (which is geographically enormous!) we have seen a lot more people from isolated pockets of our neighbourhood come to shows that ordinarily would not make the trip for those bigger profile events. So whilst it looks like smaller numbers through the door, they are actually completely new people coming along to the show. Often to support a mate’s band or something! But the response from kids has been really supportive and we are keen for more!
What other work has your group done within the community? What other work have you as an individual done in your community?
Between all of the groups members we have a wide ranges of experiences from participating in local church communities, running and promoting other shows (outside of FReeZa) and engaging local council at meetings and events. Personally I've been a youth worker in the region for nearly 12 years. I have done a range of challenging and rewarding roles in youth homelessness, youth unemployment, child protection and foster care. Outside all that, I played in a band which did a few gigs round the place in its time too. Several of the committee members play music as well which makes for some great discussions!
What events will your group be organising this year? What would you like to see happen with your FReeZA group (what events would you like to run more of)?
We have one massive show left for 2011 planned for December 16th at Mooroolbark Community Centre. The event will feature three stages (yes...three stages) and a host of local and prominent talent for a mighty end of year bash! Might even chuck a BBQ on as well! Next year something our FReeZa group will be working on is a program focussed on raising driver/road safety issues. Part of this will be a song-writing competition for local bands, making a CD and a launch at some point in 2012.
What do you and the other members get out of being in FReeZA? Why is FReeZA a good group to be a part of?
I get to teach what I've learnt (from the music industry) and how to run events to people who seem to enjoy it as much as me! I also really enjoy working with young people and especially in groups. It’s great to watch ideas form through discussion. Ownership develops and then the action following it! Some of the crew have reflected on how the cool stuff like meeting and watching bands was a buzz at first but then the social/connection of the team and working together on a great event becomes the ‘cool’ part of it.
Where do you think FReeZA might lead you or your committee members in the future?
Some have indicated a real interest/passion for running live events and promotion ongoing outside of FreeZa which I think leads on perfectly. Others will take this experience on stage with them in their music careers. For others, there are some great relationships which would never have happened outside of the group which they take with them! As for myself, im having too much fun right now to think that far ahead!
What work do you now do? What is your role? Please provide some examples of what work (or events) you have worked on in your current role.
Well, I run the FReeZa program, plus a second youth committee (similar to FReeZa)…so a lot of rock and roll! I also work on a holiday program that runs four times a year for kids in the area and more recently have been developing posters and promo material for programs and events for Youth Services.
How did you get into this line of work? Were there any opportunities that helped you, or any challenges in getting started?
I started in Youth Work many years ago in Residential Care…which was kinda hardcore. I used my love for music, skating and video gaming as a tool to engage and build rapport with kids I worked with. This sort of lead on to other opportunities as my work skills grew and had some positive outcomes with a few clients. I guess with a few miles under my belt in the tour van with music, a few years of youth work experience, it fed really well into this role which I feel really luck to have now! Interestingly, the people who have had this role before me didn’t have a music career/skills to draw upon, it was a genuine interest in seeing young people develop and explore their potential. I think anyone who wants that for others is well suited to this work.
How have your past FReeZA / Push experiences helped you? How has your involvement helped you to get where you are today?
Through attending FReeZa/Push shows as a kid…it made me wanna play in a band, then through playing FReeZa/Push shows it lead me to want to run my own shows! Then from running shows, I started to help others do it. Without that chain of experiences I couldn’t be here now.
Were there any outstanding experiences that you had while working with FReeZA? What opportunities did you have by working in FReeZA, Push and FReeZA Central?
Hard to answer this one. I felt very proud of the committee and great sense of accomplishment (see trophy!) wrapping up the battle of the bands competition for our region. But perhaps the biggest highlight this year was seeing a fantastic turn out for a really great show in the town where I grew up (Mt Evelyn) which hadn’t had a FReeZa event before. It was all about home town pride!
If you could reverse time to when you first joined FReeZA, what advice would you have for yourself?
Probably wouldn’t have paid some bands the amounts they asked. Probably would have chosen different dates for some shows…but as far as advice? I would say “pleasing people for the sake of avoiding conflict isn’t always the best thing?.
What are your aspirations for the future?
Run a music festival…or work on one. That’d be like taking the job I'm in and seriously upsizing! But way later down the track, I'd like to teach English to non-English speakers or even do some international mission/aid work. We’ll have to wait and see!
Kate Duncan (Darebin FReeZA, formerly City of Yarra FReeZA)
Please briefly introduce yourself. 
I am currently the Youth Music Development officer at Darebin City Council. I coordinate the FReeZA program, as well as other youth-based music programs and events including Decibels Records – a youth-led record label, and Believe In The Beat – a girls-only DJ training program targeted towards females of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
When did you join FReeZA and why?
I started as a FReeZA volunteer in 2000 with the City of Yarra’s FReeZA committee Statik. A bunch of friends and I were the core members in starting up the committee in 2000. We recognised a need for underage and all-ages music events within the areas surrounding and including Fitzroy and Collingwood, and used FReeZA as our avenue of producing our events.
What have you learnt since working with FReeZA?
Since starting as a FReeZA committee member in 2000, I moved onto volunteering with other FReeZA committees, as well as acting in peer-mentor roles, working session-ally, and now employed to coordinate Darebin’s FReeZA program. Having begun my FReeZA experience as a committee volunteer, I am always conscious as a worker to provide ongoing support and openness to committee members regarding all elements of the program and our events.
Please describe some of the events that you worked on with FReeZA.
In the two years that I have coordinated Darebin’s FReeZA program, we have hosted a range of FReeZA Push Start Battle heats and regional finals, youth stages at our community festivals, as well as headline events with artists including Washington, The Vasco Era, Eagle and the Worm and Skipping Girl Vinegar.
Can you describe what you’ve learnt from putting on these events?
Our program’s most successful events have been those which the committee have partnered up with other community organisations and internal council departments to share in the event management and organisation. In doing so, not only are the event costs and responsibilities shared, but all partners have access to networks, resources and industry knowledge that might not otherwise be possible without such partnerships. Key partners that Darebin FReeZA have worked with include Darebin City Council’s Arts and Culture Department, The Push and FReeZACentral.
What events will your group be organising this year?
In 2011 Darebin FReeZA’s events include the Youth Stage at the Darebin Community and Kite Festival, the FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands Northern Metropolitan Heat and Regional Finals, as well as a double headline show with Eagle and the Worm and Skipping Girl Vinegar as a part of the 2011 Darebin Music Feast.
What do you and the members of your committee get out of being in FReeZA?
The FReeZA program is a fantastic initiative for young people who are interested in getting practical knowledge and exposure in the Australian music industry. Through being involved in FReeZA, participants get first-hand experience in event management, promotions and marketing, technical production, artist liaison and bookings, sponsorship and budgeting. Additionally to this, FReeZA can be a great avenue for meeting like-minded young people who are also passionate about music and event management.
How did you get into this line of work?
Volunteering as a FReeZA committee member for several years allowed me to develop a practical insight into some of the responsibilities and duties required of FReeZA program facilitators. After initiating long-lasting relationships and networks within the program, I went on to undertake tertiary studies in youth work and music industry (business). Now as a formally qualified youth worker, I am able to partner my theoretical understanding of the principles underlying youth work practice, with my practical experiences as a previous participant in the FReeZA program.
