When I let go of who I am, I become what I might be

23.09.2014

Hi there!

My name is Ashvin Nair and currently I am the public relations officer for Colosoul Group Inc. I'm still fairly new here as but I've have been spending the past 5 months helping to organise and promote some the events that we have hosted. It's also my final semester and Curtin University and majoring in public relations and marketing and I can't wait to graduate!

I am writing this from our awesome new basement space and it's still got a bit of work to go but I can see this is going to be an amazing reflection of the organisation and I can only imagine the creative juices that'll be flowing  once it's all completed.

I've only recently grasped the concept of practical public relations and how it works in the non-profit environment and I really appreciate the opportunity to put my past 3 years of repetitive theoretical concepts and assignment writing to some real world use (especially when it's for events that will provide a positive impact on those in need).

Working in the non-profit sector has been very fulfilling for me however it's not without its hurdles. One of which I have experienced in my department is the "getting-your-foot-in-the-door syndrome" I suffered from at the beginning of my work. I found it very hard to get the events and organisation pitched well enough to  new media platforms or publications. I found that If you don't pitch your ideas quickly and well enough they will not want to hear anything about you! I do feel I am overcoming my "getting-your-foot-in-the-door syndrome" and am developing strongly the skill of event/news story pitching to journalists and organisations efficiently and effectively.

I've learnt to be persistent and to wade through the rejection just to get to that one moment of success. For now I soldier on and I know I have plenty more to learn which motivates me to get as much experience under my belt and to make the most of  my time here with Colosoul.

-Ashvin Nair (Public Relations officer)

19/03/14

Recently I have a great team who take charge of their responsibilities; I love it when I get a crew that takes initiative and are really passionate about what it is they want to do within the arts. These types of volunteers is what Colosoul is looking for and is about; the atmosphere around the place is a buzz.

I have an amazing editor - Brooke, who works full time and comes in on Fridays to oversee our Colosoul team. What a champ! Brook knows how to listen, take advice and get the ball rolling. The unfortunate thing when volunteers leave in an unprecedented way without passing over their roles properly it does cause a bit of mayhem at the Colosoul Group, mainly because people are trained as they enter the mentorship program. 

During handover and the only person who knows how to hand over properly is the person who just had their role. Due to a high number of volunteers coming through the program this has seemingly always been the most effective way until past few months. With a bit of stress roaming around the place due to a couple of volunteers who decided not to hand over properly we have had to implement a different structure for our system to work more effectively. I always ask my volunteers how we can do things to better improve our quality of work ethics and professional standards, quite often they come up with some great ideas! Below is a weekly update I get from one of my team leaders, some insight in to what is taking place behind the scenes..

Updates from the past week are:

Claire  (Art Editor) has been doing a stellar job so far

• building up the art team. She has recruited a few interested team members to get involved with art and such

Karen Hansord (General Writer) has been great submitting stories.

•  I look forward to her next article. I am meeting with her this Friday to discuss the Books Editor position. She is a self proclaimed book geek, so I think if she's able to take on that role that would be great.

•  Has also been great at submitting some wonderful stories to boost up the website submissions. She's more focused on the social issues side of things and is happy to contribute where possible.

Tom Munday

• Music so far is doing fine - Tom Munday has a real grip on things I believe and is posting on FB and getting a good gig list together.

•  Samuel (Theatre Editor): Going really well with Fringe and hopes to continue things after the festival has finished.

• Movies Editor :Still on the lookout for a new Movies Editor, Social Issues Editor and some more editorial assistants. I have put in a request to HR.

• Ezine: Going to try hard to build up the ezine in house along with the design team.

•  Issue #11:  looking good so far - I'll have a timeline for you on Friday to hang in the office as a visual aid! Speak more on Friday about things! - Editorial team

Tricia Ray 

CEO

' Remember, remember ' - Quotes that Motivate and Inspire.

Passion, Persistence and Pizza!

Hello there!

I’m Claire Turner, the Art Editor! I’m a final year art student at Curtin University and a practicing visual artist/poet- http://claire-turnerart.com

These past four months I think the moon and stars drastically rearranged themselves - I've been handed a number of career making opportunities and I feel elated with the art world right now, as opposed to contemplating the harsh and never ending injustices towards artists that life seems to always offer.

   

So, I began the position a week from Monday, I am so excited to be here! I've even told my roommates to address me as Miranda Priestly, in which I only reply with “That’s all.” And I've perfected my pursing of the lips to a max. 

In terms of my plans for the Art Department at Colosoul, I have big dreams of which will all come into fruition given time! Since I was 13, I have been fixated-obsessed-hell-bent on recreating Andy Warhol’s Factory (a little insight into my crazy idealism) and I've found a place in which my obsession could become a definite reality, and in my own home town of Perth. Whaaaattt?!?!?!

Building a department and finding one’s own team may send most people into stress-ville, along with starting at a new job, or not knowing how to pay next week’s rent because your awesome new job doesn't pay and you’re too committed to look for paying word - but not me! In fact, I may be on such a creative high at the moment that nothing will ever phase me for some time! 

What I am going to love most of all about this role is meeting people through their submissions -artwork or written - and of course helping them with a uniquely important task of establishing themselves through Perth's art scene! 

Art is life and death; I'm too passionate about art to function!

Somebody posted this very inspiring picture to Instagram on the weekend  and I thought it could apply to career opportunities and the journey of making your dreams happen, as well as pizza (an equally important part of life). 

- Claire Turner (Art Director)

Goodbye Colosoul.

The summer is in full swing with festivals and gigs coming out of our ears! The Lotterywest Film Festival is already flooding the eyes and minds of cinema enthusiasts with some gems of international film, as well as some gorgeous Australian works, including the world premiere of Shane McNiel’s latest film Girt By Sea. 

I've already seen three films and am hoping to pack in a couple more. Of the films I’ve already seen, Ruben Alves’s  The Gilded Cage was absolutely gorgeous and shot straight into my top 5 films of the decade. Perth Festival (non-film) events also started on Feb 7 with the Lotterywest Spectacular: Veles E Vents, featuring the spectacle makers from Xarxe Teatre. A spectacle, as always.

I’ve put together my PIAF Top 5 not to be missed events:

1.       The National, February 14 at Chevron Gardens
2.       A Midsummer Night’s Dream (As You Like It), February 14-19 at His Majesty’s Theatre
3.       Bianco, February 11 – March 1 at NoFit State Big Top at the Ozone Reserve
4.       Opus, February 26 – March 1 at Regal Theatre
5.       Haze, February 27 – March 1 at His Majesty’s Theatre

My festival picks are usually very music heavy, but this year I’ve found myself leaning more towards the physical theatre, dance and circus acts. On the other hand, I absolutely could not imagine missing The National.

Finally, I have news of mixed emotions, I’ve been offered a really exciting work placement opportunity with one of WA’s esteemed presses and so my time with Colosoul has come to an end. It has been such a whirlwind few months and I will be taking some truly excellent memories with me, as well as some sweet new media skills. I’ve met some of the very best people in this state and look forward to reading all the good stuff coming out of Colosoul in the future.


Thanks a bunch Colosoul!
Peace,
Elaenor. 

Why holidays and work don't mix.

I love holidays, I really do. I honestly - if my current financial situation or timetable permitted it - would go to a new city every month, but I can't because it's so hard to catch up on that missed work or study and this is what I'm dealing with right now.

I love working at Colosoul, it's not just rewarding but fun as well but I'm just about to come home from being in Auckland for four weeks and I'm a bit nervous at the thought of facing all the things i've missed and all the catching up I'll have to do when I get back.

That's the worst part of going away - missing everything and being out of the loop - it makes you feel like you're a step behind everyone else, which makes you feel like you're not doing your best job. It's just so much easier to stay at home and focus on work and do a good job but that's not always how it plays out!

I'm back in the office next week Friday and I'm so excited to see everyone and get back into the rhythm of things, re-establish that routine and gain a sense of normalcy so that I can contribute again before uni starts up.

One good thing though for me, has been taking care of the Colosoul Blog. We're working on getting our blog to that point that allows all of you to get a genuine feeling about what it's like to work at Colosoul and also just to learn a little bit about us in turn!

This is my penultimate year of a law and journalism degree and for us law kids this year is absolutely crucial. It's about completing clerkships, gaining practical experience and competing in as many competitions as humanly possible as well maintaining your GPA; but I'm always committed to giving a thousand percent in everything I do and I know that this year is going to be rewarding.

So wish me luck because I bet you I'll be off someplace new soon and have this problem all over again!


- Jenita xo

'Remember, remember' - Quotes that Motivate and Inspire.

Getting there...

Last year ended in a bit of a mess for me, not really knowing if I was doing the job right or what pieces of the puzzle I was missing but the start of the new year has started off well for me as the Colosoul Photography Editor. I think I am getting the hang of what the position requires as more information comes my way and my organisational skills are forced take a change for the better. 

The places and events I get to go to and the people I meet would not have happened if it had not been for Colosoul, so that is already a big tick in my books!

When i'm working Monday to Friday cutting fish, it doesn’t take up a whole lot of thinking so I have allot of free brain space to think about literally anything else I could be doing right now. The first and most obvious choice that pops into my head is when and where  my next holiday is, but considering I have been to quite a few places the last couple of years  I am quite set on sticking around for a bit to see what eventuates. 

I usually like to be relatively commitment free and sort of make it up as I go but with this new position comes a certain amount of responsibility that I am happy taking on. Variety is the spice of life and that is what I am getting here at Colosoul, so I intend to continue that on for as long as I can.

-Trent Simms

Delights and Discoveries

Introduced via a mutual friend, I one day had a friendly chat over a cup of tea with the then Movie Editor of Colosoul. He encouraged me to get involved with the magazine so I, keen to work on my writing skills, signed up to write film reviews for the website. A few months later, the Movie Editor position opened up and I thought what a great way to explore the happenings of the local film scene and so...here I am.

Cinema in Perth continues to grow and grow. Each summer a new outdoor cinema pops up, the most recent edition being the cosy BamBOO Outdoor Cinema, tucked away behind Luxe Bar. The Lottery West Film Festival consistently brings amazing foreign films to our city, a joy to watch snuggled in a blanket under the stars. The blockbusters continue to delight and entertain the masses, while Luna is ever reliable in providing a fabulous space for alternative cinema. 

Through Colosoul I was able to discover and delight in all that is great in current cinema and, most importantly, help promote what Perth has to offer in film.

Colosoul is full of friendly, motivated individuals who all come together as a team to help each other out and ensure the success of this amazing project. I am so glad to be a part of it!

Thanks,

Hayley

28/01/14

Hey Colosoul readers!

My name is Mel, and I’m the assistant fashion director at The Colosoul Group Inc. I’d like to say that I’m still the new person here at the office but to be honest, I’ve been here for a few months now, however I still feel like I have no idea what I’m doing.  I’m 19 (my last year of being a teenie bopper) and I’m currently in my third year of uni studying Fashion Design. 

Today is my first day back at Colosoul for 2014, so now I can officially say that I've been here since last year! Still out of breath from climbing the three flights of stairs that lead up our small city office as I write this, luckily this is a blog post and not a filmed interview on camera otherwise I would sound like I were hyperventilating. 

I was a little nervous coming back to the office this year after being away for over a month visiting my family in Queensland but I’m excited for what's ahead and all the rewards, challenges, obstacles and failures that I will most likely experience this year. I always keep telling myself, and everyone out there, that you’ll never learn anything or achieve greatness without making a few mistakes a long the way.  A lot of mistakes! Don’t let it keep you down thought, think “Happy thoughts” LoL. 

Bye for now,

Mel the little lamb signing off.