Danni Ashton , one of CREATE’s Community Facilitators in Tasmania has recently celebrated her 5 year anniversary with CREATE. We are so happy Danni is a part of the CREATE family, and are so thankful for her contribution to helping to create a better life for children and young people. Danni shares some of her CREATE journey with us.
How did it all start for you at CREATE?
I moved to Tassie 5 years ago from Western Australia, and as fate would have it, a job with CREATE came up at the same time which was the perfect fit. My first day with CREATE was 2 days before the Christmas Party where we had over 500 people registered to attend, so I was thrown into all the excitement and joy that our connection events bring.
What has been your best memory?
There are too many to mention, but if I had to pick one, it would be the first ever CREATE Conference held in Canberra, where so many young people had the opportunity to come together, with carers, workers and other CREATE staff and talk about making a difference. It was community at its best.
Do you think CREATE has changed over the last 5 years and how?
Yes, CREATE has grown in so many ways. CREATE is more respected and loved by young people, carers, workers and the community. Something that I have noticed over the last 5 years is that no matter what adversity (hard stuff) has been thrown at CREATE, we have worked together as a community to overcome it and continue the amazing work we do alongside the children and young people.
What’s been the most challenging part of your role?
Not having more funding to travel and hold more events and programs in regional areas. The North and Northwest peeps of Tassie love coming to our events and it’s really hard when they ask us to come up to these regions more often and we don’t have the funding capabilities to do this.
What’s a great piece of advice you can give young people starting at clubCREATE?
Don’t be scared to give us a call and have a chat!!! Sometimes having a chat with us will give you the courage to come along to our programs and events. Our workshops are super fun and we have the best time. You will make soooo many great friends and it really is such a great feeling.
