Building Voices Public Speaking in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Education

Building Voices Public Speaking

Locality: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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23.01.2022 Iranian Mischief There’s a small island (south of Sicily, situated in the Mediterranean Sea), called Malta where I first saw the light of day on 11 January 1969. According to my father, I was the last child to be born in the British Military Hospital in Mtarfa. I have no recollection of my time there as we left when I was two. From Malta, we returned to the UK for a few years where my brother, Mike, was born in 1971. Dad left the army and we moved to Iran (formerly known ...Continue reading

21.01.2022 I chatted with the kids this week about the ‘Staying Safe Online’ presentation I did with them and their parents/ carers last week. The children, told me that it opened the floor for discussions with their parents/carers, and with the descriptions of my family’s experiences on all the topics addressed, the presentation has ensured that they’re now being far more cautious about who they interact with online. As I’ve said before, parent feedback was that the presentation bridg...ed the gap for those difficult discussions that they know they need to have with their children about the dangers of speaking to strangers online, but didn’t know how to bring it up in a way that made them both feel comfortable. This is due to what they as parents and carers are are being told, verses what their children are being told. After our discussion we got straight back into debating, where the kids used the breakout rooms - which they love - to prepare before delivering their debates. Children as young as grade 2 were debating against kids in grades 3 and 4, with older children in grades 5 and 6 giving them a helping hand in the breakout rooms. We should never underestimate young children’s ability to debate when they’re shown how. I can tell you from personal experience, they’re pretty remarkable! Oh, and our Office Helper decided to turn up for work for a change!

20.01.2022 Since we’re now having to do more and more online, I decided to invest in this little beauty, so that when I’m recording a podcast, interviewing someone, or even being interviewed myself, the sound quality is much clearer than it was before. I’m loving the switchable polar patterns of cardioid and omnidirectional. CARDIOID - is ideal for podcasts, game streaming, vocal performances, voice-overs and instruments. This mode records sound sources that are directly in front of... the microphone - I’ve tried this and the sound is fab! OMNIDIRECTIONAL - picks up sound equally from all around mic. Have yet to try this, but apparently, it’s best used in situations where you want to capture the atmosphere of being there, such as recording a band’s live performance, a multi-person podcast or a conference call. I have to admit that I’ve been a wee bit childish when playing with it to see what it’s capable of!

18.01.2022 Thank you for this wonderful review Alice!

17.01.2022 Calm communication in the face of danger At the age of twenty, I worked for the British High Commission in Lagos, Nigeria, as a Personal Assistant to the First Secretary of the Commercial and Economic Department. Aside from all the usual duties that I had to do as an assistant, I also acted as his host at parties when his wife couldn't attend. I would go to the local telecommunications companies to sort out connection issuesif you didn't physically go there, it would nev...Continue reading

17.01.2022 How many times have you been talking to someone, you’ve disliked the tone they’ve used, and it’s sparked a row? Or perhaps someone has told you not to talk to them in ‘that tone of voice’. It’s happened to all of us at some point in our lives, and more often than not, we don’t realise how we’re coming across as we speak. Find out how to positively impact your home life by changing your tone of voice in the article below. https://www.buildingvoices.com.au/positively-impact-your-h/

17.01.2022 It’s been announced that students from Prep to Grade 10 will commence online learning again from 20 July until at least 19 August. We’ve been through it once, and kids, I know you will manage again! YOU’VE GOT THIS! Until extra curricular activities are allowed back into schools, I will be running my programs online, but with a fun new twist. I can’t wait to see my students again, and keep teaching them a life skill that they will use throughout their lives.... Stay safe and healthy!

16.01.2022 AND THAT’S A WRAP! We had a wonderful last session of the term with Senior Mentors, Emily and Jack, and Acting Senior Mentor, Jules, and Class Mentor Mali, all running their respective classes. I was there as back up, and to make sure that everyone had fun, and they did. They all did a great job as class Coaches learning different elements of being a leader. The kids had the choice of doing an impromptu speech or selecting another person to do a debate with. I got... picked more than once by students to debate against and I did my best - I really did - however, my evil daughter Emily, scored me 0/5 points, so I was soundly smashed by grade twos in each debate! I think I might need to find a new job! My cheeky daughter even claimed that my impromptu speech belonged to her - in her words, I won that too! The theme was to dress up in bright colours to finish the term with a happy bang! They outdid themselves, and for me, it was a fantastic opportunity to let my hair down - ok, don a wig - and have some extra fun with the kids. Next term the kids will be doing vocal variety work, connecting only with their voice as they tell stories - their cameras will be switched off!

15.01.2022 Yesterday the grade 5s from various schools hung back to chat about the school leader roles they would like to go for next term - for 2021. School and House Captain were the most sought after, and the kids are keen to get a start on preparing speeches and practicing interviewing techniques for their chosen roles. With that in mind, I’ve offered (at no extra cost) to do two extra sessions on Thursdays (for up to an hour) from next week to prepare pitches and do interview tra...ining for the roles they’re keen to go for in term 4 - then in the first two weeks of term 4 they will refine and bring the speech/pitch/interview technique to life. I will also do mindset work with them so they can be proud of their accomplishments no matter the outcome. Texts have been sent to all grade 5 parents in all my classes to let them know, and will send the Zoom link to those who want to join in. I really love doing this part of my job and can’t wait to start this training again for next year!

15.01.2022 I’ve been conducting sessions on ‘gossiping’, where the kids paired off and talked about one of the Senior Mentors or me. They get to say anything they like with no reprisals Sadly, I had reports during ’lockdown’ of children not only cyberbullying but gossiping unkindly about others Many students tell me they struggle to extract themselves from these types of uncomfortable conversations, so we did role-playing.... One child was the gossiper, and their partner didn't want to be involved. I provided strategies to remove themselves from listening to or being involved in unkind behaviour. I addressed the fact that at times people repeat what is told to them about another person, explaining this is also a form of gossip. I encouraged them to think about the motivation of the person repeating the information. Is it designed to cause more friction rather than creating a solution? Children love to learn through role-play, and in my experience, when actively shown how, they develop the skills to communicate calmly, concisely, and kindly in many social settings They informed me they learnt a lot from the exercise. I was impressed how many of them quickly distracted the gossiper, shutting the conversation down without becoming a victim themselves

15.01.2022 Discovering the meaning of wealth in Africa Have you ever had an experience that’s had such a profound effect on you it’s changed your life? One that challenged your understanding of what was most important to you? When my Dad passed away in 2015, I found myself trying to find some form of sanctuary in my memories. One I came across took me back to a time when I lived in Africa when I was younger, to a time where I learnt what being wealthy truly meant....Continue reading

15.01.2022 I did my first practical assessment in Counselling for my Diploma this week, with 3 people, all with different issues. In all honesty, I was so nervous before each one, because although counselling has some similarities to coachingas a communications coach I have to discover what’s holding someone backI had to delve deeper to be able to assess, identify, and come up with a counselling management plan so all three case studies can achieve their goals. It truly is something e...lse to help a person establish their mental health priorities, particularly as you discover other underlying issues they didn’t originally present with. It’s one hell of a responsibility, and here’s praying that I do it well, because the feedback I got was that this is my calling! I was amazed when I was told that I’m good at it, you’re a natural my Assessor and the ‘clients’ told me! Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather! I really wasn’t expecting such incredibly positive feedback. I’m actually feeling much more confident in my abilities, and am seriously looking forward to the next 2 practical assessment sessions with each person to complete my first unit! Then onto the second one I also want to say a massive thank you to my incredible friends who didn’t hesitate to let me into their worlds on a deeper level, and my amazing Assessor for giving up so much of her time and giving me tips throughout. All four of you are helping me to achieve a goal I never dreamed possible! Love you all!

12.01.2022 Am excited and nervous at the same time, because, today I’m being interviewed for a podcast about my life story. I normally only talk about parts of it, in my videos, or to friends or small groups at toastmasters, so putting it out there in such a public forum is a first. There are still areas that I’m not ready to talk about as I need a few years of emotional peace before I do, but there’s so much from my life in UK, Iran, Africa and Australia that I will talk about to hope...fully inspire the people who listen to it. To keep fighting on. To never give up. To look for opportunities even in darkness. To know that people do care about them. To feel worthy and valued. To stand up for what you believe in. To feel loved by the most important person in your life - you! I woke up at 4am full of nerves, but I know this is something I need to do.

12.01.2022 This is an incredible documentary with big hitters from the world of social media about how they work to keep us addicted to our phones and various sites. It’s a complex insight into the human mind, playing on our weaknesses. It’s absolutely fascinating! https://www.netflix.com/au/title/81254224?trkid=13747225&s=i

11.01.2022 Awesome interview! Thank you Stephanie Halamantaris for giving my son, Josh, the opportunity to tell you about his experiences in the entertainment industry. I love the fact that he gives some really practical advice to people entering the industry, and explains how his outlook of his future has changed, but he’s not ruling out entering it again.

11.01.2022 Sometimes, on a weekend you stop thinking about work and just have to tease your child. My daughter, Tell me you me and I’ll go! #kids #mummydaughtertime #chilling #playful #notthinkingaboutwork #mentalhealth

10.01.2022 Hey everyone, I’m joining Stephanie Halamantaris TONIGHT for this and I’m NOT in the entertainment industryok only a little bit as a model sometimes. It’s a free 1 hr session, and I highly recommend if you’re aged between 9 and 25 to get on (shhhh don’t tell her I’m 51!) and meet an incredible woman with an amazing mindset coaching technique to see if it’s something for you. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain! DM me or Steph direct and we can share the zoom details with you! See you there!

10.01.2022 WARNING - PARENTS There’s a graphic video circulating via social media - below content is from Bentleigh Secondary College notification to parents today. The eSafety Commissioner is aware of distressing reports there is a video of a graphic nature circulating on social media Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Tik Tok.... There are also reports that trolls are using videos of puppies and kittens to trick people into watching the video. In some cases, the video is being directly messaged to students. Seeing this video would obviously be extremely distressing if seen by members of our community. Our advice is to: * Avoid opening any videos on social media where you are not sure of the content and/or unfamiliar with the sender. * Should the image attached appear in any of your feeds SCROLL past. * If you happen upon this video or others of a similar nature please report it immediately to the platform. * Anyone who encounters this content is encouraged to report it to the social media platform they’ve seen it on, or to eSafety at www.esafety.gov.au/report/illegal-harmful-content. The following services are also available to anyone who may be at risk or experiencing emotional distress, including worried family and friends. - Kids Helpline. 1800 55 1800. Phone support is there all day, every day. Online support is open from 8am-midnight every day (AEST). - eHeadspace. 1800 650 890. Open 9am-1am daily (AEST) Lastly, do not under any circumstances forward this video onto anyone else. Doing so could result in further consequences by the school, social media platform or police.

07.01.2022 Thank you for this wonderful testimonial Stephanie Halamantaris! It‘s been an absolute pleasure working with you. I‘ve loved being part of your journey and having the privilege of watching you flourish. A little bit about our coaching sessions ... Steph is not only a radio presenter, a podcaster, a video series interviewer, she‘s also a mindset coach. As such, we worked on her communication techniques. I asked specific questions directed towards mindset coaching, and she offered incredibly valuable information to be able to transform negative and non-productive thought processes into ones that effect permanent change. Her coaching techniques are extraordinary, and even though this is a testimonial for me, I can only say that I highly recommend her as a mindset coach.

07.01.2022 We kicked off Term 3 yesterday and I opened the floor to the kids to talk about how they’re feeling about going into lockdown again. Some are not phased by it, however, others are not looking forward to being in front of a computer all day as they learn. Of course, the biggest downside is not being able to see their friends, and for the grade sixes, their last year of primary school is not one they will remember as a good year. ... That said, they‘re resilient, and even though most are feeling fed up, they’re determined to make the best of a bad situation, which is the right attitude to have. I participated in a ‘Professional learning program for teachers online risks and protective factors’ course with the Office of eSafety Commissioner, with the latest online safety research, case studies, and teaching strategies for educators to integrate into our programs. Since all of the kids are ‘gaming’ or on social media sites, e.g. Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat I intend on doing a class on online safety within the first three weeks of the term. The kids are keen for the session and want to share their own experiences of Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite, and I’m keen to hear their stories.

07.01.2022 Recently I was having my own inner struggles and felt downright miserable - the sense of despair lasted for days, and I just couldn’t shake it, I completely lost my drive and normal happy and optimistic disposition. This wasn’t me! I’ve had depression in the past so knew it wasn’t that. It was an exhaustion and sadness, a feeling of not being okay, and I didn’t like it one bit. As I tried to sit with my emotions and process what I was thinking and feeling I realised what I n...eeded to do. I reached out to my friends on my personal social media page to tell them I was struggling. Why did I do this? Because it’s in silence when monsters rear their ugly heads. Reaching out is healthy and admitting that even for a short while you’re not coping is healthy. The result of my call for help was an incredible outpouring of love and kindness. It reminded me to be grateful for what I do have, for those people in my life who genuinely care, and most importantly, it’s okay not to be okay, and it’s okay to ask for help. It was a communication to self that I value myself and am not afraid to reach out. If you’re struggling, don’t be afraid to reach out. You don’t have to do it the way I did, but please do it - more people care than don’t! #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #reachingout

06.01.2022 Here is the final part of my life-story interview with Matthew Curnow from New Directions Women’s Fitness. In this one, I talk about how I changed my life around to become the person that I wanted to be. There’s a large chunk of my childhood that I haven’t talked about, as I just need a few years of peace now that I’ve dealt with it. That said, as I’ve listened to me tell my story, watching the woman (me) speaking on screen, I wondered how in the hell I managed to get throug...h everything with my sanity intact! It’s strange seeing yourself in this format talking about your life. Yet, as nervous as I was about talking so publicly, I’m really glad I did - I now believe this was the final stage to my healing. To not be afraid or ashamed of my own story. What I do hope, is that by telling it, I might help even one person to know not to lose hope. Again, I do realise both videos are long, and if you do take the time out of your day to watch them, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. https://youtu.be/FO51SjoJUOU

06.01.2022 As the new 2020/21 ‘President’ of ‘Silver Service Toastmasters’ (SST), I’m very happy with how our first Executive Committee meeting went today. SST is where I learnt my craft, and I highly recommend, if you feel nervous (particularly, if you can’t afford someone like me as your coach) to join us in one of our meetings to help build your confidence in how you present in public. We are an inclusive club, with incredibly friendly members who only want to see each other shine. S...o, meet our new Executive Committee. President Samantha Richards VP Education - Simon Yaksich VP Membership - Andrea Videion VP Public Relations - Sue Parks Treasurer - Jennifer Juni Secretary- Andrea Videion Sergeant-at-Arms - Matthew Mattsson Immediate Past President - Andrea Videion Our Executive Committee had a very proactive first meeting today, addressing issues that running club meetings online pose to members. We discussed the fact that many of us spend much of our day in business meetings using various online platforms, and the thought of another online meeting has for some been difficult. Therefore, as a Committee, we took people’s experiences and expectations on board and determined that we need to streamline, shorten, and make our Zoom meetings not only educational, but enjoyable in structure. If you’re interested in coming to one of our Zoom meetings, do you feel free to DM me so I can send you the zoom details.

04.01.2022 I’m so proud of Stephanie Halamantaris for telling her story. It was an honour to interview her about her experiences in the entertainment industry. She’s gone from being a ‘victim’ to a ‘voice’ for others! Incidentally, I deliberately didn’t introduce myself at the beginning because this isn’t about me, it’s all about a very courageous young woman. Take a listen! #metoomovement #courage #havingavoice #interview #videopodcast #loverthisgirl #mentalhealthawareness

03.01.2022 Part 1 of 2 of my life-story interview with Matthew Curnow from New Direction Women’s Fitness has been uploaded to YouTube. Please be kind as it took a huge amount of courage for me to tell it, and I’m being completely vulnerable. The second part, which is yet to come, is where I talk about how I’ve turned my life around. If you do decide watch and listen, thank you for taking time out of your day to hear about what I’ve been through. https://youtu.be/1s7MqgIToCA

01.01.2022 I woke to a wonderful and unexpected surprise this morning! A delivery of my favourite drink from the Rees-Marom Family for the work I‘ve done with their eldest son, who has been accepted into STEM at his secondary school of choice in 2021 It was so nice to receive such a lovely gift, and the best part is, my husband doesn’t drink Prosecco, so for once, the bottle is all mine! Thank you so much, Gwyn and family, I will definitely enjoy it!