Some of Australia’s best-known authors, screenwriters and performers will become role models to young writers in a new initiative at Story Factory.
Story Factory, which delivers creative writing programs to empower young people from under-resourced communities, has announced its inaugural Ambassador program with six of Australia’s leading creatives.
They are author and journalist Julia Baird; author, screenwriter and journalist Benjamin Law; actor and musician Zindzi Okenyo; novelist, screenwriter and playwright Debra Oswald; academic and author Dr Amy Thunig-McGregor; and writer and comedian Jennifer Wong.
The Ambassadors have been brought on board to raise awareness and increase the reach of Story Factory’s work and, most importantly, to amplify the voices of its young people.
They will share their knowledge and experience with participants in Story Factory programs and take part in events that showcase the students’ work, such as book launches, exhibitions and films.
The Ambassadors reflect the diversity and life experiences of the young people who join Story Factory programs.
“I’ve been a volunteer and board member for Story Factory for over a decade, and it’s an honour to be an Ambassador too,” says Benjamin Law.
“It’s pretty incredible watching their free workshops in action. In the space of an hour, Story Factory will take a kid who hates English, lacks confidence expressing themselves, and transform them into someone jumping out of their seat to share their funny poem, silly story or moving essay to the entire room. That kind of confidence-building is life-changing.”
Bindi Mutiara is a former Story Factory student who took part in the first Year of Novella program in 2016, when she was 15, and wrote a book called Arden.
“Coming from a turbulent ecosystem, Story Factory didn’t just teach me how to write – they gave me permission to unravel and reimagine the shape of language itself,” Bindi says.
“In that space, my voice began to take root, nurturing an enduring love for poetry, for storytelling, for teaching – threads that now ripple through everything I do. It was a reality I never dared to dream and was always just beyond my grasp growing up.”
Excerpt from Arden by Bindi Mutiara
When the riddler got the better of Arden, she wouldn’t be able to concentrate on things around her. It looked into her eyes with eyes that glowed like fireflies in the night sky from the light of the moon, and gave a look that Arden seemed familiar with.
The shadow was her. Arden was the riddler and the puppeteer. Arden’s mind was a maze that was impossible to solve.
