Welcome to yTeamer’s Supporting yTeamers !
It’s been a while since we have checked in with the amazing things our yTeam have been getting up to, so let’s see what has been happening in our community!
The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay – Ella Proberts (SEQ yTeamer)
One of our amazing SEQ yTeamers, Ella Proberts, has recently starred in ‘The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay’ which is a children’s film launched on the Disney Channel in the US and is now streaming on Disney+ in the States. It will be coming to Australian cinemas in October so make sure you get your tickets to watch it! Ella is 20 years old from the good old Brisvegas and met yLead at our MAD conference in 2017!
What do you love about the yLead community and why do you keep contributing and connecting?
I love the yLead community because it values difference. I have learnt from yLead that doing things a bit differently can be such a strength. Trying something new and different, or even a bit ‘weird’ always felt unsettling for me, but I think yLead gave me the confidence to put my hand up and go for new opportunities.
What is your ultimate goal? You know, the big one, if failure is no option? Dream big, we are here to support you!
My ultimate goal is to continue acting, but also learn how to work on the other side of the camera, in areas like writing, directing and producing. I am studying journalism and politics, so I am really keen on finding an intersection between the two industries. I don’t know exactly what this will look like, but I am excited to find out!
What is the biggest win that you have had?
I think the most obvious biggest win would be landing this role! From this I have met so many amazing people that have opened me up to other opportunities within the industry, which is invaluable and possibly the greatest win.
Tell us what inspired you to start your project?
Acting has always been something I loved and sort of felt ‘at home’ doing. I started at a little local speech and drama school near my primary school in year 1 and never really stopped loving it – even when I tried to at the end of high school! Since graduating and starting uni, I just kept putting my hand up for acting opportunities and going to every audition possible.
What has been the biggest challenge (so far) that you have faced?
Believing in yourself in the acting industry can be particularly hard, because you will inevitably face a lot of “No’s”. It’s virtually impossible to land every role you audition for. My friends and I talk about how we have had to reshape acting by looking at auditioning as being the job itself, and landing a role being the cherry on top.
What is something that this whole process has taught you?
This whole process has taught me to persevere! Even if I don’t achieve the goal I set out for, there will always be people to meet and other little opportunities along the way that might be even more valuable. Something we’re taught is that the opportunity to audition (whether you’re successful or not) is an opportunity to be seen by someone, and you never know what that could lead to down the line. It really emphasises the importance of always putting 100 percent in and never taking the opportunity to learn or to act for granted! I auditioned for this casting director for a number of other projects and was never successful (it was even a joke in our family!). But by persevering, I suppose the timing and role was finally right.
How can we support you?
The resources yLead provides are already invaluable, but if you’re looking to help in any other way… you can watch the film when it comes out! Or reach out if you’re interested in collaborating, you can shoot me a message on Facebook @ Ella Proberts or on my Instagram which is @ellaproberts
Backo Music – Jackson Harris (VIC yTeamer)
Hi team! My name is Jackson Harris aka Backo, I hail from Melbourne in Marysville. I am 20 years old and I first met yLead back in 2019 at VIC ASLC. The project I’ve got going on is called Backo Music and I’ve got a headline gig coming up on the 2nd of September at the Bad Decisions Bar in Fitzroy! If anyone is in town and wants to hear some tunes, be sure to get down there! I’ve also got a song coming out in late September, so keep your eyes and ears peeled for that! But outside of that, here are some of my successes, challenges, and learnings since starting Backo music.
What do you love about the yLead community and why do you keep contributing and connecting?
The people in this community are truly awesome, and I believe they bring out the best in each other. The things that yLead has taught me have helped me in multiple aspects of my life, and I guess I keep contributing and connecting to this community, to hopefully repay what I feel has been given to me.
What is your ultimate goal? You know, the big one, if failure is no option? Dream big, we are here to support you!
Ahhh it’s a tough one, but probably selling out a world tour. I can’t think of anything better than travelling the world whilst doing what I love.
What has been the biggest challenge (so far) that you have faced?
My stutter. It’s a blessing that you don’t stutter when you sing, but there’s always going to be that barrier I have to push through whenever I have to talk in-between songs on stage. I guess that links into fear, and worrying that people will think less of me for not being able to talk properly, and maybe sounding like I don’t know what I’m talking about.
Tell us what inspired you to start your project?
I’ve always loved music, since I was a little kid. It’s absolutely my deepest passion in life, it’s rooted in everything I do. I find it so cool that I can write something, and have it connect with people in different ways, making them feel different emotions.
What is the biggest win that you have had?
Hmmm the biggest win. Honestly every gig I get I consider a big win. I played at the Workers Club in Fitzroy the other week, that was pretty darn awesome. I’ve seen plenty of bigger bands play on that same stage, so for me to play on that stage as well was surreal. Another win would also be my first headline gig in Melbourne at the Bad Decisions Bar. Seeing that I have minimal songs out on streaming platforms, it was pretty special to sell out the show, and in my eyes that’s my biggest win!
What is something that this whole process has taught you?
The whole process so far has taught me that as long as I’m happy, that’s all that matters. Obviously, it matters to me if people like my material or not, but at the end of the day, the songs I write, the way I dress, it’s all to make me happy, and express myself. So if one person doesn’t like a song, or things the lyrics are stupid, so be it. Hopefully they’ll connect with a different song.
How can we support you?
Just listen to my music and come to shows! Even just telling someone about a song, or about a show means the absolute world!
Kokoda Challenge – Alex Barnes (SEQ yTeamer)
Hi! My name is Alex and I am 23 from Brisbane. My first yLead experience was being a student leader at ASLC SEQ 2016. The Kokoda Youth Foundation constructs incredible initiatives and programs for youth which are focused around engaging these youth with Kokoda values of courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice. One of the main events which this foundation facilitates is ‘The Kokoda Challenge’ which is a 30km team-based endurance challenge through Brookfield Reserve. Myself, alongside four incredible Year 12 students from Murrumba State Secondary College, competed in this challenge on Saturday 13th August to pay our respects to our armed forces and to push our own physical and mental boundaries.
What do you love about the yLead community and why do you keep contributing and connecting?
yLead has been a pivotal and transformative part of my development and leadership journey over the past six years. Ever since being in the ASLC SEQ space in 2016, I’ve always felt that yLead was my home – somewhere I can return to when things are getting tough and somewhere where I know that I will always have unconditional love and support. Throughout my journey with yLead, I’ve been able to volunteer at a variety of in schools in Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and the Darling Downs region where my confidence continued to grow and it made me realise my passion for youth and how impactful these spaces can be. I’ve also been fortunate enough to volunteer at four ASLC SEQ conferences in all three leadership capacities in addition to being a tour leader in New Zealand for our Thrill Out Schoolies Alternative Trip in 2018. These opportunities have led me to fulfil a career as a high school educator where I am still immersed in yLead programs to this day.
yLead has provided me with unconditional love, support and guidance over my journey and has paved the way for me to achieve some incredible professional goals in my career. The connections which I’ve formed from yLead are raw, pure and meaningful and are connections which have been based around open conversations and authenticity.
What is your ultimate goal? You know, the big one, if failure is no option? Dream big, we are here to support you!
My biggest professional goal would be to open up my own school one today- to put my vision onto paper and see it come into fruition. Surrounding myself with the right people and being equipped with the right resources, I believe that anything is possible and anything can be achieved.
My biggest fitness goal would be to come back in 2023 and complete the 48km Kokoda Challenge. This would allow me to tackle this even bigger obstacle and to continue to maintain strong physical and mental wellbeing.
What is the biggest win that you have had?
The two big wins which were celebrated throughout the journey was firstly, the shear patience which the three-year twelves demonstrated on the course. Due to medical injuries and discharges from the course, this led to our team having to wait for over two and a half hours on the course during the day and night. These year twelves never complained, never blinked an eye lid and were advocating for everyone to cross the finish line and this made me overwhelming proud. The second win was definitely completing the last two hundred metres of the thirty-kilometre track. Hearing the loud music, people cheering and your name being called still gives me a warm feeling inside because it gave me a sense of pride, achievement and strength, and there was no other feeling like this.
Tell us what inspired you to start your project?
In the 2021 COVID 19 lockdown, roughly one year ago to this day, I remember sitting at home feeling as if my mental health and physical health was being neglected and not prioritised. I was aimlessly scrolling through Instagram one day and then a mate who I hadn’t spoken to in about two years, Jordan, who has his personal training qualifications posted saying that he was beginning outdoor one on one sessions and was wondering if anyone would be interested. I hesitated at first, however, took a step outside my comfort zone and replied to the message saying I was keen. At the end of 2021, one of my work colleagues Gemma, signed me up for the Kokoda Challenge because she didn’t want to do it alone. Annoyed at the time, I took it in my stride and began training for what was going to be an epic adventure. Flash forward to now, I can now say that I’ve never been so mentally and physical healthy. I’ve found a new love for exercise and the dramatic changes it can have on your mental and physical wellbeing, but it has also taught me the skill of commitment and dedication. Without replying to that Instagram message, a year ago, I don’t think I would be where I am today.
What has been the biggest challenge (so far) that you have faced?
Throughout the Kokoda journey, our team faced several obstacles and had to overcome multiple medical challenges through the 30km course. Due to the delayed waiting times and injuries, this drew out our completion time of the challenge. The hardest portion of the challenge is when the day turned into night and the sudden change of weather made the conditions of the course more difficult. With this change in conditions, you begin to lose motivation, focus and become delusional. The main focus during this time was to keep reminding myself of the ‘why’. Why am I doing this, what am I wanting to achieve and what am I wanting to prove to myself.
What is something that this whole process has taught you?
This twelve-month journey has taught me that by having consistency and a strong support network, anything can be achieved. If you would have asked me twelve months ago about completing this challenge, it would have been a strong no. With an incredible amount of support from Jordan over the last twelve months, training me two to three times a week, this goal has been achieved. In addition to this, by having a strong support network and a consistent program, I’ve been able to formulate better daily habits and set myself micro goals to help me focused and get my mind on track.
How can we support you?
Who knows where the next journey will take me but accountability is key. So checking in on me and holding me accountable to my fitness schedule will help me keep a strong vision on what to achieve next.
