You can learn a lot from Australian freelancers. We’ve got damn fine freelance skills we can share with your business. We’re happy to teach you the art of taking your business higher. And we’re happy to lend you our savvy to activism and community endeavours.
Here are the freelance business movers and makers large and small who are using their freelance skills to educate the world
Teaching business and freelance skills
There’s nothing like taking small business higher with someone that’s eager to learn. Freelancers love sharing their considerable freelance skills with their community and their clients. Let’s dive into social media, social good, photography, events, personal branding, working from home, resilience and more for your business.
Beautiful freelancers! My friend Elena and I created an IGTV series called Lexi Punch. It’s raw, uncut and ready call out the social media bullsh*t! We both work heavily in social media and here, we take our audiences through our journey working in the digital world and the issues we’ve personally experienced. We want to support as many people as we can. We will be sharing the tactics, mindsets and activities we’ve put into place to use social media mindfully and protect our mental health. If you want to check it & our series out, just follow me on IG.
Impact 2020 with Rhonda Yanitsas
In response to COVID-19 and the need for even more positive social impact I came up with the idea to run daily (and free) webinars for six weeks for the Centre for Social Impact – yes, one a day (and sometimes two!) The webinars cover all sorts of cool and interesting social impact topics – from social innovation and impact investing to discussions about the gendered effects of COVID-19 and how to pivot your social enterprise at this time + more. Each webinar has from one to four presenters and I’ve curated and managed the whole virtual summit – plus hosted most webinars! So much work but so great in terms of reach, education, impact and thought leadership. Feel free to sign up for a webinar or find out more: www.impact2020.online
Learn photography with Krystal Seigerman
I’m a photographer/photography teacher and I’ve been working on individual online lessons – if you are finding you’re taking more photos for your business because of restrictions e.g. of products, I’d love to help you 🙂.
Have you always wanted to learn photography, but never quite worked out how to move off auto mode? Do you have a camera that’s sitting in your cupboard, collecting dust? Are you looking to use your time during social distancing restrictions to develop a fun, creative outlet but need some help getting started?
I am excited to now be offering individual photography lessons online, that are tailored to you and your unique needs.
Whether you are a complete beginner starting from scratch, or an experienced hobbyist who needs a quick refresher, this is for you!
A bit about me – I love sharing my knowledge and I have eight years of experience teaching photography at tertiary and community institutions such as RMIT University, La Trobe University, Melbourne Polytechnic and CAE. As an educator, I’m recognised for my friendly, accessible and engaging teaching approach. I’m skilled at breaking down complex information, removing barriers and inspiring others to develop their technical and creative skills. I believe anyone can learn to take great photographs with a little guidance. Book here.
Virtual PHAMily Markets with Fleur Adams
I am an events manager/creative and I have been working on Virtual PHAMily Markets that are pulling together a fair number of what would be market day vendors to now selling online in the comfort of your own home, shopping with a glass of wine. What’s not to love about that?
Personal Branding program with Emma Lovell
As I re-emerge into this new lane of business, I want to connect with others more and more. I’ve always valued the business community and more now than ever, that’s what I’m seeking! So, say hello and tell me about you!! That’s what I’m most interested in.
I’m also looking into webinars soon – I’ve got a couple of partners lined up with complimentary services to help people better showcase their brand. I would love to run these with others who can support my clients on their journey so if this sounds like you, again hit me up through the site.
I’m very grateful for this community and seeing what everyone else is creating continues to inspire me.
WFH Challenge with Dee Behan
We’ve started a Three-Week WFH Challenge!
Crazy/Life with Yvette Salvaris
My podcast is called Crazy/Life and it’s all very new , very raw etc. It’s basically about the crazy shit that goes on behind the scenes of running a biz. So, to show ppl that it’s not all glam and perfect. It really is a blend of hard work, guts, and determination. It really is a work in progress but check it out.
Resilience, mindfulness, and system transformation with Claire McKendrick
I released a free 5-week email-based course bringing together the latest research on resilience, mindfulness, and system transformation. It’s focused on how we build our resilience and capacity to be with the enormity and challenges of this time. You can check it out and sign up here.
Women in WordPress podcast featuring Sheree Chambers
I was a guest speaker on a podcast about women who work in WordPress this week (sadly my audio didn’t work too great). At around the 9min mark I even give Freelance Jungle a shoutout.
Get sustainable at home with Sarah Rhodes
I made a virtual eco classroom 🤩 I’ve got 6 standalone classes to help people get sustainable at home.
If you love it, please share it, if you want to be involved the class registrations are open.
Meditation with Kelsey Dawn
I create free meditations and breathing exercises for mindfulness and sleep. 💛
My sleep meditation on the free “Insight Timer” app has been my most popular contribution.
https://www.youtube.com/user/dragonflysparksify
Freelance skills applied to activism
What good is having a bevy of freelance skills if you can’t use them to be a superhero on occasion? When they’re not cooking up amazing things for their freelance business, many Freelance Jungle members can be found rattling the cages, asking the questions, and poking at the why of the world. Here is when they use their freelance skills to shine a light on the stories, causes, and communities that may not always be able to be told without their help.
George Dunford for ArtsHubBub
For #IMT here’s our podcast ep that looks at criticism with several interesting writerly folk – Alison Croggon, Jo Case plus censored artists Abdul Abdullah! Interesting to hear how criticism helps some creatives.
B Starbright with The Owl and the Pussy Cat Animal Sanctuary
Well the huge downturn in work has given me more time to work with my rescue animals. I kind of accidentally started a farmed animal sanctuary about 2 years ago. I say accidentally because the plan was to wait until the kids were a lot older before I started it, but all of the animals found me! Especially during the fires when we evacuated a lot of animals and then a number of them stayed on due to owners struggling in the drought. Anyway … here I am in my COVID-19 bubble creating this haven for these beautiful souls and I just LOVE it. It can get a bit intense at times (we nearly lost our latest rescue horse last week due to her damaged digestive system brought on by starvation/lack of care), but it’s keeping us very busy. And creative! I made myself ‘do’ Instagram during the fires to start telling the animals’ stories, and with the lockdown I’ve found time to post a lot more. I’m hoping one day I can focus all my energy on these beautiful creatures. They make me heart sing! Here they are … https://m.facebook.com/OwlandPusCatFarm/
JobKeeper commentary with Adrian Elton
Heya Minkies – here’s a little meme that I made at about 10:30pm on Tuesday night, which 12 hours later had already been picked up by AdNews and news.com.au 😛 Basically modelled on my Clive/IKEA fake billboard last year, this one poked the finger at our dear treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, who must have had his calculator upside down when he (together with ‘Scotty From Marketing’) over-allocated $60 billion to the JobKeeper programme. Given how many people (many in the arts and hospitality industry) didn’t meet the eligibility requirements, I figured that this might help bring some pressure for them to reallocate all, or part of it, so as to support every worker who has missed out. Because after all, in these extreme circumstances, we all deserve protection! Anyway, please share far and wide if you feel so inspired.
Caring for the voiceless with Mem Davis
Working on a collaborative community song for the vegan community. Asking people to add their flavour to a guide track that will be used as part feel-good, and part fundraiser promo tool (in lieu of the live event we had to cancel in March).
Unfortunately the song is secret unless you’re involved – so if you want to help raise funds animal rescue sanctuaries, check out the details at Sound Sanctuary Oz.
Vegan creative spaces in Wollongong with Alisha Rose Caine
I am soon opening a vegan ‘pay as you feel’ creative space in Wollongong. The food orientated concept will operate between mon-fri 10am-2pm, with Sunday ‘Crafternoon Jammin’ Spoon’ sessions from 3pm-5pm. This leaves available a ridiculously awesome space for creative collaborations to be held via donation. I’m looking for musicians, artists, crafters, poets, writers, readers, clothes swappers, freelance collaborators and so on, who may be keen to collaborate within a cruelty free zone. The space is intimate therefore numbers of bodies may max approx. 20.
Please have a think or plant a seed for later if this appeals and watch this space for updates. Cool creative cats wishing to collaborate in Wollongong while on travels from various locations are welcome to plan ahead and book in soon. Space hire operates under the same advice Kasey Chambers’ dad gave to her: “You can be anything you want, just don’t be a dickhead”
Challenging dialogue with Jennifer Zeven
I’ve been pitching this on and off for months but couldn’t get through the corona-coverage-wall. So after nearly 6 months of warm rejections, I’m so glad I found a home for this piece and have been overwhelmed by the feedback to it. How to disrupt Australia’s ‘good bloke’ narrative.
People > Money by Rhiannon Hopley
Window installation for “words in windows” part of an exhibition/movement around the world this week, with the world in isolation. I put up “People > money” in response to our government (and other countries leaders) having more concern for money and the economy than the health and well-being of people. I strung, pegged up fake 100-dollar notes with ScoMo’s face on them, as bit of a joke about money laundering in there too and it was fun to hang ScoMo out to dry 😂😂
This is in Sydney on the Princes highway, across from Sydney Park.
Community gardening with Sam Walker
I am creating this community garden. Actually, what I am creating is a youth centre to bridge the education gap for young adults. Was due to start running first workshops last month. So, for a minute I decided to pull the pin. Then I gathered myself and decided to tackle it from a different angle. The space has land, people are going to be hungry. So, the garden was born. Well, it is birthing. Given how damn hot it is, there are only limited working hours in a day. However, less than two weeks in, the morning glory is looking great. Other things are going to be much slower. The garden is generating a lot of interest. People want to volunteer. Some friends have donated money – I have not asked for money so that has been lovely. We are collaborating with someone to create a community composting project.
