ALA is delighted to welcome professional facilitator and popular media personality, Julie McCrossin, as one of our new Ambassadors.
1. Thank you for becoming an Ambassador for Adult Learning Australia. Why did you decide to take on the role?
I am very happy to take on the role of Ambassador and do anything I can to encourage people of all ages to actively get involved in learning. All my life I have loved to learn new things and I believe my curiosity and love of learning are a product of my family life. I grew up in a family of five children with a mother and father who were committed to giving us the best education they possibly could. Both my parents had served in the Second World War. When they started a family after the war, they were eager to build a good future for their children and education was the key. My mother was especially passionate about learning for her daughters. She grew up in London and left school to go to work at 14. Mum had won a scholarship to a Grammar School but her mother didn’t let her go because she felt they were too poor to afford the extra costs. I think my mother felt the loss of this opportunity very keenly. She was determined her three daughters, as well as her two sons, would get the best education possible. All five of us graduated from university. Mum is now 88 and still has a strong interest in news and current affairs and a curiosity to learn new things. This is the passion for education I hope to share as an Ambassador.
2. After initially completing a Bachelor of Education, you undertook a Graduate Diploma of Adult Education in 1992. What drew you to adult learning at this time?
The focus of the graduate diploma was Basic Education. It was all about helping adults to learn to read and write and do basic maths. I had originally trained as a primary school teacher, but when I graduated in the late 1970s I joined a theatre-in-education group called Pipi Storm. We performed in schools, child welfare institutions, juvenile justice centres and adult prisons. I met many people who had very limited literacy and I saw the way it limited people’s opportunities for work and community life generally. While I enjoyed working on ABC Radio, I took a break in the 1990s and taught reading and writing for adults at TAFE. I worked with people in psychiatric hospitals and also with new migrants. I enjoyed this work very much and I wouldn’t be surprised if I return to this type of adult education part-time when I get closer to retirement.
3. You’ve had a long and varied career in the media with a strong social justice focus including being the host of Australia’s beloved Life Matters program on Radio National for over 5 years. What role does adult learning play in creating resilient, just and healthy communities?
We are lucky to live in a democracy. We can influence the way our tax dollars are spent by engaging in community activities to change the actions of our elected officials and community leaders. As a radio broadcaster and as a facilitator of public forums and conferences, I have the opportunity to meet hundreds of people who are active in their local communities. I meet people who are trying to improve the quality of our lives and ensure a fairer distribution of money and services, especially to vulnerable people, such as people living with a mental illness or a disability. The more we learn as citizens, the more effective we can be as advocates for a better society. But it’s not just about helping others. There is plenty of research that demonstrates that the more education we have, the healthier we are. And if we are more active and connected to people in our local communities, then we are happier and less likely to experience depression and anxiety. Getting involved in adult learning is good for individuals and communities.
4. Compared to vocationally-focused learning institutions such as TAFEs and universities, the outcomes of community-based adult education are often wider ranging, yet harder to define. Why do you think community-based adult education is important?
I wholeheartedly support vocational courses because work is a source of pleasure, identity, social connection and money. But work is only part of our lives. Many community-based adult education courses foster skills and relationships that are about creativity, fitness, practical home-making, cross-cultural development and understanding, small business and horticultural and agricultural skills. The quality of the lives of individuals and communities is greatly enhanced by these courses which improve the quality and meaning our lives, especially during child-rearing years and as we get older. At every stage of our lives, we need to ensure we experience a sense of purpose, meaning and joy. Adult education, in the company of other curious and open-minded people, is a critical foundation for a life well lived.
5. How do you continue to learn in your own life?
Back in 2002 I completed a part-time law degree that I studied purely for the educational pleasure. I never intended to practice but it has enhanced my life immeasurably. More recently, I have become involved with South Sydney Uniting Church in Waterloo. This church publishes a community newspaper, The South Sydney Herald, which aims to give a voice to people in Redfern and surrounding districts with a focus on positive stories. This church also runs an art gallery and creative writing courses. I’ve become the Treasurer of the Church Council. All these activities have involved learning many new skills, especially around financial record keeping and planning, and I’ve attended courses to upgrade my skills. I’m also a member of the board of my old school, SCEGGS Darlinghurst. This involves learning new skills all the time and participating in professional development. In the future, I hope to study history and theology. In a nutshell, like my mum, I hope to keep learning as long as I keep breathing.
About Julie
Julie McCrossin gets people talking. After 20 years as a broadcaster with ABC Radio, ABC TV and Network 10, she is now a freelance journalist, facilitator, trainer and speaker. Julie is renowned across Australia for her warmth, humour, intelligence and commitment to social justice.
For more information, go to www.juliemccrossin.com.