Empathy vs Sympathy

Shame and empathy researcher Dr.Brené Brown explaining the difference between empathy and sympathy.

“The truth is, rarely can a response make something better — what makes something better is connection.”

So you need that smart cuckoo clock for Christmas, do you?

So you need that smart cuckoo clock for Christmas, do you?
Christmas permits the global bullshit industry to recruit the values with which so many of us would like the festival to be invested – love, warmth, a community of spirit – to the sole end of selling things that no one needs or even wants….

Are we so bored, so affectless, that we need to receive this junk to ignite one last spark of hedonic satisfaction?

Conscience on Collins 2013: “I have a dream…”

Last month Urban Seed teamed up with Collins Street Baptist Church to put on the annual Conscience on Collins. Over 300 people came out to hear Adam Bandt (Melbourne MP), Jessie Taylor (Barrister & Refugee Advocate) and Father Bob (Activist & Larrikin Priest) tell us their dreams for this city and society. So compelling were the speeches, that they inspired many other dreams as well. Like this one:Well I have a dream. My dream is that I don’t have to come to Credo for food, but that I can come when I want, and I can give money to Credo.

These were the words of Sash, one of our two female members of Credo Team. She is also part of the Credo Women’s Space project. Sash is studying a business degree, and aims to start her own business. She is also a talented visual artist. Sash was busy catering for Conscience on Collins, along with the rest of Credo Team, who are all members of the community that shares food and life in Credo Café.

Sash has a dream of finding her feet so that she is not dependent on Credo Café, but can give back to it. But what Sash may not realise is that without her, Credo would not be the place that it is. Sash is an invaluable contributor to Credo Team, which prepared and served delicious food for our 300+ guests at Conscience on Collins. Sash also blesses us with her inspiring artwork, and has offered invaluable assistance in the Urban Seed office. It will be great when she does have a choice as to whether or not to eat in Credo Café, but she already gives in so many ways.

Thank you to everybody who made Conscience on Collins such a fabulous event.

 

Thanks Fairhills High School Year 9 Project Team!

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Fairhills High School Year 9 Project team (Jaimie, Tia, Ben, Kyle and Trent) organised a goods collection for us at Urban Seed.  They did a letter box drop in their local area asking for blankets, clothes etc that could be donated for the homeless.  They then went around to collected the goods.  All up they collected 5 bags full!  Which they then lugged on the train from Knox all the way into the city to hand over the donations! What legends!  Thanks guys for your support!

White Ribbon Day

Speaking up against violence can be tricky and varies depending on the situation.

To show you are against violence, you can:

Make your concern known. “Hey mate, that’s sexist and I don’t think it’s funny.” “I think those words are really hurtful.” Refrain from laughing when you’re expected to.

Personalise the violence or injustice. Bring it home. “What if that was your sister / daughter / mother?” “I hope no one ever talks about you like that.”

Remind him that she has feelings and rights. “Just like your mum or your sister, she has the right to be treated with respect.”

Ask for an explanation. “What are you doing?” “What are you saying?”

Remind him of his ‘best self’. “Come on mate, you are better than that.”

Use your friendship. “Hey mate… as your friend I’ve gotta tell you that getting a girl drunk to have sex with her isn’t cool, and could get you in a lot of trouble. Don’t do it.”

Invite group pressure. “I don’t feel good about this. Does anyone else feel uncomfortable too?”

Take action and join the campaign : White Ribbon

Speedcubing

Cameron Stollery (the World 2×2 Cube Champion), Chris Keegan, Matthew Smith, Cameron Gillespie , Alastair Whitely and James Chin from Kingswood College helped run a Speedcubing event as a fundraiser for Urban Seed.

26 competitors from Victoria and interstate battled it out in the 2×2, 3×3, 4×4, 5×5, 6×6 and Pyraminx cubes.

Each competitor paid $15 dollars entry and Cameron Strollery’s sponsors LighTake donated prizes for competitors.

All up they raised $453.45!

Thank You guys for your support!