my workplace diversity (religion,politics&woodwork)
For the last two months I’ve been filling out job application essays, and have often come across the terms ‘workplace diversity’ and ‘participative management practices’. Once I worked out what they were, I had to think up ways to prove to the recruitment people that I practiced/believed in/followed these cool terms. Thankfully, I don’t have to do any more proving, as I’m employed! Hooray. And… what’s more – I didn’t just find one job, but three! I’m workplace diversity all in one!
These three jobs are all tasters/testers for now, and I guess I’ll have to pick one sometime, but for now I rather enjoy the variety and exposures. So, here then is what keeps me busy during the week in Canberra:
First up (monday & tuesday): Religion with the ACC&C
(Am I taking Jesus’ words ‘seek first the kingdom’ too literally here?) ;)
It’s a big title, but as the Global Network for Public Theology Officer, basically all I’m doing is organising a conference (something I’ve done before). My employer is the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, where I work with Julia Pitman and James Haire. Julia is of the opinion that James is the top theologian in Australian. I don’t know too many theologians yet to make that call, but the impromptu lectionary commentary and exegesis we get each week at staff meetings is phenomenal. It’s really hard not to want to record all that he says!
Anyway, back to work – the conference I’m organising is in October, and entitled: The Christian Mission in the Public Sphere. It’s a mixture of public theology and mission studies – both areas of interest to me. And, would you guess, the keynote speaker is Prof Nico Koopman from Stellenbosch! He was on the board of the SACC Parliamentary Office in Cape Town where I worked last year, and is the chair of the Beyers Naude Centre for Public Theology! It’s a small world! The actual conference logistics aren’t that exciting, but the papers seems promising, and the contacts valuable. (Oh, and the centre where I work is on a beautiful site overlooking lake Burley Griffin, with a labyrinth and a Bible Garden and outdoor chapel!)
Moving on to the secular (wednesday): Politics with the ALP IP
I’ve just started one day a week working with the Australian Labor Party (the folks in power) in their International Projects office. Development work is really big here in Canberra, and something that I looked into quite a bit when I arrived. All the development work here in Aus is focused on South East Asia (an area I know nothing about), but I’m keen to learn and see where it takes me. So I work with the director Michael Morgan and help out where I can. As funds become available, and the work increases, this job may expand. The IP office has a $1 million a year democracy building program in SE Asia, as well as historic links to the ANC and trade unions in South Africa (not to mention close ties with the UK Labor, and the Democrats in the US). A good place to be I think!
And to round the week off (thurs&fri), a bit of manual labour: Woodwork with Fox Antiques
When I was in SA I googled a few job pages in Canberra and saw an advert for an Antique Furniture restorer at Fox Antiques. I didn’t apply for the job, but kept the idea in my mind. After a failed attempt at being a waiter at a restaurant, I thought that if I were to do some low paying physical task, it may be in an area that I enjoy (I was top woodwork student at high school, and have done some restoring as a hobby) So I went to see the folks at Fox and asked to work, It’s been 3 weeks so far, and I’ve enjoyed every day. The pay ain't great, my hands are really dirty, and there’s a lot of heavy lifting, but it’s not every day that one gets to play around with 19th century French antiques. I’m learning a whole bunch, and getting my hands dirty with beautiful woodwork. And, on Friday after work we all have a beer (corporate bonding) and a chat. It’s not theology or politics, but good old labourer conversations!
So... that's what keeps me busy.
Add to this mix Frisbee 3 times a week, and I’m a full and happy man. Just have to find time to garden and read (and maybe blog)! This full-ness is probably not sustainable, so after the conference in October, I’ll have a look and choose one of these jobs. Or perhaps something else – I’m talking to a local Uniting church about a community faith development position that seems very exciting. So, that’s my diverse workplace. And I’m very thankful for it.
