Outcomes and victories

The finalised policy document was presented at the Scottish parliament today.

The Congress received extremely encouraging feedback from the First Minister, and all the other speakers at this morning's gathering.

The proceedings and the document should be available somewhere on the WYC website shortly. Translations in French and Spanish will be available too.

I am SO glad about the outcome of the policy document - after the past 5 days of little sleep, much (often heated) discussion, and knuckling down in front of the computers. Delegates finally seemed (at least) somewhat pleased about the final version, after much (mostly constructive) critique and much modification.

World, get ready for the next buzzword in international development - Youth-Led Development: concept of youth being not mere beneficiaries, but active partners in collaboration towards development and poverty reduction, for the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals - and beyond.

If any of the commitments and (hopefully implemented) recommendations of the document - and the brilliant and passionate activists seen here at the Congress - are anything to go by, youth will be a major force in the work towards achieving the MDGs til 2015, and a damn good long time after.

[Ed: I hadn't mentioned this before, but there were (about) 15 people on the first draft committee, from which 4 were selected for final drafting. Unfortunately there wasn't much Asian representation - I was the only one from the whole of East and Central Asia, on both teams. Still, I'm glad there was a Singaporean voice at all.]

ALSO!

Wollongong finally has a queer space!! One that doesn't flood, is centrally located, and will actually allow queer activists to organise. This is a fantastic victory - so much effort has gone into this campaign. Special congrats to Annaliese Constable and Karlee Jones.

One thing though - I thought it was oddly interesting that there hasn't seemed to be any media coverage on this, in Wollongong Uni media and a google news search. Unfortunately this does not terribly surprise me.

In any case, I'll leave you with the story from Annaliese, while I go soak up some superb Scottish sun that is just screaming to be enjoyed.

yes yes it's all true

oh my, such happiness. such joy. such good timing for the NDA. such need to get to business and write media releases.

wollongong queer collective has been offered a new queer space on campus. the space is in the arts building which is centrally located. the space is about the size of two offices and is next door to the NTEU office.

apparently it does NOT flood...we will wait to see but that is the word on the street.

we are going to have a HUGE fuck off opening party and will post all the photos of me drunkenly dancing on podiums or similar.

what happened?

well, contrary to popular belief the campaign has been continuing although it slowed down at the start of the year. in recent months it has regained momentum thanks mostly to karlee jones - superstar extraordinaire.

one of the direct results from the occupation last year was the creation of an 'equity and diversity' committee.

recently the student union/Unicentre (as opposed to the student's association (SA) was allocating empty spaces within their building. the SA met with Unicentre to discuss the prospect of allocating one of these spaces to the queer collective on friday...we were refused, instead the Unicentre chose to allocate yet another general student lounge (because the bar and the other lounge already in their building just isn't enough space to browse through jays jays catalogues and do heterosexist quizzes in cosmo).

following this we composed a letter outlining the OHS breaches and the responsibilities the university and Unicentre had toward all students including the floating rotting queers across the road. the SA president took thsi letter with him and presented it in a meeting with uni admin on wednesday.

friday the 'equity and diversity' committee met. during this meeting the equal employment opportunity officer from the university, robyn weakes, announced that she could "no longer contain (herself)" and delivered the wonderful news that a new queer space had been found for us.

then karlee ran to the SA to spread the word. she called me. i, funnily enough was already half way pissed at a work christmas in july party (which yes, i know was in august) and i proceeded to cry with happiness in front of nearly all of my colleagues and since that point have been staring blankly into space at random intervals with big cheesy grins on my face.

the following is an excerpt from karlee's email:

oh my god progress fucking progress

THE QUEER SPACE CAMPAIGN HAS A RESULT

so fucking excited right now - cant head and bofy and arms etx not workgin properly

i just had a meeting for the campus eauity education committee and they reported that, apart from some final detiails [like security and emptying the actual room] WE HAVE A NEW QUEER SPACE!!!

the proposed room is in buuilding 19, is quite large, has two entry/exit doors, is very visible and IS ON CAMPUS

GET EXCITED QUEERS!!!

karlee j
xoxox


end email from karlee -
reboot annaliese -

welcome back.
...
i will be sending out media releases tomorrow morning and making sure it gets
coverage just in case the uni tries to back out. anyone with any media contacts please email or call me.

hopefully NUS will send out media releases as well. i really think we should utilise this win to further the anti VSU campaign. we have a solid win and we have to use it.

DIRECT ACTION GETS THE GOODS.
...
now we have to maintian that resolve.
because....

V
S
U

you

are

next


such love and happiness

annaliese "oh my god we won" constable

XXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO