The Indian Sun recently held a workshop to help community workers and mental health advocates improve their media skills. People from five different organisations came together to learn how to share their stories, talk to journalists, and get their work noticed.
Led by journalist and media trainer Indira Laisram, the session brought together practitioners with deep community ties, offering them practical tools to shape stories, engage journalists, and strengthen their organisations’ media presence.
“Doing important work is only half the story,” said Laisram in her opening remarks. “Communicating that work effectively and reaching the right audience is where media engagement becomes not just useful, but essential.”
Participants with purpose
The workshop drew participants from a wide range of professional backgrounds:
- Vinay Nair, founder of Stride Network, works across corporate and community settings delivering psychological safety workshops and mental health first aid training.
- Rahul Bhardwaj Mysore Venkatesh, founder of Soulful Children, combines a tech background and sports coaching to offer holistic development programs for children aged 5 to 15.
- Prince S Kennett, founder of Redefine Counselling Services, works in the family violence space and runs men’s behaviour change programs with organisations such as Relationships Australia.
- Gurvinder Kaur, a Community Connection Lead with Neami National, also runs her private counselling practice Break the Cycle and advocates for mental health support in multicultural communities.
- Dr Veena Barsiwal, a GP with IndianCare and board member of the Multicultural Women’s Alliance Against Family Violence, contributes through advocacy, poetry, and public health communication.
The training, supported by the Victorian Government, covered:
- How to get multicultural voices heard in the media.
- Better ways to share their work with the public.
- Tips for writing press releases, doing interviews, and handling misinformation.
- How storytelling can create change.
Real stories, real impact
Throughout the session, participants shared story ideas from their own work. Rahul spoke about his journey as a national-level athlete and how that experience inspired him to help children find purpose through play-based learning.
Gurvinder recounted her experience facilitating art-based workshops that tackled social isolation. “We developed a group of ten consistent women from different walks of life. One participant broke down in tears, saying she finally found a place of belonging,” she shared. “Even after the organisation stepped away, the group continues to meet.”
Veena reflected on her passion for reaching people through creative expression, including poems she’s written that have been used for advocacy by organisations like Safe and Equal and Respect Victoria. “My self-defined motto is: the joy of living through the joy of loving,” she said.
A tool for inclusion
The workshop also demystified various media formats—from news and feature stories to newsletters, social media posts, and podcasts. Participants were encouraged to think critically about how storytelling can challenge stereotypes, build inclusion, and position their work within the broader social narrative.
“Multicultural voices are often underrepresented in media,” said Laisram. “But your stories, when told authentically, can shape public conversations and inspire real change.”
The Indian Sun plans to continue supporting initiatives that bridge media skills and community impact, especially in spaces where advocacy and storytelling intersect.
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