St. Bartholomew’s House

August 5, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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National Homeless Person’s Week 2010 is on now and runs until Sunday. It aims to raise awareness of homelessness in the community, celebrate and acknowledge current services being offered to homeless people, foster collaboration of services working with the homeless, and attract more volunteers and financial support into

Every morning this week on 98.5 Sonshine FM I’ve been talking to people who serve Perth’s homeless community. Today I had the pleasure of talking to Lynne Evans, CEO St. Bartholomews House.

St Bartholomew’s House provides community based support, accommodation and assistance to homeless individuals, and establishes collaborative partnerships with individuals and other organisations to eliminate or reduce homelessness.

If you’d like to our chat simply click the play button of the audio player at the bottom of this post.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR080510_1440.mp3]

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Riding for Cancer 2010

August 5, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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I’ll be riding my bike with a little more purpose in the coming months as I start preparing for a ride from Albany to Perth this November.

The ride follows the success of last year’s ride from Perth to Albany.

Last Year’s Ride

In February 2009 my wife’s sister passed away at the age of 41 from cancer.

In the weeks leading up to her death I was throwing an idea around for a bike ride from Perth to Albany. The ride would take my morning radio programme on the road to broadcast from a different town each day.

I wanted to give people who had been touched by cancer a chance to tell their story. Whether they’d lost a loved one or survived cancer, I wanted people to have the opportunity to break the silence and let people know that they’ve been through some deep waters. I wanted others who have been touched by cancer to know they’re not alone.

That ride happened in October last year and was very successful in so many ways.

As well as giving people opportunity to tell their story we raised around $15 000 for Cancer Council Western Australia.

Ride for Cancer 2010

So now we’re doing it all over again but in the reverse order. We’ll be cycling from Albany to Perth with the event taking place from the 13th to the 20th of November.

I have a number of cyclists ready to take part and once again I’ll broadcast my radio programme each morning before hopping onto my bike just after midday to cycle to the next town.

The task now is to finalise the team of cyclists and support crew. I’m hoping that we’ll have around ten to twelve riders. We’ll be followed by support vehicles which will carry all our gear.

If you’re part of a business that would like to partner with us on the journey, I’m looking for some sponsors for the cycling jerseys. There are different levels of sponsorship for various sized logos on the jerseys.

I also need your story. Have you been touched by cancer? Are you battling cancer now or beaten it in the past? Does a loved one have cancer? Have you lost a friend? If you’d rather not leave your story in the comments section of this post, you can go to my contact page and send me an email.

Sometime soon I’ll let you know how you can donate to Cancer Council Western Australia in support of the ride.



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What’s the Big Issue?

August 4, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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How does someone start looking up once they become homeless? How do they start to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel? How do they begin to hope again?

The Big Issue is a magazine that is sold on city streets by people who are homeless, long term unemployed, or disadvantaged. Becoming a vendor gives people a sense of purpose, raises their self-esteem, and gives them the ability to begin earning much needed income.

Professor Peter Kenyon is Professor of Economic Policy in the John Curtin Institute of Public Policy at Curtin University of Technology. He has taught at a number of universities in Australia and overseas. His research interests include, labour economics, international economics, economic policy and the Australian labour market in its international context.

Peter is also the Chair of the WA Advisory Board of the Big Issue and as part of Homeless Persons’ Week 2010 he was my guest on radio this morning.

National Homeless Person’s Week 2010 is on now and runs until Sunday. It aims to raise awareness of homelessness in the community, celebrate and acknowledge current services being offered to homeless people, foster collaboration of services working with the homeless, and attract more volunteers and financial support into

Every morning this week I’ve been talking to people who serve Perth’s homeless community. If you’d like to hear my chat with Professor Peter Kenyon simply click the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR080410_1427.mp3]

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Ride to Work Day

August 4, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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How do you get to work each day? Thought of cycling?

Wednesday the 13th of October is Ride to Work Day in Australia and several cycling bodies are getting behind the push to get more of us on our pushbikes.

While Australia is stuck in peak hour the Ride to Work Day program is helping Australian workers embrace an affordable, hassle and carbon emission free mode of transport.

The free program assists those wanting to try riding to work as an alternative mode of transport which can ease the pressures of modern life.

You save money, your health and your peace of mind. You arrive to work energised and arrive home unwound from the day.

Will you be taking part?

You can register your participation online and then plan to take a healthier trip to work.



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Well Below Average

August 4, 2010
by Rodney Olsen
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I don’t have all the answers. In fact I don’t have that many at all.

While the world seems to scream at us that we should believe in ourselves and that working on our self-esteem should be at the top of out ‘to do list’, I’m realising more and more that I just don’t make the grade.

As much as I’d like to think it, I’m not better than average. I’m not even average. I’m somewhere below average … and that’s not such a bad thing.

I read a post by Derek Sivers this morning titled I assume I’m below average and found myself nodding in agreement.

I encourage you to read his post for the full picture but in part he says,

To assume you’re below average is to admit you’re a beginner. It puts you in student mind. It keeps your focus on present practice and future possibilities, and away from any past accomplishments.

Most people are so worried about looking good that they never do anything great.

Most people are so worried about doing something great that they never do anything at all.

Sivers talks about illusory superiority which causes people to overestimate their positive qualities and abilities and underestimate their negative qualities in relation to others.

When we’re overinflated with self-importance we’re not open to hearing from others or admitting that they may have something worhtwhile to contribute. When we admit that we don’t have all the answers we begin to pay more attention to the wisdom of others.

So there, I’ve said it. I’m well below average.



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