5 Minutes with Adelaide
We caught up with Adelaide, local Camden resident and Equality Fund panellist. She took us on a journey exploring her experience on the Equality Fund panel 2022 and shared words of wisdom to future organisations applying to the fund.
Adelaide, joined by her neighbours wonderful dog ‘Sprinkles’ in Kings Cross.
“The answers we shared and the friendship we created; I didn’t expect it to be like this.”
What was your experience like being on the Equality Fund panel?
I felt that I learnt so much, I liked the interaction and I liked the rapport of what each and every one gave to one another.
I learnt of the inequality and sometimes you think you know so much, but you don’t realise how much you don’t know. To be told even though you know consciously was a teaching experience I appreciated.
Overall, I have loved it and look forward to every Thursday. There were times of emotion and laughs with sharing of life experiences that touches you.
When we went to Hattrick Productions also and met the past grantees, I think it was very rewarding to see what this kind charity that has been established to see how they are helping the community. The outcomes are just excellent and really nice, and very glad to have been a part of it. I wish I could have been part of it forever, I am sad to see my time on the panel finishing.
How was your experience of applying to be a panellist on the Equality fund? What intrigued you to take part?
At first, I thought it would not be something so serious or professional and I felt that I had to get everything right to get the position.
But my experience was that the application process was accessible, with thorough questions to ensure the right panellists were chosen and they were interesting challenging questions that probed you to think. I was being inquisitive as to what grant funding and the wider processes is all about and what grantees will apply for and what they do.
“Something that resonated with me was racism – it was an eye-opener, and made me in a somber mood, but I am glad I learnt as it empowered me.”
What are some of the challenges in your view of being a panellist on the fund?
One challenge is decision making and also, I think it is a great opportunity to see so many local communities want to help and support one another wants but rejecting some applicants that you know have potential because they may have missed an aspect of the criteria.
I hate splitting the decision and where you feel strongly about an application and you may get outvoted, you think how we could continue to support them to improve. I think it is important to appreciate that potential grantees really want to help the community.
How do you think the grants from the Equality fund has support the community? What impact has the equality fund has had?
What some of them (grantees) have accomplished and their outcomes has been excellent. A massive well done to them.
Natasha, Director of Camden Giving & Adelaide, Equality Fund panellist
What are your key-takeaways from being a panellist?
I think the BRAP session really touched me so much, learning about racism and reflecting on the learning. I want to keep learning and this was an eye opener for me and something I will take with me. I will also take away the friendship, the laughs and giggles, the shared opinions from one another, I think it was all brilliant. It made me feel very important and that I'm doing work irrespective of if it was paid or not, and was a confidence boost for me.
Going to Hattrick Productions we met an organisation called the Old Diorama and they have offered their card if anyone was to use their space and I have been using their space for my art work. If I did not join the equality fund panellist, I would not have known about this space to leave my house and use this space, so rewarding to have a place to go to. A sense of purpose to be able to go to work, it is so easy to be indoors and get lost but when I am able to work outside it has helped me a lot and benefitted me a great deal. If I didn’t do this Equality Fund work, I wouldn’t have known about this opportunity.
“Being a panellist has inspired me to apply one day and give something back to the community one day.”
Lastly, but definitely not least: If there was one message you could share with those applying to the fund, what would it be?
Simplicity is best, be straight to the point, less is more in application writing.