In Depth & In Focus

After losing her mum at just 9 years old, Jana’s whole life was turned upside down. Unable to navigate an unstable home life and turbulent relationship with her father, she believed her future was heading in only one direction..until a moment of vulnerability with a group of strangers changed it all. A breakthrough realisation, that gave her the space to unpack the trauma of her past, and begin to heal.Jana is now a mentor for thousands of young people across Australia through her work as a senior facilitator at the Reach Foundation, a youth-led non-profit that helps young people build resilience and the tools to navigate life’s trials and tribulations. Her ability to hold space for young people and adults alike, to be vulnerable and authentically themselves is nothing short of incredible. She’s recently launched her own podcast, Thanks For Sharing, where she leverages her epic skills in facilitation, to open up some tough and inspiring conversations…and she’s killing it! Jana kicks off season 1 as our first guest, and with an absolute bang! In this episode, (and as always) she wears her heart on her sleeve, speaking candidly about the shame she felt growing up after losing her mum, her still rocky relationship with her dad, and how her story, despite feeling messy and uncomfortable at times, has made her who she is today.Jana is real and brutally honest, and nothing was off limits which is why we love her.Trigger Warning: The conversations and subject matter in this episode discuss some heavy topics, which some people may find triggering.If you or someone you know is struggling, please call lifeline on 13 11 14, or seek professional advice.

Meet Vinnie & Ty. Two mates. Two filmmakers. Two completely different walks of life. One big burning desire to tell real stories that inspire real change. Through their work, they often hold space for others to be vulnerable in front of the camera. Now, it’s their turn.Vinnie & Ty set the tone for the season by doing what they do best - getting deep. An opportunity to let all their walls down and share the impactful experiences that redirected the course of their journeys.

There’s no doubt that Australians are afforded an incredible array of opportunities that many others around the world sadly won’t experience in their lifetime. Despite being a country united on many fronts, there is still much work to be done when it comes to understanding the profound and lasting trauma felt by our First Nations People. Ultimately, more awareness over the years in this space has led to many of the next generation of young Australians, deeply acknowledging the da...

What does it mean to be a good man? Is it to provide for your family? Or maybe it’s being true to your word. It’s a big, complex question, because masculinity can take shape in many different forms. Growing up for William, his masculinity was very much defined by his ability to live up to his father’s stature, AFL legend Neil Balme, as a talented footballer. The internalised pressure to be someone he wasn’t, continued into adulthood, manifesting into crippling anxiety and depression, ...

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup changed the landscape of women’s sport forever, with the level of support for female athletes skyrocketing, especially in spaces that were once considered ‘male dominated’. Unfortunately, the same level of support is not reflected in many community sport settings across Australia, and women and girls are still fighting for fair access and basic necessities. Despite having a way to go, things are slowly changing. In Episode 5, we sat down with Dr Aish Ravi, who...