Jack Trolove(March 2012)

In a comprehensive interview hosted by Gareth Watkins and recorded in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand, Jack Trolove discussed the intricacies and personal experiences surrounding community organising and event management, particularly focusing on work with queer, trans, and intersex youth. Trolove elaborated on a background rooted in a rural, intergenerational upbringing, and a professional journey that shifted from an initial focus on art to engaging with social justice initiatives. Key to the conversation was the organising of Kazam!, a prominent national takatapui, queer, and trans youth hui (assembly) held in 2011, among other community-based events in the 2010s.

Trolove emphasized the importance of being deeply passionate about a project and the essential nature of designing a space that caters to the specific aims and desired outcomes of an event. It was noted that grand visions sometimes need to be tailored down to create more focused and intimate gatherings that facilitate deeper discussions. The speaker shared the lessons learned from organising events that were either too large to yield the intended conversations or lacked the specificity needed to be truly impactful.

A pivotal aspect of community organising, as described by Trolove, involved engaging directly with youth groups across the country. This entailed visiting these groups in person to share the opportunities, drumming up excitement, and running exercises that encouraged young people to envision and contribute to the fruition of their collective goals. The approach underscored the significance of countering potential feelings of isolation by fostering connections, providing support through direct communication such as text messages or social media platforms like Facebook, and helping youth recognise that their skills matched their aspirations.

Discussing the aftermath of large-scale events, Trolove highlighted recognising and accepting the emotional come-down as part of the process. It was mentioned that this period could be countered by expecting it, planning for downtime, and nurturing oneself so as to benefit from the positive afterglow of an event's experience. It was also addressed how organisers needed to find a balance between the exhilaration of the project and prevention of burnout.

Trolove's experiences revealed important insights into working with youths, the necessity to be authentic and receptive as a facilitator, and the considerations to be made when applying for funding for community-based projects. The conversation underscored the need for strategic planning, careful use of language depending on the audience (whether participants or funders), and ensuring that projects were realistically scalable.

In terms of broader messages conveyed, the interview stressed that organisers should not shy away from reaching out for support, developing robust systems for communication, mentoring, and outreach that align with the needs and capacities of the young people involved. Ultimately, Trolove's narrative captured the essence of creating spaces that empower youth, encourage genuine connections, and nurture the wealth of ideas and resourcefulness inherent in queer and trans communities.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

Jack Trolove

2010s, aotearoa new zealand, asia pacific outgames (2011), auckland, community, education, event management, jack trolove, kazam youth hui (2011), organising, rainbow youth, support, venues, volunteer, youth

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