…And off we go…on a new adventure

As I embark on this journey of publishing my writing on an online medium…I feel excited and awakened to the possibilities the world has to offer. I hope that many others will come on board and ride this journey with me, becoming further informed, hopefully enlightened and perhaps discovering things they never knew anything about. WELCOME TO COMMUNIKULTURE BREAKDOWN (and feel free to let that Led Zeppelin song that my website title reminds you of get stuck in your brain!!)…It’s an analysis of life in general, society, culture, psychology, music and art. Lets’ explore…

A BIT ABOUT ME…

• I am driven to make a difference to the world in which we live by any means possible. It is an honour and a privilege to work in a capacity that would contribute to people and communities being able to thrive in a supportive and understanding environment.
• My vast life experience, extensive study at university and at post-graduate level, and my sociological and psychological research background and work experience, has enhanced my communication, analytic, and critical thinking skills to contribute to society in a meaningful and empathic manner.
• My work as a highly qualified and proficient Communications specialist and Freelance Writer, coupled with my experience as Project Manager and Project Officer within the University sector, such as the Cultural Research Network; Film Illawarra; and the Migrant Heritage Project has equipped me with the skills I require to contribute in an effective, committed, self-motivated and understanding manner to a myriad of diverse situations and environments.
• I am directly engaged with many facets of my local community and volunteer in both school and sporting capacities. Always with an inquiring and social mind, I have been further inspired by my own children’s life challenges to question elements of societal organisations with a motivation and determination to figure out if there are better ways and means to engage, live, and be inspired by our communities, whether they be educational, sporting, creative, or other.
• As a teamworker who is also respectful of cultural differences and understandings I am effective at connecting different people and perspectives and I espouse that everyone deserves a right to equal opportunities to become the best person they can be. My personal overreaching goal is to be able to contribute to our world becoming a better place.

Professional History

Writer/ Researcher/ Copywriter/ Editor/ Scriptwriter/ Proofreader/ Artist/ Photographer

bethwa creative

2010-Present

• Facilitate and manage my own business with proven excellent time management skills, effective communication with clients, and the ability to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines.
• Freelance Copywriting and Scriptwriting work for national production companies as well as high profile promotion campaigns, including scripts for videography work, health and wellbeing websites, freelance writing, and creative idea generation for client campaigns. Proficient at utilising SEO for best outcomes.

Example of my work: Mike Munro reads my script for Kingsford Terrace

http://www.kingsfordterrace.com.au

• Conduct sociological and psychological research on topics such as education, learning disabilities, wellbeing, youth subcultures, and sociopolitical issues in society, publishing some work on www.bethherbert.com
• My extensive study at university and at post-graduate level produced High Distinction and Deans Merit List results. Furthermore, my sociological and psychological research background and work experience has enhanced my communication, analytic, and critical thinking skills to effectively and successfully tutor students at both primary and secondary level.
• Wrote medical and nursing reports for a Health Consultancy business.
• Copywriter and Social Media Editor of band and musician pages and websites. Organised publicity including radio, street press, and magazine interviews. Designed promotional materials.
• Editor and Proof Reader of published children’s books and adult non-fiction (dementia information books) and fiction work.
• I am a RAW Artist (www.rawartists.org/bethwacreative) and was a photographic finalist for my region in the RAW Awards in 2013.
• Have exhibited my photographic artwork extensively in both solo and group exhibitions.

PROJECT MANAGER – FILM ILLAWARRA, University of Wollongong, NSW, AUSTRALIA

• Successfully managed Film Illawarra, a not-for-profit regional Film Office in New South Wales, Australia, which was used to promote the local region as a viable and competitive location to film for movies, television or commercials.
• Successfully liaised with State and local Government to apply for funding and grants and facilitated partnerships with relevant organisations to express the purpose of the organization and ensure that future work was secured. Developed policy for the organisation; researched information; and made recommendations to improve the running of Film Illawarra.
• Ran the Migrant Heritage Film Project. Produced a comprehensive Home Movie Register Form, thoroughly researching the legalities of such a form and the digital reproduction of individual home movies within the context of Australian copyright and privacy law. Used Excel spreadsheets to create a register of participants and mailout information.
• Acted in appropriate accordance with ethical practice principles, sensitive to the needs of a multicultural community, ensuring that they understood that the project empowered them and their contribution to the local community.
• Organised pro bono legal assistance to ensure that correct ethical principles were practiced and maintained.

PROJECT OFFICER – CULTURAL RESEARCH NETWORK, University of Wollongong, NSW, AUSTRALIA

• Organised International/National Conferences for the Cultural Research Network based at the University of Wollongong,
• Managed the budget and funding of the events utilising Excel spreadsheets.
• Assisted in creating Powerpoint presentations for the Presenters.
• Displayed excellent time management, communication and teamwork to ensure the conferences ran smoothly, including comprehensive creative planning and design of functions and event management for a large group of people. Networked to create beneficial outcomes for participants.

EDUCATION

TERTIARY EDUCATION

MONASH UNIVERSITY

Graduate Diploma of Psychology

2020-2022

Maintained a High Distinction/Distinction average at Post-Graduate level at one of Australia’s leading universities. Became proficient in researching and statistically analysing psychological information and issues, whilst also producing psychological evaluations and reports of a high level.

SUBJECTS: Research Design and Analysis (HD); Research Methods and Theory (D); Psychological Testing and Ethics (D); Developmental and Biological Psychology (D).

UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Sociology

2013

Honours coursework at Distinction level. 18,000 word thesis which aimed to explore the youth subculture of skate punk, how its expression perpetuated authenticity through the aesthetic form of the music video, and how this was reflexive of society at a deeper social level.

Bachelor of Arts (with Distinction) Community and Environment

2005

Arts Internship – High Distinction; Communication and Cultural Studies – High Distinction; Sociology – Distinction;

English – Distinction; Philosophy – Distinction; Science & Technology Studies – High Distinction.

My Bachelor of Arts (Community and Environment) was obtained with Distinction from the University of Wollongong and during my study I was placed on the Dean’s Merit List and invited to become a member of the International Golden Key Academic Society.  My high standards in study have continued into my working life and the projects that I have been associated with.

UNIVERSITY OF NSW

Bachelor of Arts

2002

Sociology – Distinction; Politics – Distinction; History – Distinction; Philosophy – Distinction

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Proficient with both Apple Mac and Microsoft technology – Microsoft Office 365 (2021) – Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

WordPress CMS proficient. Canva.

SPSS statistical analysis proficiency.

Adobe Creative Suite 6 (Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver).

Proficient at all aspects of SEO and Social Media platforms.