Mullum Magic helps create confidence

Megan Young

Building confidence was the key reason that Satisha Young joined Mullum Magic Toastmasters club in February 2015. She wanted to gain the confidence to enrol in Mandy Nolan’s comedy course. Whilst she never did get around to enrolling in that course, the skills and confidence she gained there have led to her becoming a spokesperson for Fashion Revolution, a global movement calling for greater transparency, sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry.

Satisha says, ‘Not being a competitive person by nature and not having been encouraged to ‘complete and succeed’, achieving the Toastmasters’ Competent Communicator award recently is a major turning point for me. I am passionate about the impact of the fashion industry from a social and environmental level and I am now using the skills learnt at Toastmasters to present and share information about Fashion Revolution.

Large polluter

The fashion industry is the second largest polluting industry worldwide. On the social level, most clothes are made in third world and developing countries where the workers are not even paid a living wage or have safe work environments. Satisha is deeply saddened by this and frustrated that we continue to be brainwashed into buying fast fashion and over consuming.

Satisha has a business called ‘The Shire Seamstress’ where she encourages people to ‘mend & make do’, up-cycle and refashion existing clothing or make new clothing from eco-fabrics.

She has also have taken part in the worldwide movement #whomademyclothes which is held every year in Fashion Revolution week from April 23 – 29. This movement honours the Rana Plaza building that collapsed in Bangladesh taking the lives of 1,100 people plus injuring 2500. This large loss of lives was caused by four large European clothing manufacturers putting profits above human safety.

Satisha says, ‘Fashion Revolution was born from this tragedy and I am passionate about supporting this movement in whatever way I can. This year, with two other Byron women, we are hosting our inaugural fashion revolution event.

True cost of fashion

Satisha has also have started working with a select group of students from Byron High School who are studying the documentary ‘The True Cost of Fashion’ as part of their HSIC studies. They will up cycle and refashion op shop clothes into fashionable and wearable new items.

Satisha says, ‘I am very grateful for the amazing friendships I have made during my three years at MullumMagic Toastmasters Club. They are an amazing and diverse group of humans, each passionate about what matters to them on a personal and social level. I love ‘belonging’ to this group and can’t imagine my life without it. It has helped me speak up about the things that matter to me. ‘

New program

Toastmasters has recently launched an exciting new education program that offers members a choice of ten education streams that include online interactive tools to develop skills in public speaking, interpersonal communication, leadership and management, whilst developing their confidence.

More information can be found at Toastmasters. Mullum Magic Toastmasters Club meets on the 2^nd, 4^th and 5^th Mondays of the month 7-9pm at the Presbyterian Church Hall in Stuart St Mullumbimby. Contact Megan 0424 002636 for more information.