AAFIE in Conversation

In this episode, we welcome Phi Theodoros, our Ukulele Girl! Phi (she/her) is an award-winning cabaret artist, community arts facilitator, and Lead Resident Artist with the Living Arts Program at Life Without Barriers

Drawing on her lived experience as a queer, neurodivergent Greek Australian, Phi shares how creativity, storytelling, and culturally responsive practice can help young people feel safe, seen, and empowered. 

Phi is joining Doing School Differently 2026 to energise and inspire the crowd with her unique blend of music, storytelling, humour, and inclusive practice, bringing creativity and connection to the forefront of education and wellbeing. 

Find us on Facebook 

In this episode, we welcome Professor Kitty te Riele to the conversation. Kitty is the author of Putting the Jigsaw Together: Flexible Learning Programs in Australia, a landmark study demonstrating how flexible, relational, and student-centred education models can successfully reconnect disengaged young people with learning. This research helped pave the way for AAFIE and the Doing School Differently movement.

A decade on, the conversation hints at how Kitty will revisit the findings in her Insight Session. Are they still true? What has changed? Kitty will explore these questions alongside young people from Flexible Learning Programs and acknowledges the shift in how young people are now driving the sector. 

Find us on Facebook 

In this episode, we welcome Professor Julian Sefton-Green to the conversation. Julian will present his session, Bans, Moral Panics, Hopes and Dystopia: Growing Up in Australia Today, on Day 1 of the Doing School Differently conference.

Drawing on his work with the Centre for Research for Educational Impact (REDI), Julian reflects on community concerns about the future for young people and the growing debate around social media bans. As Australia finds itself on the global stage in this discussion, Julian explores what it means when decisions about young people are being made without their voices at the centre of the conversation.

Find us on Facebook 

In this episode of Inside Doing School Differently, AAFIE is joined by good friend, collaborator and founding partner of the Doing School Differently Conference, and 2026 Insight Speaker, Dr. Tom Brunzell.

Tom sits down with AAFIE’s Dale Murray to reflect on the origins of Doing School Differently, share memories from across the sector, and look ahead to the future. In particular, Tom highlights the growing influence of young people’s voices in shaping the spaces where they learn.

Tom also offers a preview of his Insight session at this year’s conference, which explores what these approaches mean for students after many years of developing the Berry Street Education Model.

His session will create space to acknowledge an important shift: after years of educators introducing ideas, building the evidence base, and sharing practice, it is now students themselves who are adapting, extending and making these strategies their own.

Find us on Facebook 

In this conversation, AAFIE's Dale Murray is joined by Kim Brady,  a transformative education leader dedicated to creating inclusive, trauma-informed learning environments where every young person can thrive. As Deputy Principal of Novo Education Space, a Special Assistance School reimagining education for students in Years 9–12 across Wollongong and Nowra - Kim supports learners with complex needs, including neurodiversity, trauma, mental health challenges, and long-term disengagement.

Kim recently received a SchoolsPlus Teaching Award, for inspiring teachers and school leaders who exemplify how education can transform children’s lives. Through her work, Kim has co-designed Novo’s Big Ideas curriculum and under her leadership, the school has seen an 89% drop in critical incidents, a 248% increase in micro-credentials, and an 81% rise in Year 12 completions.

Kim brings moral purpose and strategic vision to redefining how schools support every learner to succeed.

Find us on Facebook 

In this episode, AAFIE's Dale Murray is joined by Katie Wighton and Barry Davies. 

QLD Conservatorium-trained, ARIA award winning artist/writer, Katie Wighton, is co-founder of alt-folk group All Our Exes Live in Texas. With the Exes, Katie toured the world as support for Midnight Oil and is now a regular visitor to Nashville where she has become an in-demand songwriting collaborator for prominent global artists. Katie is a songwriting educator at Monash University and mentor with SongMakers. 

Barry Davies is a music teacher at St. Joseph's School in Geelong Victoria. He is also a member of the Victorian APRA SongMakers Teacher Advisory Panel. Since 2014, he has been involved with SongMakers, helping to deliver their programs in government schools. 

In 2022, SongMakers and St Joseph's School collaborated to develop the SongMakers FLEX program, which is designed to support young people in flexible learning environments create and produce their own music. 

In this conversation Katie and Barry talk about their partnership, and some plans for the AAFIE Special Interest Group, with the vision of amplifying the musical talents of young people in Flexi's across Australia. 

Find us on Facebook 

In this episode of AAFIE in Conversation, AAFIE's Simon Vaughan chats with Krysta McMah about her work with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. Krysta shares the important grassroots work she undertakes in communities and schools towards Climate Action. Krysta is a passionate advocate for Climate Justice, and she aims to empower our DSD delegates to be leaders alongside of young people, to take action in their own schools and communities, to make positive climate change for all our futures. 

Find us on Facebook 

In this episode, AAFIE’s Dale Murray is joined by Dr. Iain Matheson, an independent child welfare researcher, speaker, trainer and mentor. In his work, Iain helps government agencies and community organisations to improve outcomes by better generating, leveraging, and acting upon evidence and learning. 
In this conversation, Dale and Iain chat about Iain work in Child Protection, Education with a focus on Youth Justice. At DSD2024, Iain's Keynote presentation is entitled: Building better Youth Justice systems around the world. In this episode Iain discusses that he'll share insights into the different way we have historically done youth justice around the world, shed some positive and not so positive developments that are happening internationally in the youth justice space, and discuss "What is the purpose of youth detention? Rehabilitation? Incapacitation? Deterrence? Retribution?"

Find us on Facebook 

In this episode, AAFIE's Dale Murray yarns with Associate Professor Marnee Shay from the University of Queensland. Marnee is currently a Principal Research Fellow at the University. She has an extensive externally funded research program and has many publications in the fields of Indigenous education, flexi schooling and Indigenous education policy. During this yarn, Dale and Marnee have the chance to discuss Marnee's passion for the work: elevating voice, advocating and bringing about change for community.  Marnee's Keynote presentation at DSD2024 is one not to be missed, with an emphasis on young people voice in co-design. 

Find us on Facebook 

In this episode, AAFIE’s Professor Kitty te Riele is joined by Carolyn Blanden, Principal of Warakirri College in Western Sydney. Kitty and Carolyn chat about her move from mainstream schooling into flexible learning and what she values about the flexible and inclusive education sector. Carolyne also offers us a little insight into her DSD2024 Keynote Presentation: Breaking the Cycle - rising to the challenges of raising students’ aspirations.

Find us on Facebook