Down to Earth Conversations

Charlotte Cummings works in a number of ways to outwork an inner desire to help others, especially people who are finding life tough through mental health, parenting, or because they've been hurt in faith-based spaces. 

We talk about her work as an investigator, counsellor, consultant and more. We hear about her experience of supporting those who have been hurt in Christian faith communities, and get her take on the recently released report from the Royal Commission of Enquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care. We also talk about her own podcast, Feel Better, and how she is offering her wealth of therapeutic knowledge to any who will listen. 

Find Charlotte through her counselling website, her consultancy website, or Instagram.  

And find her podcast, Feel Better, on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Scott Gilmour is the chair and founder of the I Have A Dream Trust. 

I Have a Dream is an organisation working to support children through building relationships that span years. It is a programme that, as you will hear, was a long time in the making for Scott, but he followed his intuition, used the resources he had, and now supports over 20 workers, or navigators as they call them, who are supporting students across 5 schools, from the day they start school until they are 20. 

Scott comes from a business and technology background, so we talk a bit about that.  We also talk about his involvement in Angel Investing - something that was new to me that I think is brilliant. And then we dive into how I Have a Dream came about, how it works, and what results they are seeing over 20 years in. 

Check out this summary video of I Have a Dream, or find them on their website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn. 

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Back on episode 11 of Down to Earth Conversations I talked to Aaron about work he was doing with young people experiencing homelessness.

Aaron is still fighting with and for our rangatahi (youth) but has left the larger, more generic services he worked for and, with his wife Summer, started Kick Back - an organisation dedicated to supporting some of our most vulnerable young people - particularly those experiencing homelessness. 

We talk about the journey of starting something new, how it fills a void in the existing services, and how it will help the youth of Tāmaki (Auckland) moving forward. We talk about government, budgets, community responsibility, collaboration, and how the work Aaron is doing is already making a difference a year in. 

Find Aaron on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn

And check out Kick Back on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

I have released this episode out of my usual rhythm because the day of release is a significant day in Aotearoa New Zealand. On this day, July 24, 2024, the Royal Commission of inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care released their final report. This report, which took six years to compile, details the abuse of thousands of New Zealand children and other vulnerable people while in the care of the state or faith based organisations. The report estimates that between 1950 and 1999, over 200,000 people suffered abuse while in the care of these organisations.  

Ken Clearwater, is himself a survivor of sexual abuse, and has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his 30 years of supporting other male survivors of abuse, and advocating for legislative change. He was one of those who regularly called for the government to launch a royal commission of inquiry, and we talk both about Ken's own journey, and the inquiry itself.  He has spoken at the United Nations about the work he is involved in in Aotearoa. 

Obviously there are things in this conversation that may be challenging to listen to, including mention of rape, sexual assault, and suicide. Please take care of yourself and stop listening or take breaks if you need to. Please use your own support structures, and make use of the links in the show notes to seek help if you need to. 

While there are some hard truths in this episode, it is ultimately an episode of hope. It is a conversation with a man who has grown something powerful from the evils he was put through. It is the story of how men have supported other men, and how goodness can thrive, even in the face of great evil. 

Find Ken's Ted Talk here. 

 

Please make use of the following services if you need them:

Rape Crisis - 0800 88 33 00 (Will direct you to a nearby centre), follow link for information on local helplines

Victim Support - 0800 842 846 (24hr service)

The Harbour, online support and information for those affected by harmful sexual behaviour

Women's Refuge (For women and children) - crisis line available on 0800 733 843

Safe to talk - 0800 044 334, text 4334 or web chat

Male Survivors Aotearoa (For men) - follow link for regional helplines

Safe to Talk(external link) sexual harm helpline: 0800 044334, text: 4334, email: [email protected]

Rape Crisis: 0800 88 33 00

Women's Refuge(external link): 0800 733 843

Shine domestic abuse services(external link) free call: 0508 744 633 (24/7, Live Webchat is also available)

Hey Bro helpline(external link) - supporting men to be free from violence 0800 HeyBro (439 276)

Family violence information line(external link) to find out about local services or how to help someone else: 0800 456 450

Oranga Tamariki line(external link) for concerns about children and young people: 0508 326 459, email: [email protected],

Need to talk?(external link) Free call or text: 1737 for mental health support from a trained counsellor

Youthline(external link): 0800 376 633, free text: 234, email: [email protected]

Shakti - for migrant and refugee women - 0800 742 584 - 24 hours

Elder Abuse Helpline: 0800 32 668 65 - 24 hours, text: 5032, email: [email protected]

Wellington Help(external link) for individuals, whānau and communities affected by sexual abuse in the Wellington Region: 04 801 6655 & push 0 at the menu - 24 hours

Aviva(external link) For free 24/7 support line, call 0800 AVIVA NOW (0800 28482 669)

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Daughter-father combo, Jemma and Shane Clifton, have both gone through large life transitions, Jemma's around gender, and Shane's around disability. Both have been long processes of change, and they have been a support for one another in their transitional journeys. 

Jemma and Shane run a podcast called the Change podcast, which follows Jemma's gender affirmation transition, as she embraces who she is as a transgender woman. It is available on all podcasting platforms, and was the catalyst for my inviting them into conversation.

We talk about their podcast, why they chose to take this journey public, and what sort of feedback they are getting. We talk about Shane's accident and how that has affected life as he lives with quadriplegia, and also what that was like for Jemma as a teenager seeing her dad on that life altering journey. 

This is a powerful conversation with two beautiful humans. 

Find the Change Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. 

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Tim Whitaker is the founder of The New Evangelicals (TNE), a non-profit challenging toxic Christianity and supporting those processing their faith.

Tim started TNE as an Instagram account in order to pose questions about his Christian faith and share answers that he received. This has led to a connection with thousands of people around the world who have asked many of these same questions. TNE is now a non-profit, an online community, a podcast, and a group of people who amplify the voices of a range of perspectives on faith and life. 

We talk about Tim's journey of starting something that went beyond what he ever expected, what prompted the shift in his faith, what it has cost him, including his faith community, and the beauty and life he's found on the other side. 

Check out TNE at thenewevangelicals.com, or find them on Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok. You can also join the TNE Community on Facebook, or listen to the TNE podcast wherever you get your podcasts. 

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Chris Clarke is the CEO of the Wilberforce Foundation, having previously worked in leadership in the health sector, followed by leading World Vision NZ. 

Chris and I begin by talking about his own journey, through business, into the health sector, and then into the world of non-profits, including his time with World Vision NZ. We talk about why he got into that work, and what he learned from those times.

We then discuss the study the Wilberforce Foundation commissioned into faith and belief in Aotearoa, New Zealand. We talk about some of the interesting results from the survey, and what they are telling the church about who we are and who we could be. There are some encouraging things, some very troubling things, and some things that should make the church sit up and notice, realising that change simply has to happen if the church is going to have anything to say to people in this country into the future. 

Chris is an outstanding human, with a big heart, and a big dose of humility. 

Check out the faith and belief study at faithandbeliefstudynz.org

Find the Wilberforce Foundation at wilberforce.org.nz or on Facebook 

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

A content warning right from the beginning here...the episode contains discussion around self-harm a.k.a. non-suicidal self injury (NSSI), and suicide is therefore also mentioned. So please take all the precautions you need to keep yourself safe, and skip the episode if you need to. Please also access support if you need to. You can find a large range of support services at thevoicesofhope.org/pages/find-a-helpline

Dr Kirsty Moore is a doctor of psychology, with lived experience of NSSI. She works across a range of roles, but holds a special passion for educating parents, teachers, and others who work with our young people, about NSSI and the ways to support people who are self harming, which she does voluntarily.  We talk about how Kirsty got into psychology, how she became focussed on NSSI, including hearing some of her story, and how she uses this knowledge and experience for the good of others. 

We talk about NSSI, some of the stereotypes that aren't so helpful, some of the common motivations, and why it's important to have thought about how you might support someone who is self harming. 

Find Kirsty on Instagram, or if you are interested in having Dr Kirsty speak to your group, contact her at [email protected] 

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

 

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Back on Episode 33 we talked about James' time working with refugees in Ngaru, and then what he was up to in the Australian outback. This time we talk to him about his involvement in the formation of the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages that began before easter and are continuing around the world. We talk about how and why they started, how it's going, and what they are hoping to accomplish. We talk about the importance of the involvement of Palestinian Christians in the movement, and how people around the world are joining in.

It's a great reminder that we can all do something, even if it feels like not much, and that that small thing when put together with the small things of others, can make a difference in the world. 

Find Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages at gazaceasefirepilgrimage.com or on Instagram or Facebook

Follow Aotearoa Christians for Peace in Palestine on Instagram or Facebook

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]

Bridie Boyd is, among other things, a chaplain at Hillmorton hospital, a psychiatric care facility in Ōtautahi (Christchurch). She is also involved in advocating for, and supporting, women in the Anglican environment in Aotearoa, New Zealand. 

We talk about both of these roles. What drives her in her advocating for others? What draws her to love those others neglect or even despise? 

We discuss what the role of chaplain actually involves and the challenges and rewards of doing such a role with people who are struggling in their mental health. Bridie also shares about her own mental health journey, how that has helped her in her role, and what she has learned along the way.

Within the kōrero we talk about embracing awkward spaces to learn from one another, the way chaplains hold hope for people when they can't hold it for themselves, and how valuable people are no matter who they are or what they're experiencing. 

If you'd like to support the work of the hospital chaplains, head to ichc.org.nz 

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at

Facebook: facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations 

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Email: [email protected]