The Yarn

This week on The Yarn, we explore the benefits of volunteering.  

Volunteers from aged care homes, food delivery programs, and elsewhere explain how small contributions can make a big difference in their local communities.  

This episode was created by Tianxiao Zhou, Sophie Sewell, Yuqing Hao, Lijing Zhu, and Shumin He. 

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Melbourne’s Teddy Bear Hospital might sound childish, but it’s where medical students practice vital skills (albeit with stuffed animals as patients). It’s one of several unorthodox learning methods explored in this week’s episode of The Yarn.   

This episode was created by Erielle Sudario, Lewis Weir, Yuxuan Qiang, Zongqi Liu, and Tongfei Zhang. 

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Last week, we heard from international students struggling with fee hikes. Today, we explore the ongoing challenges once they finish their studies.  

We speak to graduates about the application process for post-study work visas, the completive job market, and the unfair disadvantages they face compared to permanent residents.    

This episode was created by Hailing Luo, Sihan Ren, Ashley Cai, and Xiaoyu Liu. 

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Today, we talk to international students feeling the crunch of the University of Melbourne’s fee hikes.  

For three years running, their enrolment costs have risen by seven per cent. On top of this, they’re dealing with a rental crisis, demanding coursework, and restrictive limits on working hours.  

This episode was created by Beatrix Chirnside, Rae Zhang, Harry Robertson, and Fangning Dong.

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In this episode, we’re exploring the motivations behind acts of kindness.  

We speak to Victorians working in homelessness support, sex worker advocacy, and other fields about why they’re so dedicated to their causes.  

This episode was created by Michael Saliba, Alexandra Nevill, Yunqian Shi, Ruonan Yang, and Hope Kloppenburg. 

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In the words of Joan Baez, action is the antidote to despair.  

Today on The Yarn, we’re sharing stories of resistance and resilience, from pro-Palestine activists fighting for free speech, to teachers striking for fairer working conditions.  

This episode was created by Siena Kinkela, Yiming Liu, Zoe Eyles, Matt Melia, and Lynn Pan. 

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To mark World Press Freedom Day, we're dedicating an episode of The Yarn to journalists in danger. We speak to reporters and media experts about navigating war zones, covering authoritarian regimes, and why exposing the truth is often a matter of life and death. 

This episode was created by Isaure Duruy, Jiali Hong, Xue Xue, and Olivia Wright.

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This week, we're hearing about what keeps people up at night — and what keeps them hopeful in the face of despair. Student activists, marine ecologists, and other change makers share their tactics for turning fear into action. 

This episode was created by Eamon Leggett, Theone Van Der Merwe, Fan Chu, and Yixin Zhang.

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Donating used clothes might seem sustainable, but Australia's textile waste is causing an environmental catastrophe in Fiji.

This week on The Yarn, reporter Shayal Devi explains how “waste colonisation” is harming the pacific nation.  

Show Notes:

Shayal Devi's reporting for The Citizen

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To most Melburnians, urban seagulls are noisy pests. But why did these once coastal creatures abandon their seaside habitats in the first place?

This week on The Yarn, reporter Luisa Bonazzoli explains the human-led changes forcing gulls into cities.  

Show Notes:

Luisa Bonazzoli's Feature for The Citizen
 

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