Kulture Break

Wrap

Big thanks to everyone who joined us for The Resilience Gathering Luncheon last week! 

The luncheon was crafted as an intimate space to connect, share stories, and celebrate both the impact Kulture Break’s Resilience Through Movement framework is having on Canberra’s youth and the exciting journey ahead. 

A heartfelt thank you to Ben Faulks, Kellie Ayres, and Dr Mark Rebentrost for sharing their powerful insights on leading through resilience; to Winemaker Tim Kirk for generously providing the complimentary wines; to our Patron, Chief Minister Andrew Barr, for his support and personal reflections on the challenges of leading a government; to our Inclusion Ambassador James O’Hehir for sharing his story and blessing us with his singing; and to Michael D’Elboux for guiding the event so well as MC. 

My hope is that our time together allowed you to re-connect, make new connections, and leave encouraged and inspired to keep leading with resilience — in your workplaces, your homes, and your communities. 

With gratitude,
Francis Owusu 

 

My Resilience Story – Francis Owusu

Growing up as a young African-Australian in Geelong, my sense of worth wasn’t shaped by my voice, but by the colour of my skin. 

That rejection carved deep. It told me, “You’re not valued. You don’t belong.” It led to low self-worth, and that low self-worth pulled me toward crime. And in those years, I often asked myself: Would my life ever amount to anything? 

This changed when I learned the truth: I am somebody. And I had something to give. 

That lesson planted a seed. In 2002, right here in Canberra, when stepped out and gave and it  started with Kulture Break. A dance-for-wellbeing organisation carrying a message of hope with simple but courageous line. “You don’t become somebody. You are somebody.” 

I never imagined that 23 years later, that I would lead more than 100,000 young people in Canberra to experience a message of hope and resilience. 

Now I want to empower more people through shared stories of resilience. 

 

Leading through Resilience Conversations

Kellie Ayres 

“I’ve been banging on about this for quite some time with Francis. I think we recreated this question about 18 times before coming here today—because I kept going down one path, then changed it to talk about authenticity, which is something I’m really living and breathing right now.

I think it’s because of the space I work in: transformation and change. It’s all about people. It’s about people impact.

But I think we tend to lose that in the daily grind—whether as parents, as leaders in organisations, or as business owners. Probably like Ben said earlier, we start the day with a routine, and somewhere along the way, we lose that authenticity in how we engage with people. I find that I even lose that with my own son sometimes. Everything becomes routine, a strict structure.

This has been on my mind a lot. I work in change, in transformation. I help people feel comfortable with the journey they’re on—whether personally or professionally. And for some reason, I get random people talking to me in the street! I must just have one of those faces that says, “I’m open to speaking to everybody and anyone.”

But authenticity—it comes with a level of vulnerability, right? I’m feeling that so deeply right now as a new business owner. I’ve had a steady career and income for a long time. And this year, I decided to be my authentic self. All the resilience, everything that’s shaped me along the way—everything I’ve earned and now wear as a badge of honour—has led me to this point of starting my own business.

I don’t have real commercial acumen. I spoke to Miranda about going down the path of accountancy, and I said, “I’m not an accountant—I talk too much! I can’t run my own finances.” I’m all about lived experience. I’ve always worked with people.

I was a public servant in federal government for a long time, where there are a lot of HR policies and programs designed to support people through change. But honestly, they never really resonated with me—or many of my colleagues. It always felt like a bit of a “tick and flick.”

Now the challenge I face is staying authentic to myself, to my beliefs and my career, while offering a service that’s probably a little outside the norm. It’s different because it’s about heart and people at the core.

We talk about feelings. We talk about emotion. There’s vulnerability, but there’s no judgment. And I really believe we’re moving—at least I’m trying to move us—away from this corporately robotic environment, and towards showing emotion and feelings in our workspaces. This is the environment we all live in now. We’ve been impacted by the pandemic. But we’re resilient. We’re super resilient as humans.

I do want to point out that today is R U OK? Day. That means a lot to me. A few years ago, I woke up on this day and thought, “Oh my gosh, it’s R U OK? Day today—we’ve got to make cupcakes for the school.” Just another thing to do. (I’m joking! I’ve only got one child—I don’t have three!)

But seriously, a few years ago, on R U OK? Day, I decided to be my authentic self. I posted on social media that I wasn’t okay. And… no one responded. Isn’t that bizarre? Friends I’ve known for years, people I’d show up for in a heartbeat—radio silence. If any of you here today put something like that out there, I’d be at your front door checking in.

I feel like we’ve shifted. We’ve become so structured. We move from one gate to the next, to the next—without stopping to reflect and ask, “How are people really coping? Do they need support?”

Authenticity.

I have a bunch of beliefs and values—and staying true to them is what brought me here today. It’s challenging, yes. It’s a foreign path I’m weaving. But it’s me. It’s what I believe in. And it’s those challenges and circumstances that have shaped who I am and given me the opportunity to be here today—to meet amazing people like yourselves.”

Ben Faulks

“I mean, resilience for me at the moment is watching the school bus go far past the front of our property while the five-year-old is on the floor refusing to put his shoes on… and the nine-year-old has just gotten into the car without his lunchbox.

That’s kind of resilience for me.

But I guess personally, the foundation for any resilience that I’m able to exhibit in my life is my morning routine. And honestly, it’s probably off track as much as it’s on track. But still, there’s a foundation there—around 5:30am, I get a pretty good idea of what the day’s going to be like based on how many times I hit the snooze button.

Then I’m up for a bit of movement. No dancing—just a walk, or straight into the gym. Hydration. Some of those basic things.

I guess my realisation, as a father who’s trying to be very present and involved with the kids, is this: the time just doesn’t exist during the day once they’re up and at it. So it’s got to be the morning. That would be my answer—though perhaps it’s nothing like the question you asked me!

And then… I think it’s connection.

I know for myself, when things get hard, I tend to retreat. I go inward and try to solve all the problems of the world in my head.

But often, I’m better when I talk to someone. I’ve got a couple of wonderful business partners—some of whom you know—and that connection… that moves things through for me.

So, that’s my response.”

Quote from the Event

“The conversation doesn’t start with AI. It starts with how can we bring kindness, human-centered kindness to the centre to the conversation in leadership.”

– Dr Mark Rebentrost – Founder of nice advisory and delivery

Resilient Vibes

“You don’t become somebody, you are somebody—and I’ve stuck by it to this day.”

– James O’Hehir – Inclusion Ambassador at Kulture Break

 

Thank you to all who supported The Resilience Gathering event.