In this week’s episode, Geoff is talking to Krystal who was a Finalist in the 2020 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards.
Krystal White believes that leadership is a way of living. Krystal has been a volunteer with Hair Aid Inc. since 2013, helping disengaged youth and homeless people. She has attended four International Aid Projects to the Philippines as Project Leader, managing a team of international volunteers are they worked in slum communities. As Gold Coast/Tweed Coordinator for Hair Aid Community Cuts, she partners with community organisations and coordinates volunteer hairstylists/barbers to offer haircutting services in eight locations. Krystal helps fundraise for charities and promote awareness. As an educator, she was inspired to create a Community Closet at YMCA for students needing interview clothing.
In this episode:
- Hear how Hair Aid is not just about cutting hair for the homeless or disadvantaged, but has a much wider outreach and training objective
- Be amazed by how committed Krystal is to volunteering and making a difference
- Hair Aid is always seeking passionate and caring hairdressers who are able to commit to 2 – 3 hours every 6 weeks in their own local community. Want to help?
Links
Connect with Hair Aid on Facebook
Connect with Hair Aid on Facebook
Connect with Hair Aid on Instagram
Want to help, donate or read more about Hair Aid?
Follow us on our Inspirational.Australians Instagram Page
Want to nominate someone? (It can take as little as 2 minutes to recognise someone making a difference)
Like some more information on Corporate Partnership?
Transcript
Annette (00:05):
Welcome to the inspirational Australians podcast, with a chat to people, making a difference in their communities and in the lives of others. And here is your host for today, Geoff Griffin.
Geoff (00:20):
Our podcast guest today is a 2020 in the Queensland Young Achiever Awards, First National Real Estate Leadership Award. Krystal White is a volunteer with Hair Aid, she was a project leader on four international aid projects to the Philippines, and she is a fundraiser and an educator. I’m really looking forward, with great interest to learning more about Krystal’s life journey. Krystal, welcome to the podcast.
Krystal (00:50):
Hi guys. Thanks so much for having me.
Geoff (00:52):
Oh, absolute pleasure and privilege. As I say, I’m really looking forward to hearing more about you, your journey. You make such a difference for others. You’re clearly very passionate about helping other people, which I really, really love. So as the gold coast twig coordinator for Hair Aid Community Cuts, how’d you get involved and how do you actually make a difference in the program?
Krystal (01:21):
Okay. So I began with Hair Aid, I think 2014 now, and I’ve done six international programs since that information came through to you. So prior to COVID, um, look, the Hair Aid Community Cuts, and it’s an amazing initiative that started, uh, with their first community cuts actually based out of South Port on the Gold Coast at a place called Angel’s kitchen. And it was something that the CEO from Hair Aid, Selena Tomasich, created due to wanting to be able to impact our local communities, not just internationally. So it’s where we team up with community organizations across Australia, including with me on the Gold Coast. And we send volunteer hairdressers every six weeks for two hours to offer complimentary haircuts, a conversation and a bit of love to people who need it. And it’s amazing. This will be the fifth year of us doing Hair Aid Community Cuts. So it’s pretty amazing achievement from all around. We now have 84 across Australia, which is huge.
Geoff (02:29):
That is huge. That is amazing. And I guess when we think of homeless people and their needs, haircuts, don’t really factor into your thoughts, you know, just really feel for them having a roof over their head or food. And, but providing that haircut would I imagine given a lot of self esteem to how they look, but also as you’re rightly said, another thing is just that conversation and sharing your time with them would be so important.
Krystal (03:03):
We have to remember that, you know, um, with homelessness comes a variety of different needs, and we found that one of the things was a haircut, not only for self esteem to make them feel better for hygiene purposes as well, making sure that they’re clean. Um, we can also, as hairdressers, we’re trying to say all sorts of things, skin conditions, maybe they have open wounds or things they need to go and see someone about before they have a haircut, um, talking to them about hair care because, you know, we might be working with community organizations, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone in that organization that comes to their feet are homeless. So we do have a lot of pinch there are a lot of people that have fallen on hard times. They still need a haircut. And if that’s the difference between, you know, $35 worth of groceries or $35 for a haircut, you know, I know which one they’re gonna pick.
So to be able to provide that service is amazing. And also to think that people in those circumstances may be lonely, maybe on their own, maybe don’t have family, or they haven’t had human connection in a long time. So having someone even physically touching them on their head and smiling and saying, wow, how’s your day, let’s have a conversation can really make a difference in their life and impact them. And a really amazing story that I’ll share with you on, that is we have a gentleman who he prior to COVID because we were social distancing that he had been coming to see us for five years. And it was Christmas time at the time. And I seen him and I cut his hair, have done every six weeks for five years. And I said, on Merry Christmas, I went to give him a hug. And he said, Oh, you don’t want to hug me. I’m yuck. No, you don’t want to hug me. And I said, of course, I want to hug you. And I gave him a hug and he started to cry. And he said, that is the first hug I have had in many, many years. No one wants to touch me because I’m not worthy. And I thought that’s not, that’s just one circumstance. We get that a lot. One gentleman said, I love that you’re cutting my hair because no one would ever want to touch me. You know, that’s, that’s a really powerful thing.
Geoff (05:08):
That is so powerful and so wonderful and all power in kudos to you and all of the teams across the country. I can’t believe the brilliant work that you’re doing. You know, it just blows my mind, gives me goosebumps. Um, just to make a difference in that way, what you might think is a small part is powerful, you know, potentially for every single person across so many different haircuts, just for one person, one person across those years is really, really so powerful. And so impressive. Congratulations to you, congratulations to everybody involved, but you’re also involved in eight projects to the Philippines. So can you tell us a bit about that and what you do there?
Krystal (05:58):
So Hair Aid has two sides of it. So as well as our Hair Aid Community Cuts 10 years ago, exactly 10 years ago in January, um, they became projects beginning in the Philippines and these projects teach five day haircutting programs in order to teach a skill to those in slum communities, in order for them to earn a living. So they learn five basic haircuts. And after those five basic haircuts, they receive a small kit from us in order for them to create a micro business or possibly cut hair at home. Things like that. Now this, this amazing organization didn’t start with haircuts. It started with the founder, Selena and her husband who go on a holiday who happened to be in a bar where they bumped into two nuns, two nuns and a bar, which I find very funny. And it all began with starting our sewing center. So Selena and her husband actually began with some uni students and created a sewing center. And after carting all the sewing machines and equipment and volunteers over and creating a sewing center, they sort of said, well, what else could we do? Is there anything more? And they said, Hey honey, because in the Philippines, it’s illegal for a boy to go to school without a haircut and a man to go to a government job or a security job without a haircut. Now, if you could think about that, where the feeding yourself and your family, or where they’re getting a haircut, it was more important. These families were giving their children their haircut and going without the food. So how could we overcome that? How could, how can we help contribute to making it so they can eat and have the haircut and send their children to school or give them livelihoods. And that’s where Hair Aid was created all those years ago. And it’s 10 years going strong with people all over the world who come and do these projects. Now we’re also in Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia as well, and the Philippines. And it’s an amazing initiative in the projects of, uh, impacted hundreds and hundreds of people. We’ve trained hundreds of people, and we’ve got to share space with so many amazing, talented hairdressers and barbers from all over the world.
Geoff (08:08):
Absolutely brilliant love that. Congratulations on 10 years, that is significant. What I really love the most is the sustainability of the concept, how you’re not going over there just to give haircuts, you’re actually teaching people to be sustainable, have a job, and you’re providing kits so they can make a living from the work, the powerful work that you actually contributing. That is extraordinary and just brilliant.
Krystal(08:40):
Oh, by the power of donation as well. So all of the equipment we take over our old scissors that people have used, and we’ve contacted companies who have reservice all of those scissors, and we’ve got donations of combs and clippers. And while has been an amazing asset to Australia in Clippers and, um, salons have sponsored equipment. And that way that no matter where we are and what skills we’re teaching, those people can leave with the equipment. So they’re able to continue with those skills. And when we’ve come back, time and time, again, being able to see pictures and photos that they send to us with pictures of their new businesses, pictures of them sending their kids to school with haircuts, them, servicing the equipment and really looking after it, then that bit of equipment we give them, that’s gold, that’s worth money and they look after it.
And it’s so incredible. What we do is sustainable. We’ve seen the impact on that. Going back to the Philippines multiple times, I can tell you the first person I’ve trained, I will still see six projects later. Absolutely doing amazing things. And the best thing is, is they come back and help train other people and they help volunteer in their own communities in order to share this gift. So it’s not only about teaching skill. It’s about teaching volunteering. It’s about teach and giving back. It’s about teaching, looking after the things that you’ve got and cherishing those things and how to look after them properly and also, um, inspiring them to go, Hey, you can teach other people too.
Geoff (10:06):
I was wondering, you know, how many people that you teach that you enable with, um, with hair cutting equipment, stay with it. But you answered that question, which is awesome. And I, I find it wonderful that you also keep connect with those people as well, or you go and restate them. You make sure that they’re okay and they’re still going
Krystal (10:28):
A hundred percent if time permits. I, me personally, um, and whoever’s in our team at the time we actually physically go back and visit those communities and make sure, is there anything else that you need? Is there any equipment we can help replace in order for you to keep doing what you’re doing? Um, have you had any challenges or any things you’d like to overcome or would you like some upskilling and you teach them some more haircuts to add to their portfolio? So although they can’t possibly go into a salon, whereas thankfully we have actually been really lucky to work with a company called David Salons in the Philippines. Who’s actually taken on some of our trainees from the slum into a commercial salon, giving them appropriate trade, but being able to go, okay, well, you know, in your community, we can teach you a few more haircuts, so you can bring in some more revenue. So it is something that works. It is circular. And it’s amazing because they inspire the whole town to think that if they could do it, anyone can do it.
Geoff (11:24):
Yeah, that’s fantastic. And I will, at the end of the podcast interview, ask how people can connect with you. If anybody’s thinking about how to make a donation, how do I give to this worthyvcause we’ll get Krystal’s details afterwards, keep hanging on. And you’ll be able to find out how you can make a donation at the end of the podcast, Krystal, your enthusiasm, passion, oozes out of you. And I hope everybody feels and senses that absolute passion that is listening. What motivates and drives you to help others, what’s your driving force?
Krystal (12:10):
Look, I have been serving my community from a young age. I started when I was 11 years old at the local PCYC. I’m under an amazing Sergeant Craig green. Who’s still the Sergeant there. Um, and branch manager at the Ashmore PCYC. And it was all about creating purpose for myself, but with the ability to help others. And it was saying, you know, someone like myself at the time, I went through my own personal struggles through, um, severe bullying that I had gone through really, really severe. And in this day and age of that sort of already bullying was happening, be all over the news. But back in those days, it wasn’t sort of a thing, but going through my own personal struggles through that for many years, it was my sanctuary to be able to help people. It was my sanctuary to be able to come to a safe space and know that I was doing something to inspire someone else and it was my safe place. So I love doing it and knowing that I could overcome what I went through by helping others was huge for me. Um, I love doing what I’m doing. I was put on this earth to serve. So I live in, um, breathe all that I do from a place of love and the ability to go, Hey, well, if I’ve got five minutes and that five minutes can help someone else, well, then I’m going to do it. Where can we get in there? Let’s think outside the box, how can we make this happen and get other people involved too?
Geoff (13:36):
Uh, just, well, congratulations on that. And pulling is such a problem well done to you for being able to overcome that and put your energies into something really positive. So all power to you and go PCYC, um, PC bias. Sorry. I do a great job. Clearly. You want to find an example of that. Now tell us about how another project of course you’ve been involved with is the YMCA Community Closet. How did that come about and what’s the purpose of it?
Krystal (14:16):
Yeah, so, um, I am a trainer and assessor, so, um, I was working for a training organization in Brisbane. And one of the programs that we did was we actually taught disengaged youth out of YMCA. Yeah. Cause they have a flexi school there for, um, for teens that have sort of had challenging backgrounds or emotional or, uh, you know, socioeconomic struggles. So, um, one of the programs are, is involved with teaching, um, vocational skills, so hairdressing or retail. And one of the things that I found while working in that program was I was teaching retail to these students. And I’m sitting there trying to teach a program about retail and shopping to kids that didn’t have clothes, wear the same clothes everyday and might not necessarily have proper shoes. Um, no toiletries, no deodorant and things like that. And I thought, how can we as an organization also in the YMCA come up with an idea that we’re able to help these students not only feel better about themselves, um, and make that burden a little easier to be able to help empower them moving forward when they’d like to get a job, say in the retail industry, know that they have someone supporting them to look and feel their best. So the community closet was born and it was made by students for students. So we got the students involved right down to making everything and we collected donations from the public in order to create it like a little shop. And it had everything from toiletries from share the dignity. It had clothing from helping the homeless interview clothing from helping, helping the homeless, Ian and Stanley Sneddon run, helping the homeless. And that was fantastic. The Uniting Church in Coomera, who’ve been amazing. They donated a lot of the formal way. We had over 40 formal dresses at one point to, um, make sure all the kids could go to their formal with gear. So with setting that up, they looked after it like it was a retail store. So not only did they get the skills that they required of the vocation, but they created something that they needed, including what we called crisis packs. So they were backpacks filled with toiletries, soap, hair brushes, clothing, underwear, anything that someone would need if they were kicked out of home or they were on the street, that they could just take a backpack and go. And it was a really empowering thing to be able to watch students from that circumstance make crisis packs for other people. But then secretly later on, go back up there and grab a backpack for themselves. So it was an amazing initiative that rolled out across other campuses as well. But it was just an idea. It’s, it’s an idea of saying this is the problem. How can we help? Let’s make it happen and think outside the box. So I think that’s where a lot of the times, especially in big organizations, um, in various different places, they do amazing things, but we’re stuck in this hierarchy of being a multi organization where we have policies and procedures that people have forgotten to think outside the box and how readily accessible things are to be able to start making a difference or serve a purpose. And that’s where I come in. I don’t like to be put in a box. Anyone that knows me knows that I’ll bend the rules if I possibly could just to be able to make things happen and make an impact. And it was just born from an idea from multiple people.
Geoff (17:43):
Absolutely brilliant. So spot on, this is the challenge. How do we solve it and how do we take people on a journey to get that outcome? Um, and clearly you’re very motivated and you’re really able to take people on the journey with you for what you believe in. So all power to you. I mean, you’ve done so much. I said a thought in my head, as we were talking, how do you actually make a living when you’re giving so much of your time to help out others? How do you actually, I know you’re a hair dresser.
Krystal(18:23):
Um, well funny, funny question. It’s uh, looking back on multiple times, I’ve been on international projects. Um, and looking back on all the work that I do, people say to me, how do you do it? Like, do you get paid to do that? No, not once have I ever been paid a single cent? It’s all volunteer and it’s all for my heart and it’s amazing. I don’t do it all on my own. I have an incredible team, an army of powerful people behind me that it helped drive us to achieve what we achieve. But, um, look, sometimes it is a struggle and through COVID as well, you know, the hairdressing industry wasn’t making any money. Um, you know, there’s been a lot of challenges along the way, but all I do is I get up in the morning and I go, okay, well, I, I need to keep moving forward because there’s people out there that need me to be the leader for them. So what can I do? Do I get out there and do haircuts, do I work in a salon, do I do some teaching? Cause I, I do like my teaching. I’m in training organizations. I try and fit wherever I can. Um, and I’ve recently just purchased a hair salon, which is pretty exciting and we’ve put that ethos and that community spirit into that cell. And we’re starting to branch out and share that with the community of Tamborine mountains. So, um, look, I just say to anyone, you don’t have to be a millionaire to be able to volunteer. It could be one hour of your time. It could be throwing that extra packet of sanitary Auden’s grocery bag. It could be just saying hello to someone on the street. It’s all those little things that add up to big things, all the things that I’ve done as acquainted to many years of volunteering and a lot of support from a lot of people, including my amazing Hair Aid family. I wouldn’t be here today, doing what I’m doing, if it wasn’t for those amazing people and those leaders and mentors I have behind me,
Geoff (20:14):
By helping others, you help yourself, you know, and I loved your thought. You wake up in the morning. One of your first thoughts is how do I help others today? And we empower ourselves by empowering others. And so that word called karma, I guess. Um, give us a little plug. What’s the name of your Salon?
Krystal(20:35):
So, uh, the salon is called Soul House for Hair and we’re in main Western Road, Tambourine Mountain. And we transform all of you. So we are not just any hair salon. We pamper and honor you, but we’re also an eco and organic hair salon. We are 95% sustainable. So we’re almost completely off grid. We have zero waste. We have solar, we have tank water. Um, it’s really amazing. We have our own salon worm farm, which is pretty cool as well. Um, and we use amazing products like companies like De Lorenzo which is a hundred percent Australian made and manufactured, and it’s really important to us. We’re keeping things Ozzy, we’re keeping things healthy for us, the environment, and being able to inspire people that you don’t have to just have any salon. You can have anything that you want to have and create anything you want to create. And that’s a part of what we do. And we’re a big supporter of hair, we should have that salon in our local community.
Geoff (21:30):
Absolutely brilliant. I just had a thought listening to that. And that’s so impressive that one of our very passionate supporters, Ray Ellis, CEO of First National would absolutely love your story. You’ll be so impressed by your local first national team to come and visit you at the hair salon. So yeah, they would absolutely be delighted and love your story. I’m just changing pace for a moment. Krystal. What’s something about you that we may not know?
Krystal (22:10):
Oh gosh. Well, uh, that’s something that you might not know.
Geoff (22:14):
Doesn’t have to be juicy just
Krystal (22:17):
Yeah, no, I, I definitely, um, I don’t know. Oh, I’m a Reiki master. So I, um, yeah, I’m an energy healer and I do counseling as well. So that’s something that you may not know about me. Um, or I have a little dog called Henry and he has a French bulldog and he’s our little soul house shot dog. And my favorite country in the whole world is Canada. And I’ve done so much stuff over there. And, um, I miss it daily and I love traveling and spending a lot of time with my Hair Aid family all over the world.
Geff (22:54):
Awesome. Well, there’s some great things that we did not know. And in keeping with giving and making a difference, Reiki, master counseling it’ll fits.
Krystal (23:05):
I can’t help it no matter where I go, I’m like, Oh yeah, sure. Maybe haircut, maybe chat for five minutes. It’s just not, I just, I just do it.
Geoff (23:14):
Do you have a fear of going to parties and saying you’re a hairdresser and people say, Oh, could you just cut my hair for me?
Krystal (23:21):
Yes. I guess that happens. And you have conversations, but you know what that’s sometimes that’s, people’s way of being able to connect. They might have, they might be uncomfortable being at that party, getting to know someone new. So being able to jump on that and start asking questions might not necessarily, um, them thinking that that’s an annoying question. It could be the only way they feel like they can connect to you. So I never discount when someone says that to me and think, Oh God, here we go again. Because I think, well, no, they’ve taken the time to ask the question. So it’s up to me to, um, respond to that. So, um, and I appreciate them stepping out of their comfort zone to ask me what I do.
Geoff (24:01):
Um, I’ve layered has come to mind when I listen to what you have to tell everybody. And that is giver G I V E R. So all power to, you know, 2021 young achiever awards will be open. Soon. Of course, you’re a finalist in the postponed 2020 awards, which were due to happen somewhat. They go in costs. We were hoping that Covid would have gone away by now and left us in peace and health, but hasn’t been, so the awards now are going to be online, but the 2021 program’s about to start in October in every state and territory. What I mean, people like you don’t look for accolades. I know you do stuff because it’s there to be done. You see the need and you just want to get in and make it happen, but it is nice to receive the validation for your work. It’s fantastic to get that pat on the back, particularly unsolicited, when you haven’t been expecting it, why would you encourage our listeners to nominate someone for the 2021 awards that’s making a difference for others? Why would you recommend that they do that?
Krystal (25:22):
Look, I think the power of recognition is, um, a really important thing to someone that is out there doing amazing things. And the reason for that is everybody, uh, feels that being recognized is some self centered sort of thing sometimes. And that your, your big noting what you do. But, you know, there are people out there that have had journeys like mine that have come from severe bullying and only January this year, I fully, um, taken on that. That was my history. That was my past. It’s something that I overcome and it’s empowered me to get to where I am through all walks in my life. But you could be that person out there doing amazing things. And so that one moment that you show that recognition that can elevate them to the next level. It can excite them to really get out there and start shining and sharing what they do and sharing their personal struggles and stories that they’ve overcome. And that’s something that they might not necessarily would have done without that little bit of recognition, a pat on the back to say, you know what, you’re there, you’re doing it. And you’re doing amazing things and we want to celebrate you. And I think that the award is fantastic for that. It’s done an amazing thing for my confidence to be able to say, you know what I do what I do, but I do it with passion. I do it because I have a team of people who I do it with. It’s not just me, it’s everyone, but if I can inspire, um, any person, any young person or any woman that’s gone through any struggle as well to know that what you do is worthy, you are worthy and you deserve to be celebrated in all that you do, no matter how little or how big
Geoff (26:59):
Yeah. Beautifully said. I think first we have to believe in ourselves to be able to make a difference for others in the truest and most powerful way. So I love what you just said. It’s absolutely perfect. And for any of our listeners, why to nominate someone that’s making a difference in your life, or it’s just a superstar, please head to awardsaustralia.com, check out the nomination categories in our state. Don’t do it right now because we’re going to finish listening to Krystal, but certainly you could make a difference in someone’s life by making that nomination. It may only take a couple of minutes because all we need is your detail, the contact details of persons like to nominate, and we can do the rest Krystal. Um, I guess we touched on this before. What’s the passion that drives you to keep going, you know, you’re achieving wonderful outcomes. What motivates you to keep on doing it?
Krystal (28:02):
I think that one of the things that I believe in my life is I’ve done my job when people are shining brighter than myself. So one of the things that drives me the most is being able to help inspire, motivate, and push other people, to be able to succeed and achieve more than what I have done. And that’s probably one of the things that makes my heart full and my heart saying is, you know, I can get out there on the ground and get in the slums and go cut hair and get dirty. But if I can be in the background and pushing other people to get in that same place and be able to empower them to do that, that’s even more powerful for me. It’s not standing there taking it all and doing it all on my own because I want to be number one, it’s about creating a team and nurturing a team of people that are out there doing amazing things. And that’s how we can make the biggest impact is every day when we go to work or we go to our sporting place or the gym, or how can we create a community that works together to make an impact, instead of just doing it all on your own. Because if you do it on your own, you may impact a couple of people. But if you do it with a team, think of how many other people you can impact. And that’s what I’m passionate about
Goeff (29:16):
Touche. And that’s exactly why you’re a finalist in the First National Real Estate Leadership Award. What do you think the world needs more of right now?
Krystal (29:30):
Wow, that’s a massive question considering everything that’s going on. But I think in a world where we’re so connected through social media, I feel like we’re also disconnected and what the world needs more of right now is forward thinkers. Action. People willing to step out of their comfort zone. People willing to have hard conversations, disagree and come up with amazing ideas from that disagreement merge, move forward and be able to start thinking, you know, what, how can we make the situation with COVID better? Get out there and fight in your community network with other business owners, network with your other community organizations, talk to neighbors. How can we all support each other through something that’s changed our whole world. It starts with a conversation and it can all start with you.
Geoff (30:28):
Yeah, well said, I’d also love to see more positive comments on social media. People seem to get on and want to bring people down or be negative about something that is said, take things out of context, say more positivity and people supporting each other as well. Tufts on that before, it’s all about the validation and supporting each other to make a difference and taking people on a journey, helping people to get to that journey as well. So what’s next for Krystal?
Krystal (31:05):
Oh, look, um, I am a woman that wears many hats and what’s next for me, there’s a lot of different goals, um, above, uh, I’m gonna, you know, an amazing team in the hair salon on the mountain, and we’re hoping to be able to do some incredible things up there, but for Hair Aid it’s about helping keep connection with a lot of the community organizations that have sort of stepped away due to COVID. So getting back on track, building up the teams in the local area, helping, inspiring courage, other people I’ve helped, um, a couple of other salons across the world start doing their own community cuts, which has been really exciting in Canada and in the US. Um, but for me, it’s about how can we get back overseas and get back into those projects? Or how can we even maybe start touching base into the Aboriginal communities up North? How can we help them, um, in regards to, um, education and inspiring them. So look, the world’s the oyster and who knows, I never know who’s going to contact me or what’s around the corner, but I’m open to receiving all and running with it.
Geoff (32:11):
Your mind seems to be limitless in its potential to achieve new things, which is absolutely brilliant. Uh, and once we can get rid of this Covid issue, you know, I think that it will help you to be able to achieve some of those enormous plans that you have, which will all make a difference or power to you. You’ve provided lots of advice and lots of inspirational thoughts for our listeners today. Is there another or one piece of advice or some words of wisdom that you’d like to leave our listeners with or reiterate something that you’ve already said?
Krystal (32:52):
Yes. Uh, I want people to know that no matter how hard someone is, no matter how hard you try and you feel like you’re failing, whether you have support or friends that have slipped away, whether you’ve been through times like bullying, um, maybe, uh, emotional situations with family and friends, whatever it may be that you can overcome, you can move forward and you can do anything that you want to do. Whichever that is that you choose it is right for you. So not everyone can do what I do and that’s okay. Not everyone can volunteer their time as much as I do. And that’s okay, whatever you do in your space, that’s right for you is how you make a difference and how you can overcome what you’ve gone through. So, um, and it’s important to connect with people and create a community around you to support you through that. Because if it wasn’t for, um, you know, my mentors overseas, my local healing center, hair aid, and the amazing people that I have behind me, I wouldn’t be where I am today. And I’m grateful that I have a very supportive husband that knows that I’m gallivanting around the countryside, doing all sorts of things. And I think if I bring home one more donation into the garage he is going to kill me, cause we just can’t fit it all in there. But, um, he knows the power of what I do. And he’s my number one today as well. So, um, you know, you can build that. It’s just about finding that peace within you to own your story own where you’ve been and don’t let it define you, let it power.
Geoff (34:33):
Absolutely perfect. That support is really crucial. Isn’t it? Having people around you that support that love, that care that can give, that can help, that can lead the community.
Krystal (34:46):
It’s not all roses all the time. It doesn’t mean I’m a positive person all the time. Sometimes it’s okay to not be okay. Well, I’ve been at those low points, I’ve been at those positions of where am I going to get my next $10 from? Or what am I going to do here? But I’m still out there and I’m still doing it. It’s because of the support of those people and being vulnerable enough to say, I need some help. How can you help me?
Geoff (35:08):
Yeah, that’s a really good point. No one is up all the time. We have our low times and we need to be conscious of supporting people that we might feel always up, but they’re not, they’re having a low moment. We need to be there for them, maybe be conscious of being aware and looking for those times as well. So I think he made a really valid, a lot of really valid points and terrific points. Uh, I encourage all of our listeners to get their friends on board for this podcast. If you’ve listened, you’ve loved the podcast. There’s so much to enjoy and to learn from this podcast, hear your friends onto it, get them to listen to it as well. Krystal’s extraordinary! Krystal, thank you so much for joining me on the podcast today. It’s been really enlightening, empowering, and I have personally grown so much and gain so much out of listening and talking with you today. How can our listeners connect with you or donate to, to your causes?
Krystal (36:18):
Okay. So you can connect, um, through www.hairaid.org.au. You can also connect to us through Facebook Hair Aid is on Facebook as well. So log on there. You’re welcome to message through at any time, if you’ve got any specific questions for me, anyone on the Gold Coast or anyone all over Australia, that has a specific question that you’d like to ask me from this podcast, otherwise you can send any of your queries through to Selena our amazing CEO who is in Hair Aid headquarters in Brisbane, and she’ll be able to answer any of your questions, put your name down for a local hero community cuts. Or put your name down for future Hair Aid projects. Donations are crucial to what we do, everything we do is purely from donation and fundraising. In fundraising we have to add onto one of the many things that we do in order to, to do those international projects. We are the fundraiser pipe for that ourselves in order to make a difference. So, um, you know, every little bit can help, um, go towards amazing things. And right now we’re actually, um, in the process of building a hair training center inside care of a con prison in Indonesia, which is pretty incredible. So, um, donations go towards things like that, or, um, uh, sending crews into the Philippines, into the drug rehabilitation centers, into the prisons, um, into Cambodia, into amazing refuge centers for women within the sex trade. So there’s all those dollars going to amazing things overseas, but it also goes towards those Hair Aid community carts, looking after those volunteers, making sure we have the equipment that we need, um, in all of those community centers in order for us to, um, perform those haircuts. So there’s lots that goes in behind the scenes to what we do, and it’s all done by donation. So any little bit does help.
Geoff (38:10):
Absolutely brilliant. I think you epitomize what we try to achieve through our word programs as incubators for innovative economic and social growth in our communities. And it epitomizes just that, exactly what making a difference is all about. So we thank you. I hope our listeners have really enjoyed Krystal’s story, as I say, if so, get your friends onto it, write a review and subscribe if you haven’t already, because we have so many powerful stories like Krystals from our young people who are change makers, who are making a difference in the world, one haircut or one other way at a time. So Krystal, thanks so much for joining us today.
Krystal (39:05):
No Worries! Thank you so much. And thank you to first national for supporting us with this award. It’s really amazing for you to do that. So thank you so much. I am very grateful and humbled by this nomination.
Geoff:
Thank you, our sponsor partners are the difference as well by making it possible for us to fund this program until next week, take care, be kind and be the difference for someone.
I hope you enjoyed today’s interview as much as I have. We would love you to subscribe to our podcast so that you won’t miss an episode. Join us each week, as we talk with ordinary Australians achieving extraordinary things. Did you know that Awards Australia is a family owned business that proudly makes a difference in the lives of those that make a difference for others. And we thank our corporate and not for profit partners for making our awards programs possible. Do you know someone that’s making a difference or maybe your business might like to sponsor an award, contact us through our Instagram page, inspirational.australians or head to our website awardsaustralia.com. It would be great if you could share this episode with your network because who doesn’t like a good news story and please rate and review us. We would really love to hear your thoughts until next week, stay safe and remember, together we make a difference.
Annette: (40:36):
Thanks for joining us today on the inspirational Australians podcast, we hope you enjoyed listening and have been inspired by ordinary Australians, achieving extraordinary things. So it’s goodbye for another week. Remember, together we make a difference.
