The Centre for Transformative Work Design’s Dr Laura Fruhen participated in a panel discussion on FIFO work at the State Theatre last week. The panel brought together experienced FIFO worker and mum Megan Harrison, Ngala Community educator Stephen Gallagher, and People solutions Director Mark Greenwood. It was lead by the Black Swan artistic director Clare Watson.
The discussion covered various aspects and views on FIFO work and Dr Fruhen contributed her perspective based on the literature that she has researched as part of her research on FIFO mental health and wellbeing. Questions and comments from the audience helped generate a lively conversation.
The panel preceded the play “Summer of the seventeenth doll”, which portraits the relationships of two sugarcane cutters in the context of their seasonal work: dealing with some of the challenges of being away and coming home, and finding their place in changed circumstances. The parallels to FIFO work made the panel discussion and the play a great combination.
