Supporter Spotlight: Meet Ashan!

Tell us a bit about yourself? 

I’m 22. I study psychology at USYD, and am hoping to become a clinical psychologist in a few years. I spend most of my free time (of late) either woodworking, listening to music, reading, or surfing. 

What inspired you to support WAGEC? 

I suppose I decided to do some fundraising for two (and a half) reasons. 

My first real introduction to coercive control and domestic violence was through Jess Hill. ‘See what you made me do’ made me so horrified and ashamed by what was happening in this country. I came to realise that so many women close to me had had experiences whereby perpetrators had engaged in various methods of coercive control. Luckily, for the women in my life, there had been safety nets. However, I know that not all women share in that privilege. I felt I owed it to these women I care about and to those in my community who are less fortunate to try and do something. 

Second, the first half of my year was really quite rotten! I lost a really special relationship with someone who I loved quite deeply; and had a traumatic encounter with death which subsequently developed into PTSD alongside quite severe depression. I desperately needed a self help project to invest myself in that didn’t involve Jordan Peterson or a subscription to a tacky meditation app. I found that running was an effective way for me to claw my way back to mental and physical health. 

So I suppose my decision to support WAGEC was a fusion of social good and self help. Most of all I just don’t want to be a shit bloke! 

What does community mean to you?

I’m not really sure. I suppose a lot of things. Definitionally I would think of it as a connection between a group of people based on mutually shared ethics, values, identity, ethnicity etc. In a practical sense I guess it is really a group of people who feel a shared obligation to do better by each other. 

What is your #1 fundraising tip? 

My advice would be to make your fundraising an excuse to catch up with everyone! Call, text, email, do whatever to reach out! I found that people were really responsive to supporting our cause if they feel that you make them a part of it in a meaningful way. Posts to Facebook and Instagram are great, but they don’t stay hot on Zuckerberg’s algorithm for very long! Moreover, it’s quite passive and often doesn’t cut through. Definitely try to make it as social as you can! 

If you would like to support Ashan, click here.