Welcome to The Second Class Collective
- Justin Tan
- May 19, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: May 20, 2022
And so, it begins.
The...Second Class...Collective? But why?
The term 'Second Class' is often used as a derogatory description of a group of people who are perceived as mediocre socially, politically, and economically deprived. People who are considered second class are usually ignored, and deemed to be inconsequential.
If that sounds familiar to you, at some point in your life you might have felt like a second class member of society.
We here do not believe that you should shut up and accept the cards that's been dealt. We want to reclaim and embrace our identity as productive, colourful, energetic and diverse group of people. To achieve that, we believe in lifelong co-teaching and learning.
Simply put, consider your previous life back home as your first lesson, and moving to a new country represents the next level of your life education.
Hence, your second class.
Spiderman had a radioactive spider. Hulk had gamma rays.
We had frustrations.
Like many other social enterprises and endeavours, The Second Class Collective was borne out of a sense of desperation, balanced by hope, a perspective of what things currently are, and the potential of what it could be. The Collective is a result of a desire and determination to do something to get us there, and a belief that there is strength in numbers.
Despite the pandemic, the world is as borderless as ever. A large number of people today do not work and live in the country that they were born in. In Australia, as at 2020, almost thirty percent of people currently residing here were born overseas.
You could be one of the few successful migrants, expertly navigating the various hurdles, and have now secured a great career, built your family and yourself a loving home, sent your children to the best possible school. Overall, you feel like you now belong.
The path to settling down for others, however, will likely be riddled with challenges and roadblocks. After all, the promises of new opportunities in a new land often comes hand in hand with confusing bureaucratic systems, a lack of tolerance and understanding of different cultures, language barriers. A lot of new immigrants face forms of discrimination and prejudices, sometimes overtly, most often subtly and unintentionally.
We at The Collective decided that instead of just whinging about it, we were going to do something to offer our services to those in the second camp by connecting them to the first.
Is The Second Class Collective for me?
I don't know who you are (Fine. Google do track you and tells me 80% of your personal information, but lets ignore that for the moment), but, if you are still reading this by now and your curiosity is piqued, then the answer is a resounding YES!
Regardless of where your station in life currently is at, there is something for you at The Second Class Collective. Our mission is to gather a network of people who:
Are new to the country and wants to learn more about your new home and how to get ahead both professionally and in your personal life, and in return educate your new foreign friends on their own values and way of life. After all, you packed more than just your suitcases when you moved here. Your hometown chilli probably got confiscated by Australian Border Police, but your qualifications, years of experience and wealth of knowledge that you had accumulated back home got through border checks just fine.
Have been here a long time, have tonnes to offer and would like to give back. Whether you are an employer who creates jobs or opportunities for others, or someone who have an experience or skill you think would benefit those who are now walking in your footsteps, we want to give you an avenue to do so.
Are just curious, adventurous, or looking for a community of like-minded people. Come join us for a hike, have a drink or maybe even a karaoke session or two (I reckon it is time to settle the argument - which country produces the best singers?)
You talk a big game. What do you actually do?
In essence, The Collective's goal is to create a vibrant group of people with stories to share and wants to learn. People who believe in the collective ability to lift ourselves higher. Who are tired of seeking and waiting for opportunities, and now want to create them ourselves.
We want to put a loudspeaker in the hands of those who have been voiceless for so long, yank of the cloak of invisibility to reveal talents that had remained hidden and unexplored.
We see this vision as supported by three main pillars:
Career Development - Inspiring those looking for that extra push to break through whatever ceilings lie above you, be they glass or bamboo.
Personal Development - Focuses on developing your competency on all things related to finances, mental/physical well being, raising a family.
Giving Back - An opportunity for those seeking to mentor and coach others and share knowledge in a public forum.
Future posts will explain in more detail what each pillar will offer.
As a start, in the coming few weeks we will start sharing advice on resume writing, interview preparation and rebranding yourself on LinkedIn. There will be templates available for free and prompts to help your search of a more meaningful and suitable career.
For those who needs additional support, we will soon be providing free reviews of resume/cover letter, as well as interviewing group workshop. Spaces are limited, however, so it will be on a first in, best dressed basis.
We will also be organising networking events, partnering with gyms and personal trainers to provide group exercises (like a boot camp), and staging talks on mental wellness, all matters close to our hearts here in The Collective.
Right, I'm (kinda) sold. What now?
If your neck is now aching because you were nodding yourself silly in agreement as you were reading, or if your mind's exploding with a thousand ideas about what ideas to share, questions to ask, or things to do, please JOIN US!
Look, we'll make it easy for you. All you have to do is click the Log In button.
And choose whichever option suits you best.
You can also be part of the community via LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and many more (Links to social media below).
Please leave a comment below or send us a message if you have any feedback, queries, suggestions or you just want to say hi.
Bookmark this website and come back often to see what's new - events, articles, even career opportunities.
If you think this is something your friend, family, sibling, partner, will appreciate, please feel free to share!
So.
Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado.
Class is now in session.
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