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We're going behind the scenes to see and understand modern agriculture, because no matter whether you're in it or not, you probably don't know all the pieces to just how incredible, diverse and multi-layered agriculture is. We do this by uncovering the real stories, experiences and voices of modern agriculture.
So we're so excited at Humans of Agriculture to welcome back Rabobank as one of our partners. And our relationship with Rabo has been going on now for several years. And what it's meant is we've been able to tap into various areas of the bank, the customers and the community initiatives that have been, I guess, part of the Humans of Ag story for the last few years, but also
Skye (00:42.843)
Really good to see you, Ollie. I'm a big listener of your podcast, so I feel very privileged to be here today.
Oli Le Lievre (00:45.024)
really integral to what Rabobank do. And so today I'm so excited to have Sky Ward, who's the Community Engagement Manager at Rabobank, joining me. Sky, g'day, good to see you.
Oli Le Lievre (01:04.024)
This is a bit random, Sky, but I know that you're coming to us from Bungendore, which is just near Canberra. You know, Canberra is our fourth highest rated region when it comes to listening. So we might have a few politicians and other people that tune in as well. So there's a few other listeners from your neck of the woods.
Skye (01:19.483)
that's good. Well, I hope they're all listening in today. It's certainly a great place. So I love living here.
Oli Le Lievre (01:26.333)
Now, Scott, I want to chat to you today, obviously, about the Rabo Community Fund, but I think to get into the context a little bit of why it matters and what the opportunities are for regional Australia. think for our listeners and people who call rural Australia home, everyone knows that farming is a key part of the community. But I just vividly remember 2019, I went for a of a big loop from Melbourne up through the central west of New South Wales, actually ended up in Canberra.
Skye (01:45.371)
And I think that's great start a business.
Oli Le Lievre (01:54.305)
And I just remember going through the towns and when things are great, obviously farming plugs a lot of the holes into rural communities. But there's just so much to it, whether it's the local health clubs, the health services, local halls. Like farming is one huge part of it, but then there's so many community initiatives that need thriving towns off the back of it. And so obviously that's something that you especially are really passionate about. So I just want to know a little bit about your background.
Skye (02:10.394)
So, I we can all agree that we have a of things to to help us get through this.
Oli Le Lievre (02:22.644)
and what roles community kind of had in your life?
Skye (02:25.683)
So community has always been so important to me, Ollie. I think because I grew up in the most close-knit, beautiful community down in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains, so Monaro, so south of Canberra. And I think because we were really marked by bad droughts down there, our community really came together. So if I think of my childhood, it's been down in the fire where the...
when we were fighting fires or just being down with our community and just all ages being there. You you go to a party or any kind of community event and there'd be people there, you know, ranging from small kids, right, to, you know, all areas of the community. So I grew up in this amazing community. And I think because I had that...
I've always really wanted that for myself and our family. And so about five years ago, we made a really big decision to move from the family farm near Goulburn to move to a farm that we bought a few years earlier here at Bungendore. So it's about an hour away, but a whole new community. And we moved here. And even though it was such a big thing moving from the family farm, there was a lot of emotions and grief associated with that.
We moved Ollie into the most incredible community and I just feel so lucky to be part of a community where you walk down the street, you know everyone, you walk into the coffee shop. So I'm working in town today Ollie and the coffee shop's next door and you walk in and they know your order before you get to the counter and it's already made for you when you get up to the till. And there's one school in the town so all the kids know each other. They go to the IGA, they see everyone they know. They're all part of the same sports clubs.
And it's really that sort of adage of it takes a village to raise a child. And I just feel like our family is part of something so much bigger than ourselves. And I just, you know, feel so privileged that our kids are growing up in such an incredible close knit and supportive community. So I think it's been that background where I've always, you know, loved community and now how lucky am I to be able to work?
Skye (04:33.462)
in community as well here at Rabobank. But previously, and we can talk about this in a minute, previously I have worked very much at a grassroots level with local communities as well. So I think that's what's been good stead for this role.
Oli Le Lievre (04:45.262)
And so one thing I guess, yeah, like from the fabrics of rural towns and rural places, obviously like I'll say in the hard times, you just see how important a tight knit community is in terms of how people come together and all of that. But I'm interested in, for you guys moving, I'll say as adults and obviously with young kids as well, what's it like to move to somewhere, although it is an hour down the road, it's...
Skye (04:53.924)
So thank you.
This is a very important I that's I think that's a very important thing. that's a thing. I a thing. I think that's a thing. I think thing. I a very thing.
Oli Le Lievre (05:13.484)
It's a whole new town. It's a whole new place. It's a whole new group of kind of social circles. What's it like to move regionally and really as adults?
Skye (05:23.022)
I know it's really, I think what you have to do is just literally go to the opening of an envelope. So the first two years we did not leave Bungendore. Like we literally, if you had asked us, Ollie, to drinks on a Thursday night, we were there. Like we said yes to everything. And we also just had lots of people over to us and we just threw ourselves into absolutely everything we could. I think having kids really helped because they're all at the local school or preschool. They all played sport.
Oli Le Lievre (05:28.194)
Yeah
Skye (05:51.098)
I also am really lucky to work sort of in a business collective here in Bungendore and so I got to know a lot of people through that. I quite like my coffee so I was able to meet people through the coffee shop as well but I think it's literally just saying yes to everything and yeah for two years if anyone out of Bungendore had asked us something we said no and we said yes to everything in town and literally just threw ourselves in so I'm so glad that we did that and
Yeah, we've really got to know a lot of people, which is great.
Oli Le Lievre (06:22.67)
I'm interested because today we're and absolutely plugging because I just think it's such an awesome initiative, the Rabo Community Fund applications are open until the 15th of March, but it's such an, I guess, a great opportunity for grassroots organizations, people with ideas to kind of throw their hat in the ring. Can you help me and help our audience understand a little bit about what the Rabo Community Fund is and why it was established back in 2021?
Skye (06:50.407)
No, thanks, Olly. for those that don't know, Rabobank's actually a global cooperative. So was founded by farmers for farmers, which means that we don't have shareholders. So we're not beholden to shareholders. We don't pay dividends. So instead, we make a contribution and investment in the communities in which our clients live. And because we're an agricultural bank, most of our clients do live in regional and rural Australia. So it's really about our ability to try and make a positive
difference in those rural and regional communities. So since 2021, about $4 million has been invested in rural communities across Australia and New Zealand, because this fund is funded by an annual contribution from Radio Bank Australia and New Zealand. So this fund is available then for local organisations to be able to apply for funding to be able to build
or sustain their grassroots initiatives. So we have six key pillars that our community initiatives sort of fall under. So they're things Olly like long-term industry capacity, rural wellbeing, urban rural divide, environmental sustainability. So there's six of those pillars. And if your community, if your little local organization or you have an idea that fits under one of those pillars.
really encourage you to go to our website. It's an online form and to have a look into that because we've had some fantastic grassroots initiatives just to give you an idea of some of the ones that we've done in the past. So I've done really simple things like beers and banger's nights up at Colston Lakes where people like literally turn up, have a sausage sandwich. Rabo doesn't supply the beer unfortunately but you go up and have a sausage sandwich and it's just literally to get the community together and get people off farm.
or out of their houses and there is a community. So we fund small things like that that have really important benefits. We also do things like the skin check trucks. So I know that went to Adquip last year and I believe it also went to Yass where it just pulled up in the local town. Anyone in the town, you don't need to be a farmer, they need to be a client of Rabobank, anyone can go. And the death rate of melanoma in farming populations, I believe is about 60 % higher than the general population.
Skye (09:07.496)
So just being able to bring those kind of services into regional towns and to places where farmers or other people may be and get them into those trucks and getting them seen by those specialists, it's just so important. We've also done things like fund things through St John's Ambulance to sort of help with getting those kind of services there. I think in Outback Queensland they were doing things like life like.
matters and so it's the first five minutes after an accident you know how can you do some some basic you know first day before those life flight you know sort of services can come on those outback stations as well so it's really those kind of initiatives that you know may already be happening or you might have an idea and you just need that that push and that support and that funding to either grow it or get it off the ground.
Oli Le Lievre (09:55.393)
I love it. And I think like, well, as I was looking at it, and I guess, yeah, as we kind of, there's the community and I'll say wellbeing initiatives and things that happen at a grassroots level. And there's also some really practical kind of business areas as well. So obviously we know, and time and time again, it's actually our highest rating theme on the Humans of Ag podcast is succession. Anytime succession's mentioned.
Skye (10:06.426)
Wow.
Oli Le Lievre (10:20.608)
episode listens go through the roof. And I think the average playback is per listeners like two to three times, which is insane. But you guys obviously, yeah, support succession workshops, financial skills workshops for people in business. So it's not just, I guess, yeah, community and wellbeing focused areas. It's actually practical day to day building better businesses and more skilled people as well.
Skye (10:45.118)
Yeah, I'm so glad you mentioned that, Ollie, because we do also, as you say, run these business transition and succession workshops and also financial skills workshops, which is around that sort financial literacy piece. And we've got plans afoot this year to run 32 of those across Australia. So the chances are that, you know, hopefully in a community near you, one of these workshops will be coming and they're open to anyone as well. So they just are a way to sort of
They're really practical, they've got fantastic facilitators and they're really a way to sort of...
I know in succession when they talk a lot about communication and just the importance of communication and just the ability to bring those kind of workshops to really remote areas. I'm working at the moment with the succession facilitator and we're looking at him going to Biller Wheeler and Middle Mountain, Atherton and like all these different places. And I'm trying to work out the logistics of getting in there. But the idea is really to be able to bring these these workshops to areas where they may have before had to travel quite a
big distance and we'll also have with the financial skills some of those virtually as well so just keep an eye on our website but there will be about 30 odd of these programs running throughout the year so that's really sort of in line with that long-term industry capacity piece and agricultural education.
Oli Le Lievre (12:02.894)
And it's so vitally important. Like I just remember like years ago, I was at a Young Beef producers forum and quite a few years ago, and someone presented on like the topic of succession and a question and I'll say it was so simple, but someone just put their hand up and was like, I'm thinking of coming home. Where should I actually start? Because I guess the practical things are talk to an accountant, talk to whatever.
I think it's for especially the younger people, but also the people who currently own the properties and hold the assets as well. What's the most simplest step that you can start with and often as you say, is that communication. so I think it's just so vitally important for the sake of families and for relationships and successful businesses that these topics are explored. so that's amazing.
Skye (12:41.338)
And I've also seen just personally, Ollie, like the worst of succession. And that might've been part of the reason why.
we left the family farm. I've seen, you know, just there was generations before, the worst of it and sort of how it can blow up in terms of it resulting in it, you know, there was a family suicide right through to the best of succession where my husband and his brothers did it, you know, sort of chatting in the paddock. And so
You know, is such an important, such an important topic. I think unless it's talked about, you know, and that communication and as you say, just starting and sometimes the starting succession can be the hardest thing of all. hopefully those workshops really just get the conversation started. And we really encourage families that are going to come with your family, you know, come with everyone that may be involved in that succession planning process, at least, you know, on the same page with getting those conversations started.
Oli Le Lievre (13:49.4)
And so Scott, think we've got the 32 workshops that people can jump on the website and go and find out more about now. The Rabo Community Fund, this is, guess we're a little bit more time bound. Applications are closing on the 15th of March, like what do people applying for? What does it look like if you're successful? What's the process?
Skye (14:09.006)
Yeah, so literally it's an online application form. I'm going to say it's fairly easy. It's just, you know, in regards to what's your organisation, what are you looking for? What's the project look for? How many people are you hoping to attract the level of funding? And then what happens if it's a local initiative? So we call a local initiative anything that's kind of state based or region based, then that will go to what we have is Rabobank Client Council. So we've got groups of Rabobank clients.
that meet regularly and sort of discuss different initiatives that are important to their local communities. So they all have a local budget from this rather community fund and they will then meet and go through all those applications. And as you can imagine, we get a lot of them and so we can't support all of them, but it's just like, where can we make the biggest difference? Where is there the need? Where does it align with those themes that we talked about before? And then successful applicants.
more unsuccessful applicants will be let know by the end of April. But there's quite a process to go through all those applications. And they're looking at their local budget of where they can kind of make a difference. And I suppose as well, they want to try and make a difference across a few different things, but also geographically as well across their regions as well. So there's a bit that goes into that. So I would say if you are unsuccessful, we do open it every year.
you know, please apply again. And we also do have Rabo Community Hubs program, which we're looking to run hopefully later in the year, which is for local community halls as well. And we had something like nearly 300 halls apply last year that were looking for upgrades to their local hall. And as we know, Eileen, I think you talked about it before, how important our halls are for just getting communities together, exercise classes or community events, and just putting a bit of money into those halls where they so need it as well.
Oli Le Lievre (15:58.22)
I love it. so who are the types of people, I guess, we have all sorts of different listeners, but the types of people that should dust off the application, jump on the computer, it's not going to take them that long, but who do you guys really want to apply and who benefits from this?
Skye (16:01.37)
That's awesome.
Skye (16:15.108)
I think someone that's just really passionate about making a difference in their community and sees a need and I think you know having worked in communities a lot myself
You know, I learned a really good lesson years ago that the communities need to tell you what they need. Like we can't go in and say, we think you need to run XX and X. The most successful programs really come from someone in the community being really passionate about either bringing an initiative to their community, you know, seeing another organization and going, really want to help you build that. Or someone might have a burning, you know, a burning idea and they're like, I really want to run a program or I want to do something in my community. And this might be the impetus I'll leave for them to just.
put a bit of a framework around that and actually apply for the funding as well. yeah, just call out for anyone that's just really passionate about, you know, making a real difference in their local community to look at the application form and particularly for the lines with those themes. And I mean, that takes in a lot of different initiatives to put in an application.
Oli Le Lievre (17:13.73)
I can see a few people that are kind of on a shoulder tap because I know there's, whether it's like sports complexes that people are upgrading, people have been talking about trying to bring pickleball courts to their local towns to allow, yeah, like, I guess socializing, but upgrades to some of their facilities and whatnot. So I guess, yeah, the scale of the project and the options are really like relatively endless. It's about people just putting the ideas forward.
Skye (17:17.418)
Okay.
Absolutely, there is a few criteria and unfortunately sport is one of the ones but rural wellbeing is part of it but sporting clubs per se but you know it really is open to, yeah it is
Oli Le Lievre (17:45.102)
Skye (17:54.85)
As you say, quite open, the opportunities are quite endless, but yeah, it is on the website in terms of there are a few terms and conditions in terms of what can be funded and what can't.
Oli Le Lievre (18:04.206)
I love it. Now, if we were to look, let's say, we've to go a little bit down the road. Let's go 2045. That's 20 odd years. Crazy. What do you hope for? when we talk about these thriving rural communities, like what do actually hope they look like when we take our driverless cars into them?
Skye (18:13.066)
Thank you.
I think it's just people, I think it's what I hope for now, just people feeling a sense of belonging, feeling like they're, you know, I think it is such a basic human need just to feel like you belong. And I've just been really observing, you know, we're part of our local community here, but we started doing the park run every weekend. And I've seen like the community around that I see the community around, you know, I played tennis once a week, the community around that. So there's so many communities out there within communities, it might be a school community, a preschool community. So I think it's just people
feeling proud to live where they live, feel connected to where they live, feel like they have people around them to support them in the good and the bad times. We all know when we're going through really difficult times.
how incredible that feeling can be when a community really rallies behind you. And I think just to feel that sense of belonging and feel like they're part of something bigger than themselves and their own families. So that's what I would really love. I'd also really love for just communities to be thriving. And I mean, how fantastic now that so many, I mean, I'm so lucky I work from home, that so many people are able to work from home. So, you you have all these professionals and people that may have before had to travel into the city to work really, you know, involved.
and bringing up their families and able to do their work from anywhere in communities. So that brings people that aren't just from the land into those communities and how rich and vibrant it makes it when you have people from all different backgrounds, with all different professional sort of backgrounds as well, all really wanting to live in a special place. So that's what I would love to see.
Oli Le Lievre (19:59.05)
Absolutely. And I reckon Skye, if I'm a little bit biased, but I think you're probably in the perfect role because I can just tell how passionate you are and how excited you are about the impact that you get to make by working with the client councils and see these funds go back out to kind of where they really matter.
Skye (20:02.618)
Thank
Though it's funny, Ollie, I've been with Rabobank on and off, but for about 15 years, I had a period there for about three years where I ran my own business. And I have been working, I used to work in media and I've worked in various parts of the bank in the education side. And I've seen this role for so long and for so long, I've been like, that's my perfect, my perfect role. So I really do feel like I've had.
I've got the best role, but I the best role I had before this, Olly, was before I joined Bravo 15 years ago, I ran grassroots community programs. I had federal government funding to bring communities together and really run, you know, men's cooking classes and exercise classes and women's days. And it wasn't that long ago, I walked into a local community in Gunning and a whole heap of women got up and they were still doing the same exercise class once a week, 15 years later and going having their coffee.
And I thought how amazing that some of these initiatives are still going, you know, that much later. So I feel really lucky that I've worked, you know, really in communities and now sort of had this broader, broader reach here at Rabo as well.
Oli Le Lievre (21:20.709)
I love it. Who knows what we'll see in 15 years time from the impact of this, but I think like we've had the chance to chat to the guys from Boys to the Bush and other initiatives like that. And it's just incredible what they're doing and the impact that they're genuinely going to have on the lives of, well, in Boys to the Bush for young men, but across kind of all of our rural communities.
Skye (21:34.699)
Okay.
Oli Le Lievre (21:43.512)
the impact is going to be lasting.
Skye (21:45.318)
aren't they amazing boys to the bush I had a meeting with them the other day and I was talking to Matt I don't know who you interviewed but he was just saying you just give these those boys the gift of time and I was like how amazing is that and I know that he said something about like it's easy to repair a young boy rather than repairing a young man and I just thought what an incredible program and then I heard you the other day Ollie also interviewing Wandy I think you said his name was from Fat Farmers and that's also an initiative that we support and I know that's
Oli Le Lievre (22:12.482)
Yeah.
Skye (22:14.812)
something we're really hoping to do more of this year is any sort of big ag event to have fat farmers there as a presence. So everyone goes for a walk or a run in the morning or maybe walk themselves to the dinner that night. I think before Lamex is going to be like kick a footy type thing and just get people, I mean, I know we all love to have a drink at the end of the day, but maybe instead we can be, kicking the footy around or doing some exercise as well and connecting that way as well. So that's been another great partnership.
Oli Le Lievre (22:41.696)
It sounds like a heck of a lot of fun. well, Scott, guess for people who want to find out more and to apply, they head to rubberbank.com.au and obviously the community page it's right there in front of you. I would love to see you guys inundated and rummaging through these applications as you get closer to the end of April as well. But, yeah, I just think anyone who wants to know more, jump over to the Rubberbank website and anything else that you want to add Scott.
Skye (22:45.882)
Yes. Yes.
No, I just thank you for the opportunity because as I said, Ollie, I've listened to your podcast for a long time. You've interviewed a lot of my friends and a lot of people that I've really admired. So really enjoyed the opportunity and thank you for sharing the word because I know how important and your platform is. And so I think this is fantastic to really let people know more about the Robert Community Fund and how their little community can be involved as well.
Oli Le Lievre (23:32.494)
Thank you and thank you Rabobank for supporting us to do our work. We love the partnership.
Skye (23:38.123)
Thank you, Ali.
Oli Le Lievre (23:40.92)
Perfect!