Andy's story

In 2015, armed with a Bachelors Degree in Music and an idea that whatever new job I found had had to help people, I stumbled upon a job ad for a “Livewire Facilitator.” Not knowing what those two words meant joined like that, and with an open curiosity, I applied. It turns out, I was a Livewire Facilitator.

Throughout the interview process I had a chance to show my animation skills in a demonstration, followed by an in-hospital experience. Having never set foot in a hospital, this was a daunting task, but a few weeks later I got the job!

If I had to describe what a Livewire Facilitator does, it would be, “go to work and be yourself.” That’s it. Playing music, talking, writing stories, editing videos, taking photos, making an absolute mess with paint, playing games and finding fun in unlikely places is just what I do. And I happened to find a place to employ me to do exactly that.

When I first started, I was juggling a few different jobs. After about three months working at Starlight, I realised this was where I wanted to commit my time and creative energies. 

This realisation was well and truly confirmed after attending my first National Team Conference back in 2015. I came back and told my Manager that I wanted more shifts!

Working in the Livewire program has honestly been the best job I have ever had. It is one of those rare jobs where you have the chance to be purely creative with a team of other creatives on a daily basis, while also helping people in a very open and real way.

We talk of “impact” a lot here at Starlight and being able to deliver that impact, using my creative skills, is such a rare honour. I remember hanging out with a long-term patient and finding out that he plays guitar. We’d run down and grab our guitars and sit there and just play music together. As we were leaving his mum was sitting there in tears. Apparently, he never played in front of anyone, not even her. Except when Livewire was there. 

This type of experience is not unique to me – across all Starlight’s programs our teams are having this impact and delivering these amazing experiences. It was this kind of organisation-wide commitment to the Starlight mission that led me to explore further opportunities.

I applied for a few secondments and was offered a role running training events for new Livewire Team members. I loved every part of organising and running this event. I’d organised large-scale events in hospital before for Livewire (like a week-long gaming expo that has been going for years now), but I still learnt so much about how to run an event.

During this time, another secondment opportunity popped up. I obviously put my hand straight up for the role. I was once again lucky enough to be offered the role, organising the next National Team Conference – the same one that had inspired me a mere 2 two years before.

Yes, I did have three concurrent roles in the same organisation.

The National Conference was the most challenging project I had ever attempted at Starlight – luckily I wasn’t in this thing alone, with an amazing team to guide me through. We delivered an epic event and had an absolute blast in the process…I even got to record a podcast with a certain satirical newspaper, which was bizarre, completely ridiculous and I loved every second.

With my secondments wrapping up in late 2018 – I was once again looking around for something else to sink my teeth into!  After delivering another successful gaming expo with Livewire the role of  Project Lead – Creative Collaborations was advertised. This time it was a permanent role working on all things cool and experimental… and I wanted it. 

And here I am today – working on projects like:

• Underwater livestreaming from somewhere in Sydney Harbour straight into the Starlight Express Rooms.

• Working with some creative technologists who make legit magic wands.

• Completing a virtual reality art gallery.

• In talks with a team who make video games that you can control simply by moving your eyes

I think you get the idea. It's pretty cool stuff.

Not bad for a guy who had to google the word ‘facilitator’ before his first interview at Starlight.