The Gold Industry Group (GIG) collaborated with Gold Fields, LIVIN, Australian Earth Science Education and Netball WA, to bring viewers a glimpse of the industry’s commitment to community to life through a captivating new TV advertisement and connecting video stories.
The 15 second and 30 second That’s Gold television commercials are airing on Australia’s Channel 9 throughout September.
Expanding on the commercials, three inspirational interviews with beneficiaries of the GIG’s major long-term community partnerships and programs were also produced. They include: LIVIN (mental health), Netball WA, West Coast Fever and Shooting Stars (diversity, inclusion, and health), and Australian Earth Science Education (education).
The LIVIN video story features Cory Harrison and Maty Marks from Gold Fields’ Granny Smith operation in Western Australia, discussing the impact of the GIG’s partnership with LIVIN, the importance of speaking up about mental health and how LIVIN’s workshop is helping gold industry workers learn how to support themselves and each other.
“We’re pretty hopeless at getting help for physical conditions, let alone mental conditions. Breaking down the barriers and letting them know they can seek help without the fear of ridicule or embarrassment, is pretty much what we’re trying to achieve. The LIVIN workshop gave me the tools and the ideals to speak up if I had any demons, and to listen to anyone if they ever came to me,” said Mr Harrison.
“The partnership between the Gold Industry Group and LIVIN is incredibly important – there’s a lot of unique challenges in the mining industry. You go underground and you see a LIVIN sticker inside a machine, and you look at it and it just reminds you to speak up. It reminds you that there’s no shame in it,” Mr Harrison continued.
The netball video story features 2019 Gold Industry Group WA Netball League Most Valuable Player Donnell Wallam and her teammates from the West Coast Warriors, talking about how the gold industry is ensuring players from all backgrounds across the State are supported through their netball journeys.
“For our community, netball is important because it’s a pathway for kids to further their sporting career. They can learn self-confidence, self-belief. It is good for your mental health because it gets you active, gets your mind working and it’s not just a ‘girls sport’ anymore. It’s a sport for everyone. It’s very inclusive,” said Ms Wallam.
“The Gold Industry Group’s support in netball allows us to build the base for Indigenous and non-Indigenous, for kids of all races. As a proud Indigenous netballer, I see the value in playing netball as inspiring young kids to be what they want to be. It just shows that anybody can do it, no matter what background you come from,” Ms Wallam added.
The Australian Earth Science Education video story features CEO Jo Watkins and Mercedes College students, explaining how the gold industry’s new learning resources and support is assisting schools and educating the next generation across the country.
“WA and Australia as a whole have an incredible geological history and its really important to share that with our students. The most important thing is to just share that passion and enthusiasm and to spark their interest. Students are fascinated by it,” said Ms Watkins.
“We’re a not-for-profit that’s been working in Western Australia for over 15 years. The Gold Industry Group’s made a really big investment in the education of our next generation. Both in the importance of the gold industry, but also in earth sciences. And we’ve been really happy to partner back to provide our expertise into their programs. Between the hands-on materials and the photos and the real context, they can really start to feel like they’re part of the industry as well, and just get a taste for it,” Ms Watkins concluded.
The GIG’s long-term community partnerships and programs have been made possible to date, thanks to the support of members: Gold Fields, Saracen Mineral Holdings, Northern Star Resources, Newcrest Mining, St Barbara Limited, Newmont, AngloGold Ashanti Australia, Evolution Mining, Regis Resources, Kirkland Lake Gold, Ramelius Resources, KCGM, Gold Road Resources, Westgold Resources, Norton Gold Fields, The Perth Mint, ABC Refinery, Pallion and the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
WATCH: Missed our TV advertisement on Channel 9? See it here and our watch community stories on Mental Health, Netball and Education.