A new informational video that promotes the work of LifeLink was launched in November this year.
The special production has been developed in consultation with students and teachers from several schools across the Archdiocese, with the support of Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA).
As the fundraising and promotional arm of the Archdiocese, LifeLink supports and assists the work of social service agencies established by the Archdiocese of Perth, reaching out to more than 37,000 Western Australians in need each year and delivering more than $60 million in professional programs, care and direct assistance.
Speaking with The Record, LifeLink Manager Brett Mendez explained that the video has been developed following a decision by the LifeLink Chair, Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton and the Executive, who saw a need to increase community awareness of the work of LifeLink and the Archdiocesan social services agencies.
A Special Project Committee was established in February 2019, tasked with helping to develop and produce this new resource.
“With existing video resources having now served the work of LifeLink for more than six years, it was felt that a more visually appealing and contemporary presentation was required, one which would provide updated information on the work of the LifeLink agencies and organisation, and be more inclusive of the youth demographic,” Mr Mendez said.
“Importantly, the new video provides information relevant for LifeLink’s generous donors, parishioners, schools and members of the general public,” he said.
As an educational experience and to harness the enthusiasm and talent of young people, four schools were invited to participate in the video project – Iona Presentation College, Holy Cross College, Servite College and Newman College – with each school invited to nominate four students and one teacher to form the Archbishop’s special Project Committee.
As a group, the young people were tasked with helping to develop the overall concept and be part of the production process, working with Mr Mendez.
“We wanted to provide an opportunity for these talented young people to be part of the entire process, especially in what needed to be included to better communicate LifeLink’s message to young people in a contemporary, positive and visually appealing way,” Mr Mendez explained.
“… to provide an opportunity for these talented young people to be part of the entire process; to better communicate.”
“We wanted the students to have ownership of this project, so they were actively engaged in the concept development, market research, script writing, filming and music selections for our video.”
Formed in February 2019, the Project Committee started work on scripting ideas that were presented at the 2019 Secondary Students Forum, where students had the opportunity to critique the initial storyboards and offer their input.
The scripts were finalised that year and presented to Archbishop Costelloe in January 2020 for approval and four LifeLink agencies were filmed before production was brought to a crashing halt by COVID-19 and social distancing measures.
Filming was finally able to continue following the lifting of restrictions with the last of the footage filmed on 3 September at Aranmore College and St Mary’s Cathedral.
It was on this occasion that Archbishop Costelloe presented members of the Project Committee with a wooden Cross, handcrafted by the Marist Brothers, as a gesture of his appreciation.
The new video was launched online at www.lifelink.com.au to coincide with the Archbishop’s Christmas Appeal Launch, which is also the weekend Pope Francis launched World Day of the Poor.
From pages 26 to 27 of Issue 27: Community of The Record Magazine