In this episode we chat to Vivian Evans the founder of Dark Sky Innovations. A recognised and awarded innovator and educator Vivian has been in the education field for over 30 years working across a variety of adult and secondary sectors in NSW and the Northern Territory. Always learning new skills and exploring technologies and strategies to enhance connection and collaboration.
Vivian has been a business operator for 20 years providing consultancy work, innovative project management, professional development of teams across a variety of education sectors. For a number of years Vivian was the NSW networker for BroadBand for Seniors contracted with Adult Learning Australia, more recently she was the Community Development Coordinator for her rural town of Coonabarabran and the Tech Mentor and founding member of THE Rural Woman, an online community empowering women to ‘Bloom where they are’ in rural communities across Australia.
Vivian’s innovation is usually focused on helping people and communities to truly connect and collaborate to bring people together to create and grow new opportunities whether it be in person events or online through innovative technology.
The title of her business ‘Dark Sky Innovations’ was inspired by the fact that her business, based in the rural town of Coonabarabran, sits right next to the first internationally recognised Dark Sky Park in Australia.
Always operating from a ‘Cup more than half full’ perspective and facing the challenges of and shifts due to COVID restrictions Vivian saw an opportunity through a tool she had recently used that she could readily adapt and facilitate to the current and shifting circumstances and aligned perfectly with Dark Sky Innovations vision.. This tool was called Goosechase.
Vivian quickly adapted for youth events in the Warrumbungle Shire GooseChasing activities (think teams and individuals playing a gigantic interactive game using their mobile devices and real world challenges) whilst families were in COVID lockdown right at the start of the pandemic closures in Australia. She then grew her team as the Australian National University (ANU) sought out a strategy to deliver a virtual StarFest event and delivered 3 weeks of awesome Goosechasing astronomical themed fun that saw participants from around the world participate and provided a successful and even bigger and longer StarFest experience. Excitingly ANU and the players are keen for more!
Vivian and the expanding Dark Sky Innovations team are now reaching out to offer their innovative and highly tailored services to rural and regional communities and events across Australia - to provide exciting, engaging and fun connections for people of all ages into the gems and richness of rural tourism, people, places, events and spaces. Being totally adaptive to the rapidly shifting changes in the current times.
Vivian and her partner have been living off the grid for over 30 years, just 20 minutes out of the beautiful community of Coonabarabran NSW. Together they have built their own place, developed an extensive garden and raised two girls amidst 100 acres of native Australian bush.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/darkskyinnovationsInstagram: www.instagram.com/darkskyinnovationsWeb: www.darkskyinnovations.com.au

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