Bronwyn Manley

Sponsoring Rotary District: 5040
Worked in: Zimbabwe, South Africa, England, Cambodia, Vanuatu, Australia, New Zealand
Degrees from: University of Otago, New Zealand
Future plans: "My goal is to secure short term consultancies with humanitarian organisations designing educational tools which incorporate technology for refugees. Organisations such as War Child, Save The Children, International Rescue Committee are examples of organisations currently embracing technology for these contexts."

Bronwyn holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Tourism from the University of Otago in New Zealand. Having grown up in Africa she tailored her degrees to focus on corporate responsibility, sustainable development and political studies with the aim of focusing on tourism as a development tool back home. However, due to political unrest, many fled Zimbabwe and her focus then turned to crisis management and displacement.

Over the past fifteen years, Bronwyn has worked in, consulted to and volunteered for a number of not-for-profits and community-focused organisations around the world. Projects have included advocacy work, crisis management, emergency services, vocational education, behavioral based safety and change management initiatives.

For the past 2 years, Bronwyn has volunteered for a program called ‘In Search of Safety’ with the Australian Red Cross. The program aims to dispel common myths about asylum seekers and refugees which lead to hate and rejection. Being a strong educator, and having experienced displacement herself, Bronwyn believes she is in a position to help diffuse such conflict in our communities.

Bronwyn lectures part-time in community development. Recently, through her own consultancy, she worked with an organization to improve culture. She developed and facilitated training to challenge mindsets, explore bias and encourage inclusive work-based communities which foster safer outcomes and optimize potential for business improvement by embracing diversity. Prior to this, Bronwyn worked as a Capacity Development Coordinator for the Red Cross where her role was to build resilience after national disasters through educational programs.

Bronwyn has an interest in instructional intelligence, with a focus on exploring how to challenge mindsets and drive people to realise their own contribution (or lack of) to real change. Throughout her studies, she hopes to expand her understanding of notions of peace and conflict and explore new technologies for advocacy and education.