Living and breathing the dream of complete equality in Australia, we talk to one young, vibrant and outgoing human rights activist from Sydney, who jumped at the chance to participate in the ActNow Challenge - a volunteer program in the Northern Territory.

Kaylee Hazell - actor, singer/song writer - has spent 10 weeks working and living with the members of the Warlipiri people in Yuendumu, some 290 km North west of Alice Springs.

Kate at BB chats to Kaylee to get the lowdown on her attitudes, experiences and ideas about her volunteer experience in Yuendumu.

What inspired you to get involved in the Act Now Challenge?
I had always had a strong love and curiosity for Australian Indigenous culture, so when I heard about the Act Now challenge it sounded like a perfect opportunity to experience firsthand what it's like living in a remote Indigenous community.

What were your first thoughts when you knew you had been selected for the program?
I was excited but also slightly fearful. I guess as humans we fear the unknown, so I did have little questions popping up like: "Will I be accepted by the community? Is there going to be a massive language barrier? Can I stand the heat?!" But I was up for the challenge and ready to embrace something new and out of my comfort zone.

Had you ever participated in any volunteer work prior to your role in the Warlipiri community?
Yes, I have been involved in a group called ReconciliACTION, which is a group of indigenous and non-indigenous young people interested in reconciliation. They put on events like anti-racism forums, concerts and many other projects. I also work at a community radio station, Fbi 94.5 in Sydney, where I have trained to be a producer. I love working in radio and hope to be presenting soon!

What do you do for a living?
I graduated from the Actors Centre last year completing a full time acting course called 'The Journey'. So, I'm going after my dream with my acting career but also really enjoy teaching drama workshops with ATYP (Australian Theatre for Young People) for their school holiday program. I work nights at a music venue in Newtown so I get to watch live gigs at work!

How has your mindset on the reality of Indigenous Australians living in remote locations changed since you completed your volunteer program?
All I had heard in the media about remote indigenous communities was from a negative perspective and, yes, I did see some living conditions that to me seemed unacceptable. But by the end of the stay I had seen so many positive aspects of the community. Everyone looks out for each other and shares everything. To me it seemed like a thriving cultural hub where people are quite happy with the way they live. Who am I to say that my way of living is better than that?

What are some of the biggest lessons you have learnt and can take away from your experience with the Warlipiri people?
That age, history and culture should not get in the way of you making a connection or friendship with someone. One of my favorite people was an old woman, named Bessie, who was an artist at Warlukurlangu (the artist centre) She asked me to sit down and told me about culture and ceremony and then grabbed my hand and said "Yapa way (Aboriginal way) and White Fella way together, Good one!" It was amazing thinking of all the negative experiences she would have had with white people yet she was able to trust me. It was beautiful.

What would you say to people out there who are hesitating to get involved with volunteer work?
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Open your mind and give it a go. We live in such a consumer driven society and it feels great to step out of it for a while and be driven by wanting an experience over wanting more money…

Did you yourself find any barriers or restrictions that kept you from applying earlier?
Yes, it was hard while I was studying, as drama school was pretty intense and even after graduating I felt apprehensive about leaving Sydney in case I missed out on any acting opportunities. Then I stepped on that red dirt in Central Australia and all my worries floated away.

What were some of the activities you were involved in throughout your stay?
We worked at Warlukurlangu artists centre where over 600 indigenous artists sell their work and a few artists paint at the centre. We looked after them getting lunch, getting their paints, mixing paints, painting canvas and putting the finished artworks in the gallery. Then we worked with Mt Theo youth program helping run homework centre, after school activities and night school for the teenagers.

Biggest highlights of your stay?
Learning about Warlipiri culture and the kinship/skin group system and then being adopted into that system by a little girl who gave me my skin name - Nangala. Going on culture trips with Mt Theo where I ate my first honey ant and bush turkey! Going on walks at sunset then pulling the couches outside and drinking tea and eating cake with our new friends while looking up at the stars.

What were some of the more difficult times you encountered?
Not having much of a response from the young people when we tried to engage them in night school activities. They were very shy so our idea of music and drama workshops didn't go down too well. Sometimes it was hard to make connections with the language barrier and at timesit made me feel quite isolated. I now know what it feels like to be a minority, which is something I hadn't experienced before my stay.

What have the people in the community of Yuendumu and your experiences with them given you?
That no matter what you are faced with in life it is important to stay true to yourself and the things that make you happy. Your culture, relationships, spirituality and passions. Stay strong and proud of who you are because that's what matters most.

What attitudes or activities do you hope to implement in your own day to day life that you have learnt from your volunteer program?
Not to go making judgments based on stereotype and hearsay. Go and see for yourself before you comment.

What is next for you, any more volunteering?
I'm really inspired to get back into the life I left. I realised how many opportunities we have in the city and I'm going after my dream of performing whether it is acting, singing or radio presenting. I would love to go back to Yuendumu to see how all the babies are growing up.

What do you like most about the organisation Act Now?
It gives you practical information to turn your ideas into action. If you are interested in something you can click on a link and it will give you a list of ideas to get active. Talking is great but actions speak louder than words so give it a go!

Click here to read some quick questions with Kaylee!