Chats with KOS Alumni - Part One
Since we launched back in September 2019, we have met so many amazing creatives and inspiring advocates for change who have been involved with the KOS editorial team behind the scenes. We reconnected with KOS Alumnus Achol Arok and Jahin Tanvir to hear more about how KOS provided them with the knowledge to develop their career and how we played a vital role in their professional journey.
Introduce yourself, your role at KOS, and what you do now.
Achol Arok (AA): I was a Writer/Editor for KOS Magazine back in 2020. I was in my 2nd year [of uni] and I saw KOS was recruiting some writers.
I came in and worked with KOS for a year, got the basics and some experience down on my resume which parachuted me into getting an Internship at ABC. This led to my full-time gig as Assistant Chief of Staff. Working in the collaborative environment [at KOS] gave me the confidence to work in a larger newsroom [at ABC].
My work now is exactly the same as KOS but on a larger scale in the sense that I’m brainstorming, pitching, writing, and editing my own articles. For me, my experience at KOS was really fundamental to my current work.
Jahin Tanvir (JT): I am a multicultural youth advocate and I joined KOS in 2020 as a writer/editor. It was a pleasure to collaborate on a lot of topics that affect youth including healthcare, racism, and mental health.
When I look back, I recognised that KOS was one of the first opportunities that I actively put my hand up for. The opportunity to work with Sarah and Natalie was instrumental to my personal and professional growth. I had no writing experience, so I came in as authentically as I could, just willing to dive in. I really have to thank them for giving me that shot to find my voice.
Now, I’m using my voice and doing work that I love. My time at KOS helped me to discover the world of advocacy, what that means, and how I can use my voice for good.
What was your position and how did this role benefit other areas of your study/ interests?
AA: I was able to practice the skills I was learning in the classroom and apply the theory into real world contexts. We know that high grades can only get you so far; if you don’t have the skills to back up the theory, you’re going to struggle once you’ve graduated.
At KOS I was really encouraged to write about the things that interested me. I got regular feedback from my fellow editors and the founders which impacted my growth immensely. The founders helped me thread together my loose thoughts into a structured piece, and my team members were able to connect me with high quality leads to interviews when I had a burning idea.
JT: What really impacted me was having creative autonomy and voice - (which contrasted with my optometry degree that focused on working within strict rules and guidelines). KOS really was my outlet and place to explore my creativity, topics I’m passionate about, and read the stories of people who I otherwise wouldn’t have encountered.
It really allowed me to be more in tune with the issues young people are facing and what solutions they’re asking for. I was able to explore outside of my role as writer into web design as well. It was really cool to see what goes into launching a business and the behind-the-scenes of running a media platform in the not-for-profit-sector.
“My favourite thing was being surrounded by like-minded individuals. I feel like it was imperative to my growth as a writer and as an individual.”
What did you enjoy most about being involved with KOS?
AA: My favourite thing was being surrounded by like-minded individuals. I feel like it was imperative to my growth as a writer and as an individual. I was able to work without being micromanaged and instead supported, encouraged and nurtured.
JT: Definitely being able to learn from everyone else;it was really an environment that fostered open and friendly communication. I was able to say “I have this random question” or “I have no idea what this means” and I was always met with support. We had some great banter as well which was great. It was a big shift from working in corporate settings to a setting with peers that you can relate to, but also learn so much from.
What have you been up to since your time at KOS magazine?
AA: I transitioned into an internship at ABC on a casual basis as a news room assistant. Once I graduated I was awarded a full-time permanent position. I’ve been trying to figure out what avenue of journalism I want to pursue further or if I want to go back to uni and study for a Masters in International Relations. I know how close journalism and politics are in terms of diplomatic work and careful construction on messaging. I imagine a Masters in International Relations would give me a taste of that world and help me discover if that’s something I want to pursue.
“My time at KOS helped me to discover the world of advocacy, what that means, and how I can use my voice for good. ”
JT: Continuing my studies [in optometry], working full-time, and really focusing on my youth advocacy work whether that means speaking at conferences or events, or just standing up and supporting my peers when and how I can. I’ve also just launched my social enterprise, Breathe, which provides public speaking education through workshops and coaching for young people and those in marginalised communities, and those who’ve never received training in this area.
How did your time at KOS inform your advocacy work? What advocacy areas are you involved in now?
AA: [KOS] opened my eyes to the world of not-for-profit’s that I never knew existed - I knew that there were many issues in our society, but I didn’t know that there were people and businesses offering solutions for those issues.
In journalism, I was very aware of the gaps in representation and I was aware of this throughout my degree, but coming into the industry there’s a large responsibility on journalists to reflect the interests of their audiences. I’ve been working with organisations such as Media Diversity Australia who are advocates for cultural diversity in Australia’s media scene.
JT: KOS brought the focus to centring young people as leaders. I’m currently involved in some of the Metaverse Youth Consultation Roundtables hosted by Meta and PROJECT ROCKIT which is super exciting. I was invited onto ABC’s The Drum to talk about all things leadership, politics, the election, and young people’s issues. It was a crazy experience since young people aren’t often given a voice on TV as a direct platform. I really hope that it becomes a point to open the door for more young people to do the same.
What are your thoughts on the future of the marketing and communication industry for young people?
AA: I’m really excited! I know it’s easy to be pessimistic and feel like an outsider but I see many organisations like the ABC who are making a real effort to incorporate diverse voices. In both the digital and radio teams, they’re making changes in terms of the different accents you hear or skin tones and faces you see on camera.
Right now we’re still at a point where people are still being shocked, and it’s a little disheartening that the attitudes towards culturally different people are still one of surprise.I know that’s something I would’ve really loved when I was in highschool. I had a lot of hesitation going into journalism because I didn’t see people like myself in the industry. Eventually we’ll reach a point where it will be normal and everyday people will be represented in the news and they can proudly look at any channel and see themselves.
JT: I think the future is very bright if more young people get involved. I think the old ways of doing marketing and sales don’t work anymore - social media has completely disrupted the way we do things and the rate of growth and innovation is only increasing. I think it’s the best time for young people to get involved, to influence this rapid growth in a way that helps shape a future for us to thrive.
WORDS: AMELIA ASCIUTTO, JAHIN TANVIR & ACHOL AROK
PHOTOGRAPHY: JAHIN TANVIR & ACHOL AROK
PHOTOGRAPHY: JAHIN TANVIR & ACHOL AROK
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