Homeschooling

Join us at Preston Library and boost your public speaking skills! ## Speak with Confidence at Northern Exposure Toastmasters Join us in person at Preston Library for a fun and friendly Toastmasters meeting! Whether you're looking to sharpen your public speaking skills or just want to meet like-minded folks, this is the place to be. Share your stories, get useful feedback, and boost your confidence in a supportive atmosphere. ### **Set Your 2026 Challenge** Maybe this is the year you want to: * Improve your public speaking and presentation skills * Build confidence in meetings or high-pressure situations * Become a more influential leader * Sharpen your thinking on your feet * Strengthen your communication for career advancement * Expand your personal and professional network Whatever your 2026 challenge looks like, Toastmasters meets you where you are, and helps you grow from there. There is so much to learn from presenting speeches to become a Leader in the Club. * 1\. Personal & professional development * 2\. Improved communication & listening skills * 3\. Increased confidence * 4\. Develop & enhance leadership skills * 5\. Affiliation with an internationally renowned organisation Don't miss out on this chance to speak up and stand out!

Come and watch one of Australia's most up and coming Australian-Chinese stand-up comedians, **Nathan Chin! His style is described as "sharp, edgy, racial and politically risky".** Make sure to book ahead to avoid disappointment! **The show starts at 6:30pm and runs for 1 hour. Let's show up at 6 so we can chat while we wait in line. ✨** Afterwards, join in for a relaxed dinner at Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen (一康流 福岡ラーメン) which is right next to Flinders St station. 😋 If you can't make it to the show you are still welcome to join for dinner! Hope to see you there!

Have you ever felt or been told that it is too hard to be successful? What does it take to stand out from the crowd, or be considered a professional? Find out what it takes to succeed, whether it be in relationships, in a job or in creating your own business. What ever the area, you can be a professional. That is a fact. This seminar will include topics, such as: * Professionalism * The Five Ways to Address a Problem * How to "WEAR YOUR HAT" * PLUS MORE There will also be a personality test after the seminar is completed which will help to isolate which areas of your life need to be addressed, so that you can then improve on those areas!

Come along and learn about the five ways to address a problem, handling backlogs, and what exactly control is.

Never been to one of our meet-ups before? Been a member for a while or just joined? Either way this is the social for you! Once a month we hold a special meet-up to welcome in new members. Regulars are encouraged to attend and help new members have a fun night out! Our monthly “newbie” social is an opportunity to learn about our groups, events held and resources to help members. More importantly it is an opportunity to meet others going through separation & divorce in a safe and friendly environment. We can all learn from each other, but the primary aim of the socials is to enjoy ourselves! Our socials are hosted by members of the Divorce Support & Social Group and the Melbourne Divorce Support Group. We pay for own food and drinks individually. On Wednesday nights the Royal Melbourne has $20 pizza and pasta specials. Great food and great company. We hope to see you!

Too many kids as well as teenagers and adults have problems with study. Today's meetup will inform you about the basics in STUDY TECHNOLOGY that provides an understanding of the basics of learning and supplies exact ways to overcome all the pitfalls one can encounter during study. This is applicable to young children, teenagers (or their parents that are trying to help them) and adults alike. Study Technology shows how one studies in order to comprehend a subject so one can apply it. Laws on which learning is based and workable methods have also been discovered for anyone to apply for themselves or when teaching others. Too many students graduate from school and college unable to put to use what they’ve learned in school. It’s not that they’re stupid or that their teachers didn’t know how to teach. More than likely it traces back to the one thing missing from most educations—learning how to learn in the first place. We all went to school, yet isn’t it odd that no one taught us how to study? The information presented at this meetup can help anyone improve others or his own ability to learn. It is a practical tool that parents and teachers alike can use to enhance a child's study performance. You’ll learn the barriers that lie between your own or a child's education. And you will very quickly learn how to overcome them. This technology will enable you or a child to pursue any subject with skill and confidence. Teachers who have "hard to handle/distributive " or slow learners in class will absolutely love the amazing turn around most often seen in improved behaviour and student performance in class. If you or your child has difficulties at school (or learning new things at work or online) than this meetup is important to you. If you can not make it to our meetup than contact the organizer and arrange it to suit your time. This technology can if one was to live far away be taught online. (extension course) You may offcourse also opt to have this technology taught to your own child by experienced volunteeer staff or learn about this yourself and transfer this knowledge to those you want to have better grades. Yes it is possible to improve anyone's study performance. All it takes is just 5 steps. See you at this meetup. Pam

If you've got soul and love to sing, join us on Thursday 16th April at 6pm. No audition needed! This is a free "prologue class" of Greatest Choir Hits held before the official term starts and will be member led. We meet above the bar at **FAD Gallery,** 14 Corrs Lane, Melbourne. (Corrs Lane is in Chinatown, off Little Bourke Street). Grab a drink before we start and take it upstairs. After we sing, we love to be social and always have a drink and a chat in the bar. There's no need to commit to every week in this 10 week term. You can pay **$20** per session or pay in advance for the whole term: **$100**. Prologue - 16 April - Member led greatest hits session - Free to attend Class dates for Term 1, 2026 Week 1 - 23 April- Term payment or casual payment per session Week 2 - 30 April Week 3 - 7 May Week 4 - 14 May Week 5 - 21 May Week 6 - 28 May Week 7 - 4 June Week 8 - 11 June Week 9 - 18 June Week 10 - 25 June Any questions? Email Dan at xx.danscott@gmail.com

The Basic building blocks to learning and communicating is the written and spoken language. If you or your child cannot express your thoughts and ideas well, you will be shut off from the fruits of understanding and success in life. The fundamentals of speech and writing (grammar) has always been taught as a complicated, confusing and constricting set of rules. We have simplified it for you. If you or your child are struggling with English then this briefing is for you. See you there!

A gentle invitation to the Sisterhood 🌿✨ Join us for a lighthearted, soul-nourishing evening designed to help you unwind, recharge, and connect with like-minded women. This is a relaxed, welcoming space to get to know the Sisterhood—where conversation flows easily, laughter is encouraged, and you can simply show up as you are. Sip on a warm herbal tea, settle in, and enjoy meaningful connection in a supportive and easygoing atmosphere. Whether you feel like sharing or just listening, you’re invited to be part of a circle that values warmth, authenticity, and togetherness. We are also fortunate to have a special guest “listener” joining us. Cezar is a spiritual, positive psychologist—who will be there to gently hold space, listen deeply, and offer thoughtful insights if and when it feels helpful. Due to the cost of living pressures this will be donation based event so you only give what feels right for you. Come as you are. Leave feeling a little lighter, a little more connected, and gently recharged 💛

📚 #InPursuit is a book club for entrepreneurs, creatives, and curious minds who know personal growth fuels business growth. **See a lot of RSPVPs and wonder how it works? We'll break up into groups of 6-8 to share our insights, then swap groups after 30-45min so you can maximise learning from everybody!** *Note: this even is not organised by or affiliated with The State Library of Victoria* **That's what #InPursuit is all about** It’s not a traditional book club, it’s a space for people who are actively designing a better life through the pursuit of business, creativity, and personal growth. This event is for anyone #InPursuit of better business, life and relationships. Instead of reading the same book, we each come prepared to share one powerful insight from something we’ve read in the past 3-months. Anything non-fiction that’s moved us forward. Whether it’s a mindset shift, a productivity system, a new philosophy, or just a truth that punched us in the gut. This is a place to unpack it together and hear what others are learning too. We’re not just here to *read*. We’re here to *integrate*. Because when we grow, our business and our lives grow too. **🔍 Why Join? You'll leave with:** * 5–10 fresh insights from books you may never have picked up * Deeper awareness of how others think, lead, and evolve * New connections with people walking a similar path toward purpose, results, and impact This isn’t a lecture. It’s a room full of people building themselves while they build the thing. **📖 How It Works** First time? No pressure to share, just come curious. We'll break up into groups of 6-8 and share our insights, then swap groups so you can maximise the learning! Returning? Bring one idea you’ve read about in the last 3-months and be ready to speak on: 1. What did you learn? 2. How did it shift your perspective about the world or yourself? 3. How has it changed the way you show up or behave? We keep it structured, but flexible. After sharing, we open up to Q&A, personal stories, challenges, and deep dives. Some of the best insights come from the conversations *after* the share. **🧠 Who This Is For** * Entrepreneurs or side-hustlers finding their footing * Business owners, and doers building toward better * Curious minds who love ideas but care more about action * People tired of shallow conversations and hungry for growth If you’re working on something—or becoming someone—this space is for you. It’s a practice ground for people who want to grow forward. We’re all #InPursuit of mastery, momentum, and the kind of success that starts from within. **Map on how to get there** We're in the Create Quarter on the ground level (back right of the Quad as you enter from Swanson St). We'll likely be on a long table together. https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/SLV-EnglishMap_Jan25.pdf

We’re excited to bring our community together again — this time with a focus on **data and AI**. This event will start with a deep dive into how modern organisations turn raw data into meaningful insights — covering the full data journey from collection to decision-making & cloud solutions that enable it. We’ll then shift into the world of AI, exploring how cloud-powered solutions can go beyond automation to build systems that truly listen, understand, and create real human impact. Whether you’re working with data, curious about AI, or somewhere in between, this evening is designed to give you practical perspectives from both sides. **Topics** **1\. Turning Data into Decisions: The End\-to\-End Data Journey** Modern digital products generate large volumes of data through user actions, system events, and integrations. This talk explores the end-to-end data lifecycle — from event tracking and data pipelines to storage in cloud platforms. Anlita will cover how raw data is cleaned, organised, and modelled into structured, analytics-ready datasets, and how cloud features like scalable storage and distributed processing help manage growing data efficiently. By connecting data flows to business use cases, the session shows how organisations turn everyday data into reliable metrics, dashboards, and actionable insights. **About the speaker** [Anlita Chaisrisukumporn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anlita-chaisrisukumporn-174690183/) is a Lead Data Analyst in the Platform team at [Easygo](https://easygo.io/). She works closely with business, product, and engineering teams to deliver meaningful data insights that support operational and strategic decision-making. Her work focuses on strengthening the data platform and enabling teams across the organisation to better understand product performance and drive business improvements through data. **2\. Cloud with Compassion \- Agentic voice AI which truely listens** What if AI could do more than automate tasks — what if it could truly care? In this session, Vanitha will take you on a journey of building a Voice Agentic AI solution on AWS that goes beyond technology — it listens, it understands, and it acts when it matters most. A solution born not just from engineering, but from empathy. Come discover how cloud technology, when built with compassion, can become a lifeline for those who need it most. **About the speaker** [Vanitha Kaliyaperumal](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanitha-kaliyaperumal/) is a Lead Engineer at [Versent](https://versent.com.au/) with over 25 years of IT experience across Telecommunications, Resources, Banking and Software industries. She has a proven track record in architecting and delivering mission-critical platforms across both On-premises and Cloud environments including AWS, Azure, and Oracle. Vanitha brings deep expertise spanning Monolithic to Cloud transformation, Microservices, DevOps, Security and is deeply passionate about harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence to build solutions that create real human impact. She is a passionate advocate for Women in Tech and Building AI for Social Good. **Agenda** 5:30pm – Food and networking 6:00pm – Presentation 1. Turning Data into Decisions: The End-to-End Data Journey 6:30pm – Presentation 2. Cloud with Compassion - Agentic voice AI which truely listens 7:10pm – Quiz 7:20pm – Networking We’re incredibly grateful to our sponsors — [Easygo](https://easygo.io/), [Mantel](https://mantelgroup.com.au/) and [REA group](https://www.rea-group.com/) — for supporting our community and making this event possible. Join us for an evening of learning, meaningful conversations, and great company, we can’t wait to see you there!

**Debates vs Discussions** Stay tuned for video links and questions **Grace, persuasion and Christianity** Stay tuned for video links and questions **Pressure, coercion and Islam** Stay tuned for video links and questions **Evangelism vs Proselytism** Stay tuned for video links and questions **Propaganda vs Education** Stay tuned for video links and questions

Walk for Children - 2026 Save Soil Walkathon in Columbus 🌍 Over 52% of the world soil is degraded and scientists warn we may have only a few decades of fertile soil left. As Sadhguru shares, soil is a living system—and when it degrades, our food, health, and future are at risk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyT-6qiubd0 🚶‍♂️🌎This Earth Day, Join the Walk for Children-2026 SaveSoil 5K Walkathon here in Columbus and help raise awareness about soil for the future of our children! Every step you take helps: ✔️ 1. Raise awareness in your communities about protecting and restoring soil. ✔️ 2. Supports sustainable food systems. ✔️ 3. Helps secure our children’s future. 📅 Date: April 26, 2026 📍 Location: Scioto Audubon Metro Park Check-in address 400 W Whittier St, Columbus, OH 43215 ⏰ Time: 8:30 a.m. check-in event starts at 9:30 a.m. 👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walk-for-children-2026-save-soil-walkathon-in-columbus-registration-1986596534713?aff=oddtdtcreator 👉🏼Free and Open to All. Share this message and bring your neighbours, friends & family along to celebrate our planet! Let’s make it happen!

Whether you've never done improv before, or you've done it for so long you knew Del Close on a personal level, or anywhere in between, come join us! Swing by *Gresso's* for the **Columbus Improv Comedy Meetup** for some fun and games! The idea behind improv is to create entire scenes from scratch based on a suggestion from the audience. This can be done in game form, like *Whose Line Is It Anyway*, *ComedySportz*, or *Wild 'n Out*; it could also be done to tell stories, like *Middleditch and Schwartz*. Our meetup, which is central Ohio's longest running (and free!) weekly comedy event, brings the games (and occasionally different forms) for you to play in a safe, supportive, and compassionate environment. Not only is it a lot of fun, but you get to work on thinking faster on your feet, plus it's an excellent way to meet new people and make friendships that'll last a lifetime! Ask yourself if you want to join the **Columbus Improv Comedy Meetup**, and say "Yes, And" that you'll have fun!

This trail is a meandering path through the woods. There will be some overlooks and a couple stops at the creek as well as time along a waterway. It will not be a fast paced hike. There is some elevation change and uneven terrain. I will be using poles just to be safe! Will aim to get in about three miles. Optional lunch after if there is an interest.