Dr Frank Golding OAM
My formal qualifications:
TPTC (Ballarat), BA (Melb), BEd (Melb), Dip MT (UNE), MA (Hons) (London), PhD (Federation).
In July 2021, I graduated from Federation University Australia with the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. My thesis was titled: Care Leavers Recovering Voice and Agency through Counter-narratives. The thesis will be available on-line or through the Federation University Library.
Honorary Research Fellow
From January 2017, I have been an Honorary Research Fellow at Federation University Australia. I have an office at the City Campus in Ballarat – the old Ballarat Gaol. This old gaol has a particular resonance, as anyone will know who has read my memoir, An Orphan’s Escape.
Life Membership of CLAN
On 4 July 2015, Jim Luthy and I had the very great honour of being made “Life Time Members” of CLAN (Care Leavers Australasia Network). My framed Certificate reads:
CLAN extends its appreciation and sincere thanks for your years of dedication – on a voluntary basis – advocating for Care Leavers and supporting their needs. Since joining CLAN in 2000, you have served as Vice President, Committee member and newsletter editor. We acknowledge your commitment to documenting the history of the Ballarat Orphanage boys who served in WWI, as part of CLAN’s national project in commemorating Care Leavers who served in wars. You continue to be a strong advocate for justice and redress for people abused in Australian orphanages, Children’s Homes and Foster Care.
You don’t volunteer to work for organisations like CLAN in order to get Brownie points, but it is nice to be acknowledged and recognised for the work you do. Thanks CLAN. Having been warned that I would be receiving an award, I prepared a speech.
I am a Life Member of Care Leavers of Australasia Network (CLAN) the peak body of Care Leavers for Care Leavers run by Care Leavers. This is almost a fourth career to add to the three mentioned below.
OAM
In January 2018, I was honoured with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM). The citation is “for service to child welfare and social justice and to the community”. In July 2018 I was inducted into membership of the Order of Australia Association.
My first career: taught English & History in several schools and was Principal at three schools including a multi-site English language centre for refugees and other new arrivals.
My second career: taught in and managed curriculum and equity programs in education departments and universities.
My third career: author of a wide range of book chapters and journal articles together with 12 published books including a memoir, An Orphan’s Escape: Memories of a Lost Childhood (Lothian, 2005) which describes my childhood and the circumstances of my dislocation from family. SOLD OUT and OUT OF PRINT, but available in many good libraries. I am considering a new edition in 2021.
My extended family history over five generations of children in ‘care’ is narrated in a forthcoming book with the (new) options for the title being Letters to a Lost Mother; That’s Not My Child: a family at war. Watch this space.
An extended (217 minutes) oral history interview is held at the National Library of Australia. Listen if you like.
♣♣♣
CONTACT ME: convert this attempt to block spam into my address
fgoldingatbigponddotnetdotau