That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast

The MacKillop Institute
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That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast delves into the heart of human-centred and caring professions, sharing honest, practical stories from education, community services, family services, social work, and many other fields focused on people and relationships. Featuring the voices of practitioners, leaders, researchers, carers, young people, and sector experts, it offers insights, reflections, and ideas for anyone committed to helping children, young people, families, and communities flourish. 

Episodes

  1. 11/26/2025

    Cultivating Cultural Responsiveness and Inclusion

    Send us a text This episode explores what cultural responsiveness looks like in practice. Guests share approaches for recognising and celebrating cultural identity, building staff capability, and ensuring all students feel respected and included. You will hear practical ideas for classrooms, staffrooms, and family engagement, plus ways to track impact over time. Guest: Dr Beau Hu-Jia, National School Partnerships Manager, Together for Humanity and Simangaliso Nyoni, Cultural Practice Lead, MacKillop Family Services Produced by: The MacKillop Institute Suggested chapter markers  00:00 Why cultural responsiveness, the case for change  03:55 Identity, belonging, and classroom practice  09:40 Staff capability, language, and reflective tools  15:25 Family partnerships and community voices  21:00 Reducing bias, nudges that work in schools  26:15 Monitoring progress, what to measure  29:20 First steps for your improvement plan If themes in this episode affect you, support is available in Australia Griefline 1300 845 745, Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636, Lifeline 13 11 14. Support the show We hope you enjoyed this episode of That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast. Contact us: We’d love to hear from you. Email us any time at institute@mackillop.org.au . If you’d like to be a guest on our podcast, we’d love to hear your story. Just email us at the same address. Follow us: Join the conversation and stay connected through our social media platforms @themackillopinstitute.

    51 min

  2. 10/07/2025

    Reimagining Australian Schools, with Prof Yong Zhao

    Send us a text Professor Yong Zhao challenges us to rethink the purpose of schooling. He explores why traditional measures of success are no longer enough, and how creativity, adaptability, and student agency should guide future outcomes. Expect a lively discussion about personalised learning, entrepreneurship in education, and redefining what counts as success.  Guest: Prof Yong Zhao  Produced by: The MacKillop Institute Chapter Markers 00:00 Why reimagine schools now 04:45 Beyond test scores, broader outcomes that matter 10:30 Agency and entrepreneurship in learning 16:20 Personalisation without fragmentation 22:05 Creativity and adaptability, designing for the future 27:10 What leaders can change this year 30:00 Resources and further reading If themes in this episode affect you, support is available in Australia, Griefline 1300 845 745, Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636, Lifeline 13 11 14. Support the show We hope you enjoyed this episode of That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast. Contact us: We’d love to hear from you. Email us any time at institute@mackillop.org.au . If you’d like to be a guest on our podcast, we’d love to hear your story. Just email us at the same address. Follow us: Join the conversation and stay connected through our social media platforms @themackillopinstitute.

    33 min

  3. 09/30/2025

    Leading Child Safety in Schools

    Send us a text Child safety is a shared responsibility. This episode focuses on the role of leaders in embedding safe practices across the whole school, understanding emerging risks, and ensuring student wellbeing is always central. The hosts discuss culture, policy, everyday supervision, and how to create psychologically safe environments for students and staff.   Guests: Anne Henderson, Shannon Tyrer Produced by: The MacKillop Institute Chapter markers 00:00 Safety as culture, not a checklist 03:40 Governance, policy, and transparent processes 09:20 Everyday practice, supervision, and safe routines 15:05 Responding to emerging risks, digital and onsite 20:30 Student voice in safety, listening and responding 25:10 Staff wellbeing and psychological safety 29:30 Practical next steps for leaders If themes in this episode affect you, support is available in Australia, Griefline 1300 845 745, Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636, Lifeline 13 11 14. Support the show We hope you enjoyed this episode of That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast. Contact us: We’d love to hear from you. Email us any time at institute@mackillop.org.au . If you’d like to be a guest on our podcast, we’d love to hear your story. Just email us at the same address. Follow us: Join the conversation and stay connected through our social media platforms @themackillopinstitute.

    53 min

  4. 09/22/2025

    Identity and Belonging, with Dr Beau Hu-Jia

    Send us a text Dr Beau Hu-Jia explores the links between identity, belonging, and learning. The discussion considers how cultural diversity shapes school experience, why belonging must celebrate uniqueness, and what leaders and teachers can do to make inclusion tangible, from curriculum choices to everyday interactions. Guest: Dr Beau Hu-Jia, National School Partnerships Manager, Together for Humanity Produced by: The MacKillop Institute If themes in this episode affect you, support is available in Australia: Griefline 1300 845 745, Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636, Lifeline 13 11 14. Support the show We hope you enjoyed this episode of That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast. Contact us: We’d love to hear from you. Email us any time at institute@mackillop.org.au . If you’d like to be a guest on our podcast, we’d love to hear your story. Just email us at the same address. Follow us: Join the conversation and stay connected through our social media platforms @themackillopinstitute.

    49 min

  5. SEASON 1, EPISODE 1 TRAILER

    That's TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast

    Send us a text Welcome to That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast, where we explore the heart of human-centred and caring professions. This series creates space for honest conversations that support educators and practitioners working with children and young people. Expect a blend of research, real stories, and reflective practice, plus inspiring guests who are making a difference every day. Brought to you by the MacKillop Institute. Support the show We hope you enjoyed this episode of That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast. Contact us: We’d love to hear from you. Email us any time at institute@mackillop.org.au . If you’d like to be a guest on our podcast, we’d love to hear your story. Just email us at the same address. Follow us: Join the conversation and stay connected through our social media platforms @themackillopinstitute.

    1 min

  6. 09/11/2025

    Student Voice in Schools, with Dr Russ Quaglia

    Send us a text International student-voice advocate Dr Russ Quaglia unpacks what authentic voice really means, and why it strengthens, not replaces, teacher and leader voice. He shares a practical definition schools can adopt, voice as thoughts shared in trust, realistic suggestions for the good of the whole, and responsibility for what happens next. Backed by decades of research, Russ explores self-worth, engagement, and purpose, and the daily habits that make voice the air we breathe.    Guest: Dr Russ Quaglia  Produced by: The MacKillop Institute Support the show We hope you enjoyed this episode of That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast. Contact us: We’d love to hear from you. Email us any time at institute@mackillop.org.au . If you’d like to be a guest on our podcast, we’d love to hear your story. Just email us at the same address. Follow us: Join the conversation and stay connected through our social media platforms @themackillopinstitute.

    41 min

  7. 09/11/2025

    Creating Safe and Welcoming Environments

    Send us a text What does it really take to help someone feel safe and welcome when they are new?  The hosts unpack the human side of onboarding, beyond checklists to everyday interactions that shape culture. Drawing on Dan Hughes’ PACE, they explore practical ways to connect, when to pause rather than fix, and how small moments of attunement change a day. The team leans into vulnerability, compassionate candour, and structures that support reflective practice. Produced by: The MacKillop Institute If themes in this episode affect you, support is available in Australia: Griefline 1300 845 745, Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636, Lifeline 13 11 14. Support the show We hope you enjoyed this episode of That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast. Contact us: We’d love to hear from you. Email us any time at institute@mackillop.org.au . If you’d like to be a guest on our podcast, we’d love to hear your story. Just email us at the same address. Follow us: Join the conversation and stay connected through our social media platforms @themackillopinstitute.

    41 min

  8. 09/11/2025

    Backpack Full of Dreams, with Simangaliso Nyoni

    Send us a text Cultural Practice Lead Simangaliso Nyoni joins the hosts to talk about cultural responsiveness in human-centred work. Beginning with an Acknowledgement of Country, the conversation explores why language matters, how to decolonise documentation and practice, and the discipline of deep listening. Simangaliso shares her journey from Zimbabwe to Australia at 19, a backpack-full-of-dreams story of courage, representation, and leadership responsibility. A practical takeaway: shift from calling out to calling in, so change lasts beyond the room. Guest: Simangaliso Nyoni, Cultural Practice Lead, MacKillop Family Services Produced by: The MacKillop Institute If themes in this episode affect you, support is available in Australia: Griefline 1300 845 745, Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636, Lifeline 13 11 14. Support the show We hope you enjoyed this episode of That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast. Contact us: We’d love to hear from you. Email us any time at institute@mackillop.org.au . If you’d like to be a guest on our podcast, we’d love to hear your story. Just email us at the same address. Follow us: Join the conversation and stay connected through our social media platforms @themackillopinstitute.

    39 min

  9. 09/11/2025

    Welcome to That’s TMI

    Send us a text This launch episode sets the tone for That’s TMI, a podcast that delves into the heart of human-centred and caring professions. This series creates space for honest conversations that support teachers, school leaders, and practitioners who work with children and young people every day. Listeners will hear how the podcast blends research, practice, and real stories, why reflective practice matters, and what to expect from future guests and topics.. Produced by: The MacKillop Institute If themes in this episode affect you, support is available in Australia: Griefline 1300 845 745, Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636, Lifeline 13 11 14. We hope you enjoyed this episode of That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast. Contact us: We’d love to hear from you. Email us anytime at institute@mackillop.org.au . If you’d like to be a guest on our podcast, we’d love to hear your story. Just email us at the same address. Follow us: Join the conversation and stay connected through our social media platforms @themackillopinstitute. Support the show We hope you enjoyed this episode of That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast. Contact us: We’d love to hear from you. Email us any time at institute@mackillop.org.au . If you’d like to be a guest on our podcast, we’d love to hear your story. Just email us at the same address. Follow us: Join the conversation and stay connected through our social media platforms @themackillopinstitute.

    17 min

Trailer

About

That’s TMI: The Meaningful Insights Podcast delves into the heart of human-centred and caring professions, sharing honest, practical stories from education, community services, family services, social work, and many other fields focused on people and relationships. Featuring the voices of practitioners, leaders, researchers, carers, young people, and sector experts, it offers insights, reflections, and ideas for anyone committed to helping children, young people, families, and communities flourish. 

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