More about our dream

Time flies. It has been two years since I started my full-time entrepreneurial journey, seven years since I began part-time entrepreneurship, and sixteen years since I came to Australia as an international student. During this time, many things have happened, with numerous positive changes as well as some negative and unexpected developments, ranging from personal growth to the evolving dynamics of Sino-Australian relations and the global landscape.

Over these sixteen years, every positive change in my life has been the result of overcoming fear and taking steps toward my goals. From the campus to the workplace, and from the workplace to entrepreneurship, although I have faced many challenges along the way, the journey has been relatively smooth. As for the changes beyond my control, I am no longer as fixated on them as I was when I was younger, wasting time on fruitless worries.

When providing career coaching to my clients, I often encourage them to cultivate a positive mindset:

Focus on what they can completely control.
Influence what they can partially control.
Let go of what they cannot control at all.

Whether in my full-time job or entrepreneurial endeavors, I always strive to influence and lead the parts I cannot completely control. These challenges are the most exciting and motivating for me.

In the past at Citibank, I did my best to influence my team and the broader organization, encouraging everyone to work towards the same goal, i.e. delivering better products & services and driving greater client experience.

Now at Fish Talk, I aim to change people's career trajectories, and even life paths, through our community and career coaching. Our mission is to help professionals of Asian cultural backgrounds better realize their self-worth and achieve their career goals in Australia. In this process, I have met many like-minded individuals, influenced and changed many people, and have been influenced and changed by many, becoming a better version of myself.

Looking at the bigger picture, Sino-Australian relations have been deteriorating since 2016. It wasn’t until 2022, when the new Australian government took office, that relations began to slowly improve, culminating recently in Premier Li Qiang's successful visit to Australia, bringing a series of positive news. Over the past 6-7 years, many Chinese people in Australia, like myself, have experienced numerous moments of disappointment and strongly hope that Sino-Australian relations can return to normal. Unfortunately, the world doesn't always bring good news. Recently, ongoing discussions in Australia about limiting the number of international students have caused considerable concern. International students have unfortunately been scapegoated by some Australian politicians for its challenges domestically. This discussion led to the Australian federal government announcing a policy to limit the number of international students last month. The policy has created new confusion and doubts among current international students in Australia and those planning to study here in the future.

International students are not only vital to Australia's economic growth, but those who stay and live in Australia also contribute significantly to the economy, society, and multiculturalism. Those who return to their home countries become bridges of friendship and cultural exchange between Australia and other nations. International students educated in Australia bring value to wherever they go. Strategically, Australia views Asia as crucial to its future development, and attracting high-quality, culturally diverse talent aligns with this strategy. However, the policy to limit international student numbers seems to contradict this Asian-focused strategy.

The recent policy has undoubtedly sparked much discussion. People often see various problems but rarely offer solutions. So, what can we do? How can we bring about more positive change and add more value? The Australian media often discusses the problems brought by international students or the challenges they face, but there are rarely success stories of international students in mainstream media. Since introducing international students in 1986, countless students have excelled in various fields and made indelible contributions to Australia. Thus, I have a dream: to produce a documentary leveraging the Fish Talk community's strength and my network. Through interviews and narrator-led storytelling, I want to feature few stories, highlighting international students' journeys of struggle and growth in Australia. Through the documentary, I want them to share how their studying and living experiences in Australia have changed them.

This big dream starts with the simplest step: focusing on a cultural background I am most familiar with – China.

So my dream is: To plan and produce a documentary focusing on professionals in Australia from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, presenting how they have transformed from international students into individuals who bring positive influence and immense value to the Australian society, organizations, and communities.

So my dream is:

To plan and produce a documentary focusing on professionals in Australia from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, presenting how they have transformed from international students into individuals who bring positive influence and immense value to the Australian society, organizations, and communities.

I hope this documentary can:

1.Provide confidence, courage, and strength to more new-generation Chinese immigrants and professionals.

2.Give Chinese students and parents considering studying in Australia a direct understanding of the value of the Australian education system.

3.Help Australian educational institutions (schools) better promote their study programs to attract more talented prospect international students.

4.Enable more Australians to understand the value brought by new-generation Chinese immigrants, a vital component of Australia's multicultural prosperity.

5.Help more Chinese people learn about and appreciate Australia and Australian people, enhancing people to people relationship between China and Australia.

If successfully completed and well-received, similar documentaries can be produced to record how international students from other Asian cultural backgrounds positively impact Australia and their home countries through the Australian education system.

I hope to collaborate with Australian schools, relevant government departments, and social organizations to bring this dream to live. Perhaps this is also your dream.

I have also posted this dream in English on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/stevenyuaus_asialinkleaders-documentary-internationalstudents-activity-7208364883615076352-5zN1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

If you support my dream, please visit my LinkedIn and help by liking, commenting, or reposting it. This will help more people see the idea and attract like-minded individuals to join in realizing this dream.

If you have the following resources or connections, please help connect me:

Film directors, filming expert, script writers and production teams for the documentary.

Institutions or organizations interested in providing funding or any other support for the documentary (e.g., Australian universities, government agencies, relevant foundations).

Legal professionals specializing in copyright and contract matters.

Individuals suitable to be featured in the documentary.

Professionals in documentary promotion and marketing.

Thank you all for your continued support and help. I hope to have the opportunity to realize this dream soon.