Launceston Council’s Lean on Me: A day in the life of Total Workforce is about communicating the human aspects of Council’s outdoor crew. Total Workforce is a commercialised business unit of the Launceston City Council that provides maintenance and development services. With the aim of disproving the common perception that Council workers lean on shovels, the program title was an attempt to embrace this perception and then subvert it.
The idea for a photographic exhibition was developed by Group Manager Operations, Rod Sweetnam, with Jim Burden, Manager Business and Operational Support. The exhibition was a showcase of images 24/7, 365 days a year of work done by 200 plus workers in keeping the city livable, looking good and functioning. The exhibition aimed to also change the leaning on shovels image to the community leaning on Council’s Total Workforce.
The project was also about creating an environment conducive to interdivisional collaboration. It brought together two unlike divisions – museum staff and the outdoor workforce – that would not ordinarily work on a team project.
Renowned photographer, Rob Burnett, captured the activities of the workforce and with Arts Consultant, Jane Deeth, developed an exhibition at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (QVMAG).
The QVMAG has a reputation beyond the usual bounds of Local Government. It is part of the national regional gallery circuit and has extensive research and conservation capacity. Being staged in a world class museum has brought prestige to the project.
It was a living social history of the unsung heroes who keep systems running in and around Launceston. It depicted varied activities by Total Workforce staff and brought the invisible force to the public eye with an overall tone of honouring the work which goes on, perhaps undetected, unrespected.
After all, the majority of the work is often done after hours and structured to minimise impact on the daily lives of the residents, therefore not always visible.
For more details contact Jim Burden on (03) 6323 3511.
