Հարցազրոյց Ալէքսիա Եազտանիի հետ, Աւստրալիոյ Հայ Մասնագէտներու Ցանցէն։ Ալէքսիա կը ներկայացնէ թէ ինչպէս այս կազմակերպութիւնը կ’աջակցի հայ մասնագէտներուն և կը խթանէ կապերը համայնքին մէջ։
Building Connections: The Armenian Professional Network of Australia
Alexia Ereboni Yazdani.
Our latest episode features Alexia Yazdani from the Armenian Professional Network of Australia! We discuss the importance of connection and support for Armenian professionals.
Transcript
SBS Armenian: In today's interview, we're delighted to welcome
Alexia Yazdani to SBS Armenian. Alexia is a
prominent figure within the Armenian Professional
Network of Australia, an organization dedicated to
supporting Armenian professionals across the
country. Throughout this conversation, we'll
explore the origins and mission of the Network
discuss the challenges faced by Armenian
professionals in Australia, and highlight recent
initiatives that foster community and career
growth. Alexia, welcome to SBS Armenian.
Alexia Yazdani: Thank you, Vahe. Thank you for having me. I am
pleased to have the opportunity to talk to you.
SBS Armenian: Can you tell us about the origins and mission of
the Armenian Professional Network of Australia?
Alexia Yazdani: Yes. The Armenian Professional Network started in
July 2018. Seems like many, many years ago now,
really, from a recognition that there were so many
Armenians across different industries doing
incredible work, but there was not enough
connection between us. So we came together and
created the Network to change that, in terms of
the mission. At its core, it's about connection,
professional development and mentoring. But more
than that, it's about harnessing the collective
strength of the Armenian community in a way that's
purposeful. What I think is particularly powerful
is that it's genuinely inclusive. So it brings
together people from different industries,
different stages of their careers and even
different backgrounds, but with the shared sense
of identity. I will also note that it sits within
the broader work of the Armenian National
Committee of Australia. So there's that wider
connection to community development as well.
SBS Armenian: Alexia, what motivated you to get involved with
the Armenian Professional Network of Australia?
Alexia Yazdani: What motivated me? so I've built my career here
and I understand what it feels like to move
through professional spaces where you don't always
see yourself reflected. So I guess I wanted to be
part of building something that gives others both
a sense of connection and also tangible support as
they navigate their careers.
SBS Armenian: How does the Network support Armenian
professionals across Australia?
Alexia Yazdani: I think a lot of it comes down to creating
meaningful points of connection. so we've
developed different professional forums, for
example, with the Medical and Allied Health Forum,
the Accounting Forum, the Legal Forum, so people
can connect within their industries as well as
across them. So I lead the Legal Forum and that's
been a really, ah, rewarding space to bring our,
me and Australian lawyers together, you know,
whether it be for mentorship. Knowledge, sharing
knowledge or just having conversations that you
don't always get to have elsewhere. Then we've got
the broader networking events which create those
cross industry connections. So it's that
combination, so the depth within industries and
the breadth across them that really makes the
Network so valuable.
SBS Armenian: What are some of the challenges faced by Armenian
professionals in Australia and how does the
Network address them?
Alexia Yazdani: I would say one of the more subtle challenges is
visibility. Armenians here in Australia are
achieving a great deal, but that's not always
reflected in the forward a professional narrative.
There can also be this underlying pressure,
particularly early in your career, to I suppose
assimilate or fit a certain mould in order to
succeed. And what the Armenian professional
Network does is gently disrupt that. So it creates
a space where identity is something you carry with
confidence and at the same time it facilitates
connections and opportunities that might not
otherwise exist. So, it's really both a support
system and a platform.
SBS Armenian: Could you share some recent initiatives or events
organized by the network?
Alexia Yazdani: Yeah, so we've had a really nice mix of events
actually. at the start of the year we usually host
our networking drinks and they're a great way to
bring people together in a relaxed setting,
especially newer members who might be coming along
for the first time. So it breaks that initial
barrier, makes them feel accessible. We also have
more targeted events like our cheese and wine
nights for the legal and accounting forums.
They're smaller, more intimate gatherings and they
tend to lead to really valuable conversations. An
event that really stood out for me was our mental
health awareness event. It was a different kind of
conversation, but, I think an incredibly important
one culturally. It's not something we've always
spoken about openly, so creating that space for
that dialogue within our communities is vital. One
initiative I'm particularly proud of is the
commencement of law term service. So this year
marked our second service held at the Armenian
Apostolic Church of Holy Resurrection. That was
under the auspices of His Grace Bishop Vartan
Navasartion and in cooperation with the diocese.
We had around 150 members of the legal profession
attend alongside members of the judiciary,
lawmakers and public officials. The fact that the
legal profession in New South Wales is now
gathering within the Armenian Church to mark the
commencement of a law term is not something that
would have been conceivable even a few years ago.
So these kinds of services have long been part of
the broader legal tradition. But to see the
Armenian community hosting one and for it to be
embraced in the way that it was is quite
extraordinary. I mean, When I started 20 years
ago, you just did not see your community reflected
in the profession in this way, and you certainly
didn't see the profession step into your community
spaces. So I think for younger lawyers and law
students, that's particularly meaningful. And for
me, that captures the essence of what the APN is
trying to do.
SBS Armenian: Alexia, how can new members join and what benefits
do they receive from being part of the Armenian
Professional Network?
Alexia Yazdani: Yeah, joining, is actually quite straightforward.
those who are interested in getting involved can
follow the Armenian Professional Network on both
Facebook and Instagram, and they can also register
to our, um, mailing list, where they can receive
updates on upcoming events. That would be via our
website. In terms of benefits, the most immediate
one is connection, but I think it's a bit more
layered than that. So it's more an access to a
Network of people who generous with their time,
they're generous with their knowledge. It's also
that mentorship visibility and that sense of
belonging that you don't always find in
professional environments.
SBS Armenian: How do you see the Network evolving in the next
few years?
Alexia Yazdani: Look, I think we'll be a more deliberate expansion
of the forums, and mentoring structures, which
will add a level of depth and those continuity.
There's also an opportunity to strengthen
interstate connections and build more engagement
with the broader Australian professional
landscape. I think the real challenge, though, and
opportunity would be to grow without losing that
authenticity that we've had, because I think
that's what people respond to.
SBS Armenian: What advice would you give to young Armenians
starting their professional careers in Australia?
Alexia Yazdani: Oh, I think, top three would be, you know, don't
feel the need to dilute who you are in order to
succeed. Build relationships early. So don't wait
until you need something to reach out. Be curious,
ask those questions, put yourself in rooms where
you can learn, and I think this one is really
important. You need to back yourself. So a lot of
people are figuring things out as they go. You
just need to be confident.
SBS Armenian: Alexia, how does the Network foster connections
between Armenian professionals and the broader
Australian community?
Alexia Yazdani: So the Network strengthens connections within the
Armenian community, but it also creates
opportunities for outward engagement, whether
that's through professional collaboration,
attending events or simply increased visibility.
Initiatives like the commencement of Law Term
Service are a good example of that. So they bring
together the Armenian community and the broader
profession in a way that allows people to connect
beyond titles and roles, but also with people that
they would not otherwise be connecting with.
SBS Armenian: Are there any upcoming projects that you're
particularly excited about?
Alexia Yazdani: Yeah, so we have a number of events planned for
this year. June will be busy months. We've got the
Accounting and financial and also the Legal Forum,
Cheese and Wine Nights scheduled for that month.
The STEM Forum event, I understand, will be held
in August. And we also have the Health Forum
Mental Health event set down for October. As I
mentioned, there's a real focus at the moment on
expanding those forums and building more
structured mentoring pathways, which I think will
have a lasting impact. But more broadly, what
excites me is the organic growth of the Network
itself. So new members, we've got new perspectives
and new energy.
SBS Armenian: Thank you, Alexia, for sharing your insights for
the Armenian Professional Network of Australia. We
wish you all the best with future initiatives.
Alexia Yazdani: Thank you, Vahe. Again, thank you for having me.
It's been a pleasure speaking with you.
SBS Armenian: My guest was Alexia Yazdani from the Armenian
Professional Network of Australia. For those
interested, visit the network's website or follow
their updates online.
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