BeefJam FAQ
Got Questions? We've got answers.
BeefJam takes young producers and young consumers on a crash course of the Australian beef supply chain and gives them 48hrs to reshape the way we grow, buy and eat our red meat.
Three days of say-what?
BeefJam has two parts divided over the three days. Part One (Day 1) is a day-long crash course of the Australian beef supply chain that takes participants to a beef farm, a feedlot, a processor (yep, that’s an abattoir), and different types of retailers. The tour will show the industry from all angles and highlight the role that consumers have in shaping the industry.
Part Two (Day #2 & 3) is the jam. It’s a jampacked (pun intended) 48hr session that challenges participants to collectively design and prototype solutions to challenges surrounding beef. It’s about bringing diverse minds together and practising design-based problem-solving methods (don’t worry, we’ll teach you). A jam is a living example of why 15 heads are better than 1.
The third day will involve taking your ideas out into the field and testing them in the real world. After incorporating feedback, your ideas will be given the old spit’n’polish so that they’re ready to be presented back to the team. You'll leave the weekend with new ideas, new contacts, new knowledge and whole heap of jammin' know-how.
What’s the point of BeefJam?
We’re throwing young producers and young consumers together and taking them on a hard and fast tour of the beef supply chain. Each stop along the way will offer a truckload of information for attendees, with the two groups sharing their unique individual experiences with one another. Basically, it’s about facilitating conversation and play between participants to better our understanding of how Australians produce and consume beef.
Why young people? Youth is our middle name. Or maybe more accurately, our first name. The reason why BeefJam is run by and for young people is that we believe that young people’s creativity and drive gives them a unique ability to bring fresh ideas to problems facing the world.
YFM Australia and Target100 are jammin’ to bring creative thinking into the Australian beef supply chain, and more generally, into the way we grow and eat.
Why beef specifically?
Good question.
Here in Australia, beef is a big deal. The average Australian eats around 31 kilos of it each year and we’re the third largest beef exporter in the world. In 2013/14 we produced 2.5 million tonnes of beef and veal and, at any one time, an estimated 27 million cattle roam our land of sweeping plains.
It’s safe to say that, whether you like it or not, beef plays a big role in how we’re currently feeding ourselves, and how we’re feeding the world.
At the same time, red meat is often at the centre of conversations about the sustainable eating and how we, as young people, can eat with the planet in mind. We want to find out how we can support best-practice approaches to farming in Australia, and learn which practices are best for our health and for that of our farmers.
For all these reasons, understanding the story of beef and how it reaches our tables, is important. For all these reasons, beef is on the table.
For more dets, check out our blog piece about the BeefJam.
What even is a Jam?
BeefJam is based on a global event called the Global Sustainability Jam. These ‘jams’ are annual events about diverse minds coming together to solve problems using human centred design-thinking. They’re fun, they’re playful and there’s a time limit. Participants have 48hrs to prototype new products and services around a theme.
The theme of BeefJam is right there in the title: beef.
Don’t let the word ‘design’ get in the way. Design is just a fancy word for problem solving and everyone can solve a problem. By getting participants to work in teams, a jam simply facilitates a solution that an individual could never have designed alone.
When do I need to be available from?
The Jam will officially begin on Friday 3rd July, 2015 and end on the afternoon of Sunday 5th July, 2015. However, due to necessary travel times, all applicants must be available from Thursday 2nd July - Sunday 5th July to ensure everyone arrives at the designated location before the start of BeefJam.
Where will it be held?
That’s a surprise. What we can tell you is that the jam itself will be held in an Australian capital city and the tour of the beef supply chain will start and end in that capital city.
The winning applicants will be flown from their nearest Australian capital city to the location of the Jam. All they have to do is get themselves to the airport. Simple.
I feel uncomfortable about visiting all parts of the beef supply chain but I still want to apply - can I?.
Absolutely. Our philosophy is not to push participants into experiences that they don’t want or don’t feel ready to have. We’re aware that visiting particular parts of the supply chain isn't something that everyone wants to do. The choice of whether or not you visit these places as part of the tour is completely up to you.
Our main hope when designing this project was simply for participants to approach this experience of the beef supply chain with respect for the food choices of others and an open mind.
Does it cost anything to take part?
All domestic flights, transfers in the host city, food and accommodation are included in the value of a ticket. Tickets will be awarded to winning applicants.
The only costs involved should be your personal travel to your nearest capital city airport and any optional additional recreational spending you make over the course of the weekend.
Who can apply?
Applications are open to all young Australians between the ages of 18-35. There are no restrictions based on where you live, so long as you can get yourself to your nearest capital city.
Do I need to know a lot about beef to apply?
Not at all. Successful applicants will not necessarily be those who have the most knowledge or experience with beef, but those who demonstrate genuine interest in better understanding the beef supply chain in Australia and the importance of growing the sustainability of what we choose to eat.
I’m vegetarian/vegan - can I apply?
Definitely. The Jam is open to consumers of all kinds - whether they choose to eat meat or not. We only ask that all participants maintain an open mind and respect the choices of others when it comes to either consuming or not consuming meat.
Can I submit an application late?
Sadly, no. Applications close at 11.59pm AEST Sunday 17 May, 2015. Applications submitted after that date will not be considered.
What are you judging the applications on?
There are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ applications - we’re simply looking for applications that are (1) complete and (2) best articulate what you are thinking about beef.
Successful applicants will be those that demonstrate a passion for
understanding, and a desire to learn more about sustainable production
and consumption of Australian beef.
When will I find out whether my application has been successful or not?
All entrants will be contacted by Thursday 21 May, 2015 to notify if you’ve been accepted as a participant of the Jam. In the case that you have not heard from us, email us at beefjam@youthfoodmovement.org.au
I’m having trouble submitting - how do I know if my application has been received?
A confirmation that your application has been received will be forwarded to your email address within 48hrs of making your submission. If you don’t receive a confirmation or are unsure if your application has been received, email us at beefjam@youthfoodmovement.org.au