A business is only as good as its people! We are continuing to shine a light on the fabulous people of Village Well in our staff profile series. Meet Emma Hall, a Village Well Placemaker, based in Melbourne. She is our lead health, wellness and social housing place strategist.
Name & role: Emma Hall, Placemaker, Village Well Melbourne.
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Hobart, Tasmania, near one of its most beautiful beaches.
What is one thing that people don't know about you? I’ve played soccer since I was five years old, and played for Tasmania. I now get to take my knowledge of the sport to coach vulnerable women in our community. It gives me such a thrill to know that I contribute to the thing that some look forward to the most out of their weeks, and to witness how much a social sport can impact someone’s life.
What is your secret superpower? I love bringing an evidence-based approach to my work, and am interested in how we can make our cities healthier. I have quite a sciency brain, and love to research and collate data to inform my work. Each place is unique, and deeply understanding a place through research, community wisdom, and place data helps inform an evidence-based and place-based placemaking approach. My key areas of research are trauma-informed design, salutogenic design, mental health, social and environmental equity, food systems, place economics and regenerative design.
What is one of your favourite projects that you have worked on? There are many favourites, but a highlight is the work I’m doing within social and affordable housing. At Viv’s Place, a long-term housing complex for women and their children, we put together a Community Activity Plan for the wonderful staff, as well as some trauma-informed placemaking advice. This included talking to the wonderful staff and local services in the area and seeing how much effort is put into supporting those in need. To be able to contribute knowledge to a model that is first of its kind in Australia was a great opportunity, and I am looking forward to working on more projects like this as the industry continues to develop.
Bonus favourite was recent workshops with Hobart primary school children helping to develop their schools’ place visions. Seeing their colourful and creative drawings and hearing their stories was so joyful!
If you could invite 3 people to a dinner party who would you invite? Rosa Parks, Emma Watson and Greta Thunberg.
What are you watching right now? I am watching Ted Lasso - both comedy and about football (the real football a.k.a.soccer) so I love it.
What AFL/other local team do you support? I support Melbourne City FC as they are supporters of the soccer program I coach, and have occasionally had players come to join our sessions, which the participants love!