We create empowering education and employment opportunities for our young people to grow strong and proud, through connection to Community, Country, and Cult...
NALDERUN EDUCATION ABORIGINAL CORPORATION
Bulotj – Mentoring First Nations Youth to Grow Strong
GOAL
$68,000
australia > VIC > regional
01/07/2024 > 30/06/2025
FIELD OF INTEREST
- Education/training and employment
- First Nations communities
TARGET POPULATION
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Peoples
PROJECT SUMMARY
We create empowering education and employment opportunities for our young people to grow strong and proud, through connection to Community, Country, and Culture.
Our Programs include:
The Meeting Place is our longest running program (13 years) held fortnightly during school terms for primary school-aged mob. Students learn the curriculum, our way – through Culture to Country. We currently have 30 children from the 15 primary schools in Mount Alexander Shire and now also from Maryborough.
First Nations Youth Leadership oversees and informs the secondary focused programs, building relationships and knowledge for our youth. Led by three awesome Youth Mentors in local secondary schools, mentoring up to 30 First Nations youth in secondary school.
Wararak (for young women and gender diverse) and Kuli Business (for young men and gender diverse) are fortnightly programs for mob aged 12 -25 years to engage in Culture and Community building activities on Country. Up to 12 secondary students currently attend each program.
School Based Apprentice Traineeships (SBAT) supporting sustainable training and employment options for young mob in their transition from school into the workforce. We work with multiple employment providers and training organisations to match mob with what they want to learn and do in the world. We currently have 10 youth enrolled in SBAT.
Aunty and Uncle Mentoring Program a Community of Care by creating wrap-around services and Cultural and Ceremonial activities on Country, that support First Nations students and families.
Me Mandook Galk – Bush Tucker Farm and Gathering Place. We crowdfunded to buy-back a small acreage where we can grow our programs, on Country.
Nalderun Training Team provides school curriculum support, inter-school networking and training on Anti-Racism, Indigenous Relational World Views and Pedagogies.
Image above: Me Mandook Galk (the Ancestor Tree) connecting our young people to Country and Culture, the past and the future.
PROJECT OUTCOMES
Our First Nations youth programs are all based on our Balotj (Cherry Ballart) approach. The Balotj is a local Indigenous tree which only thrives through its relationship with an already grown tree. This is the story that underpins the way we view leadership and mentoring for our young people, utilising a cyclical mentoring model and underpinned by wrap-around support at school and in community. This model means that our kids are mentored and supported by other First Nations youth, young adults, Leaders, Elders and allies (80% of our staff and Board being mob). As our kids engage and grow through our programs, they too then become the Mentors and Leaders to the younger ones coming up behind them at school and out in the broader community, creating sustainable momentum for our youth and our programs. This cyclical approach leads to –
- Increased engagement and attendance at school
- Students reaching their full academic potential
- Intensive support and relevant mentorships for students and young people
- Year 10, 11, and 12 attainments
- Supporting teachers with Indigenous curriculum, world-views and anti-racist training
- Meaningful employment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Opportunities and support for purposeful training, further education and meaningful employment
- The wrap-around approach creates an overall sense of community and support for students, parents, Elders and everyone in Community
- Opportunities for our youth to be in positions of leadership
- First Nations youth in traineeships and employment
- Creating cyclical mentorship opportunities for youth leadership and for two-way learning
- Always moving towards self-determination.
NALDERUN EDUCATION ABORIGINAL CORPORATION
Nalderun is a Dja Dja Wurrung word which means ‘all together’, because we believe by moving forward together, we can create the change needed for our children, our Mob and the wider community to thrive in the Liyanganyuk Banyul region of Djaara Country (Mount Alexander Shire, Victoria).
We are a small grassroots Aboriginal run and led organisation with a focus on education for all First Nations youth and their families living in our area. Senior Djaara Elder Uncle Rick Nelson is the Chair of our Board which also has other senior local Elders and First Nations Youth. Our key priority is to create empowering education and employment opportunities for our young people to grow strong and proud, through connection to Community, Country, and Culture.
BUDGET BREAKDOWN
TOTAL BUDGET: $166,000
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Mount Alexander Shire Council (confirmed) | $12,000 |
| NIAA - Nurturing Fund (confirmed) | $15,000 |
| Other funding sources (unconfirmed) | $71,000 |
| Funding gap (unconfirmed) | $68,000 |
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Staffing - First Nations Youth Leaders and Allies | $68,000 |
| Student & admin support | $30,000 |
| Cultural Education Consultation and Elders | $52,000 |
| Activity costs - Training, transport and catering | $16,000 |
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