World Vision is using the celebrations to highlight the extensive work they are carrying out supporting both urban and remote indigenous communities.
An important program coordinated by World Vision is the ‘Young Mob’ Program in Sydney that focuses on leadership and skills development.
“Indigenous youth living in urban areas often bear the brunt of social disadvantage. The World Vision-supported Young Mob Program seeks to rectify this through reinforcing cultural identity and fostering leadership and public-speaking skills.
“Some young women from the program recently went on an Aboriginal Women’s and Girl’s cultural study tour where they had the opportunity to learn some traditional dance. For NAIDOC Week they will be performing these dances for classmates.
“World Vision has also been working with the remote Warlpiri communities of the Tanami Desert, Central Australia, on their Early Childhood Development and Care Project.
“Members of the Lajamanu Early Childhood Reference Group will soon participate in a seeing and learning governance study tour visiting Multifunctional Aboriginal Children’s Services (MACS) in South Australia.
“MACS provide culturally appropriate community-based services for Indigenous children.
“The Reference Group will be meeting with the staff and community management committees of these services to exchange experiences with a view to applying their learning for early childhood services and activities in Warlpiri communities.”
NAIDOC week has a long and proud history reaching back to the 1920’s however, the nature of the event has changed significantly moving from protest to celebration.
“With a growing awareness of the distinct cultural histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, NADOC was expanded to recognise Torres Strait Islander people and culture,” said the NAIDOC organising committee.
“The committee then became known as the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC). This new name has become the title for the whole week, not just the day. Each year, a theme is chosen to reflect the important issues and events for NAIDOC Week.
