The history of the Galiwinku community and its island location mean travel to mainland areas outside the bigger settlements may is expensive and logistically difficult. Many students have not been able to visit Homelands important to them or their families. The aim of the project is to allow Shepherdson students/Galiwinku young people who have had limited opportunity to spend time in their mainland Homelands to visit there and to learn with the senior people of those places.

 

Key outcomes of this project will be:

1) Deepening knowledge and connection to Country – students will spend time visiting sites of cultural significance to them and their families and learning from senior community members and Traditional Owners about their connection, stories and practices that make them who they are.

2) Constructive choices for a strong future – by engaging in the “Stepping Stones to my Homeland” program, students who have low school attendance, and/or at risk of volatile substance abuse and contact with the youth justice system, will develop a set of personal goals and pathway plan for a strong future by working with cultural mentors from RSAS and the Learning on Country program in weekly sessions prior to the trip. Students will reflect on and revise their goals post-trip.

3) School attendance – for students who have a history of low school attendance, this project will allow students to redefine their, and their family’s, relationship with schooling outside of the traditional classroom environment and improve the likelihood of re-engaging with regular school attendance.

 

This project has already run a camp to Ḻaŋarra with great engagment from young people, families and the community. The young people involved feel and act differently at the camps and school attendance has increased for those kids who attended.

This project is delivered by Learning on Country with designated funds from the Stronger Communities for Children initiative, facilitated in Galiwin’ku by Yalu Aboriginal Corporation.