NCIE’s Newest Advocate – Dr Anita Heiss

Posted on January 10, 2013 by ncie

The NCIE is proud to announce our newest Advocate, Dr Anita Heiss one of Australia’s most prolific and well-known Indigenous authors and beloved public intellectual.

Anita Heiss is a Wiradjuri woman of many talents, apart from being a highly awarded author she’s also a respected social commentator, avid ‘Tweeter’ and ‘Facebooker’, poet and public speaker. Anita is a National Indigenous Literacy Day and Books in Homes Ambassador and is an Adjunct Professor at UTS: Jumbunna IHL.

Anita Heiss, Her Excellency Governor Marie Bashir, Anne Summers and Bianca Roberts NCIE’s Communications Coordinator at the ‘Am I Black Enough For You?’ NAIDOC Week event at the NCIE in 2012.

Over the course of her career (so far) Anita has had many of her poems and short stories published, even a children’s book called ‘Me and My Mum’. She is credited for starting a ‘Koori Chick-Lit’ genre in Australian publishing with her fictional books ‘Avoiding Mr Right’, ‘Paris Dreaming’ and ‘Not Meeting Mr Right’.

Anita Heiss with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Changemakers at the National Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy (NIYLA) Inaugural National Conference.

Anita has won Deadly Awards, the Scanlon Prize for Indigenous Poetry, the Inaugural Australian Society of Authors Medal, the NSW Premier’s History Award; and was named in the Bulletin Magazines ‘Smart 100′. In 2012, Anita was nominated for both Australian of the Year NSW Local Hero and Australian Human Rights Literature (non-fiction) Awards.

Anita Heiss with members of the Gondwana National Indigenous Children's Choir,NCIE CEO Jason Glanville, Donna Ingram, Her Excellency Marie Bashir Governor of NSW and Tim O'Leary Chief Sustainability Officer for the Telstra Foundation at the launch of the NCIE's Community of Excellence, an Indigenous Social Network.

Anita Heiss, The Hon. Victor Dominello, Donna Ingram, Her Excellency Governor Marie Bashir, NCIE CEO Jason Glanville, Tim O’Leary and Jackie Coates from the Telstra Foundation with members of the Gondwana National Indigenous Children’s Choir at the launch of the NCIE’s Indigenous social network The Community of Excellence, in November 2012.

The NCIE has had the pleasure of having Anita as our special guest at many events. We hosted a special NAIDOC Week event last year around her memoir ‘Am I Black Enough For You?’ and in December she attended the graduation of our first ever Lifelong Literacy Pipeline with students from Tempe High. Anita is also a role model on the NCIE’s Indigenous Social Network the Community of Excellence. She is a great champion of its potential to connect and empower young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to reach their potential.

Anita Heiss with the first graduates of the NCIE’s Lifelong Literacy Pipeline from Tempe High School

Dr Anita Heiss = Indigenous Excellence.

Excellence is the New Black (Coffee)!

Posted on November 12, 2012 by ncie

Indigenous excellence was the topic of conversation in the halls of Parliament recently. As Australia’s politicians sipped their cappuccinos and long blacks, they were invited to pause, recognise and reflect on the growing movement of Indigenous excellence.

Jenny Macklin, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

The National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) put coffee cups with ‘Excellence is the New Black’ written on them in Aussies Café in Parliament house during a recent sitting week.

Coffee Cup

‘Excellence is the New Black’ is a saying we coined to capture the shift in focus to Indigenous stories of success, resilience, contribution and aspiration. We did this to reinforce that excellence is the new standard for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. To reiterate that young Indigenous Australians have brighter futures, full of opportunities, where they decide what they choose to do and what excellence means to them.

Greens Senators Rachel Siewert and Christine Milne with Aussie’s cafe staff

The NCIE wanted ministers, senators and journalists to have a conversation about Indigenous excellence and shift the discussion and the policy to an assets based approach to increasing the well-being of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The coffee cups were an innovative way to get the idea of Indigenous excellence in the hands, on the lips and in the minds of the country’s decision makers.

Chris Uhlmann, Political Editor, ABC TV

Indigenous Women of Influence and Excellence

Posted on October 17, 2012 by ncie

Blog post by NCIE CEO Jason Glanville.

The NCIE has a strong focus on honouring resilience and contribution among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Unfortunately, we don’t yet get as much time as we’d like to tell the stories of Indigenous Excellence, but we are getting there.

Last week, the Australian Financial Review and Westpac announced the 2012, 100 Australian Women of Influence. There were nine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women on the list which is cause for great celebration at the NCIE and across the community. Nine out of 100, that’s an over-representation statistic I’m happy to crow about. Mind you, I wouldn’t have too much trouble naming 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women of influence. Hey, maybe the NCIE should have an event!

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women punch above their weight, always have. As mothers, grandmothers, sisters and aunties. As CEO’s, doctors, teachers and artists – the contribution of Indigenous women to the life of the nation is immense and not acknowledged well enough.

Local Sistas and Aunties

The women included on the list are:

Leah Armstrong – Chief Executive Officer of Reconciliation Australia, entrepreneur, adviser to corporate Australia and advocate for economic empowerment.
Dawn Casey – Director of the Powerhouse Museum, Chair of the NCIE’s parent company the Indigenous Land Corporation and famously fierce advocate for the place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian narrative.
Merindah Donnelly – Pacific representative of the United Nations Global Indigenous Youth Caucus, artist and determined social justice advocate.
Tanya Hosch – Deputy National Director of the You Me Unity Campaign for Constitutional Recognition, the driving force behind the creation of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, foundation Director of the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre and the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute, adviser to government and the corporate sector and one of the most tenacious and successful changemakers, strategists and fundraisers in Indigenous Australia.

Tanya Hosch

April Long – National Manager of the National Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy, member of the NCIE’s National Youth Advisory Council, inaugural Indigenous Law Student of the Year in 2011, former Editor of the Indigenous law Bulletin.

April Long

Kirstie Parker – Editor of the Koori Mail and recognised leader in the media sector across the world, Director of Reconciliation Australia and sought after public speaker.
Jodie Sizer – National Director of Ingenuity (part of the SED Consulting Group), Chair of Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative, Director of the Indigenous Governance Institute, member of the Victorian Women’s Hall of Fame and inaugural Dardi Indigenous Business Leadership Award recipient in Victoria.
Natalie Walker – Inaugural Chief executive of the Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council (AIMSC), Director of Reconciliation Australia and NSW Board of Vocational Education and Training.
Nareen Young – Chief Executive Officer of the Diversity Council of Australia and recognised thought leader in relation to workplace reform, multiculturalism and reconciliation.

Nareen Young

It’s an impressive list and I haven’t included a full description of their previous and more recent accomplishments, if I did this blog would never end. As I’ve already said, there are many, many more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women from across Australia who are worthy of similar acknowledgment and the NCIE will strive to do more of it.

There are so many great things about living and working in Redfern and one of my favourites is that when I think, talk or write about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander excellence, contribution, resilience and innovation, it’s never in the abstract. I can look out the window, walk around the block or sit in meetings every day and see the faces and hear the voices of extraordinary leaders who have done and continue to do powerful things. In the context of women of influence and their resilience, we are spoilt for choice here in Redfern and all across the country.

I want to honour the women on this list and all of the Aunties who bring joy and challenge and question and comfort to my life and the lives of so many others. The ferocity of your passion and the fearlessness of your hearts are sources of endless inspiration. Thanks.

Jason Glanville

- NCIE CEO, Jason Glanville

CEO Reconciliation Ride Connects with Culture

Posted on October 2, 2012 by ncie

Blog post by NCIE CEO Jason Glanville

A couple of weeks ago, we here at the NCIE had our first CEO Reconciliation Ride. The brainchild of the LIFE team leaders, Ben Bowen and Sean Appoo, it was an opportunity to build a respectful engagement with ancient tradition and living culture for those corporate and community leaders who spend most mornings on their bike.

Ben Bowen and Sean Appoo getting ready to ride

Ben Bowen and Sean Appoo after the smoking ceremony getting ready to ride

Led by our great mate Mark Menhinnitt, CEO of Lend Lease, riders from across corporate Australia, including Michael Gatt from the newest member of the NCIE family TransGrid, knocked off a 60km journey around Sydney.

Mark Menhinnitt on the ride

Reconciliation Ride Pack

Rather than construct something completely new, the idea of the ride was to build cultural engagement and education opportunities into something that people were already doing. Lots of corporate leaders are cyclists, so instead of engaging them in the board room, where you are often competing with other priorities, it was a chance to add a solid cultural dimension to their daily well-being ritual. Too often, particularly though a disadvantage lens, culture is seen as something to be intimidated by or feared. Normalising both contemporary and ancient cultural practice, and their expression, provides a safer and more scalable experience. The hope is that the riders will not only talk about their enjoyment of the experience, but they will become advocates in their day to day conversations about the important cultural history of the places they and millions of others experience every day.

Riders checking out ancient Indigenous rock carvings between Bondi & Tamarama

Rohan Tobler, Rhys Wesser, Wayne Dragan, Ben Bowen

Over 30 cyclists took part in the ride

We have had interest from other places around Australia in further developing the ride, but we were very happy to start in Sydney because it’s the home of the NCIE and despite being the point of first contact and resistance, it has not only a rich cultural heritage but a thriving, but too often ignored, contemporary culture.

Jason Glanville

- NCIE CEO, Jason Glanville

Check out more photos from the ride on NCIE’s Facebook Page.

The Virtuous Cycle – The NCIE’s Bike Projects

Posted on September 27, 2012 by ncie

‘Think of bicycles as rideable art that can just about save the world’ – Grant Petersen

The National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) loves bikes! Led by the initiative of the Lifestyle Innovations for Everyone (LIFE) Team, the NCIE is promoting a powerful message about the virtues of bike riding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and the broader community.

Rhys Wesser riding before work

The NCIE encourages staff and members to cycle to and from the Centre. As an organisation advocating health, fitness and sustainable communities; we are an avid champion of Sydney’s flourishing cycling culture. The NCIE supports the City of Sydney and its plans for Sydney’s Cycleways. We’ll be getting involved in the Sydney Rides Festival so keep an eye out for upcoming events in October.

The NCIE is doing its best to contribute to better outcomes for Indigenous people, and for Sydney, with healthier communities, less road congestion, improved air quality and more enjoyment whilst in transit.

The LIFE Team has a fleet of 19 bikes. We pack 3 hybrid road bikes and 16 mountain bikes for use by our staff and program participants. NCIE staff and tenants can often be found riding these bikes to and from meetings during work hours.

NCIE Bike Fleet

The LIFE team’s Indigenous Mountain Bike Project (IMTBP) is an excellent example of an NCIE pathway program:

‘The Indigenous MTB Project is about getting more Indigenous people riding bikes. No matter what age, gender, level of fitness or goals…. just RIDE!’

The IMTBP regularly leads bike trips for groups of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people around Sydney and they enter local and regional mountain bike competitions. The Team also runs workshops on bike maintenance and safe cycling skills.

Jump on your bike and join us in riding to a healthier and more sustainable future.

——————————————–

LIFE Team cycling stats:

Recent evidence suggests that 50% of our car trips are under 5kms in distance, and the majority of car trips to transport our children are under 3kms. A 30 minute bike ride each day helps to:

lower blood pressure,
increase levels of good cholesterol,
prevent/manage diabetes type 2,
manage weight,
prevent osteoarthritis and some cancers
increase mental health
increase energy and stamina

Cycling also helps to save money, e.g. ditching one family car and cycling to work can save up to $800 a month (more info).

Young Indigenous Changemakers Connect for Change!

Posted on September 7, 2012 by ncie

The National Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy (NIYLA) connects and inspires young Indigenous leaders who are grounded in respect, culture and a social action philosophy. Through NIYLA, inspirational young Indigenous Australians will be active in promoting, influencing and driving positive social change in communities, organisations and businesses across Australia.

NCIE National Youth Advisory Committee: Peter Dawson, Hanna Donnelly, Harry Murphy, April Long, Benson Saulo

NIYLA’s recently appointed Director, Benson Saulo, and National Program Manager, April Long (pictured above on the right), have done an extraordinary job of developing NIYLA and building relationships within the Indigenous community and the youth sector.

The strength of the collaboration between NIYLA’s founding partners – Foundation for Young Australians (FYA), National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) and Stronger Smarter Institute (SSI) – has been acknowledged by the Trust Company, which has signed on as a partner for three years as part of its new focus on collective impact.

“NIYLA has the exciting opportunity to reshape the narrative of Indigenous youth leadership in Australia with a cohort of young Indigenous leaders that share a passion for creating positive change in their communities and the world around them.” – Benson Saulo, Director, NIYLA

NIYLA will hold its five-day pilot conference in September 2012 at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence in Sydney, bringing together over 50 young Indigenous people, aged 15 to 18, from across Australia to further develop their abilities as young leaders and to inspire them as positive changemakers in their communities.

NCIE – At the Top of My List

Posted on August 28, 2012 by ncie

When I was first asked to draft a list of placement priorities for my Aurora Internship, I placed the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) at the top of my list. From researching Australia’s Indigenous social policy at university, I was discouraged by the lack of innovation or originality. However, the NCIE’s approach seemed fundamentally different.

My first introduction to this approach came through the NCIE’s CEO, Jason Glanville’s talk on ‘Indigenous Innovation’. Rather than simply restating what Jason said, I think it’s far more important to look at the language Jason uses,

“Creativity”

“Excellence”

“Deadliness”

These terms have too often been missing or drowned out from the discussion of Australia’s Indigenous policies. By deliberately re-shaping this dialogue, the NCIE tells stories of Indigenous triumph and success.

This does not mean the past has been forgotten. Rather, the antiquated narrative of disadvantage that unfairly envelopes Australia’s Indigenous history is transformed. Through this transformation, the NCIE celebrates the untold story of resilient and excellent Indigenous Australians. Being part of an organisation which develops this narrative has been a great experience.

Before my placement began I had just completed a 6 week internship at NSW State Parliament. Needless to say, the transition from State Government to a non-profit organisation was a colossal shift. However, the change came naturally and was helped along by the NCIE’s staff who went out of their way to make me feel welcome. I cannot express how thankful I am to them in making my time at the NCIE meaningful.

A highlight of my time at the NCIE was Dr Anita Heiss and Anne Summer’s panel “Am I Black Enough for You?” held during NAIDOC week. Notable attendees included Her Excellency Mare Bashir AO CVO Governor of New South Wales. The talk was fitting as the Federal Government’s National Anti-racism Strategy is being introduced later this year. Along with many other people present that day, I felt encouraged that racism in Australia is being acknowledged and addressed. The attendance of Dr Helen Szoke, who is leading the National Anti-racism Strategy was also pertinent.

Dr Anita Heiss with Her Excellency Marie Bashir, Anne Summers and Bianca Roberts, the NCIE’s Communications Coordinator.

From the beginning of my placement my supervisor, Carla, ensured the work I was given was challenging and engaging. I felt the tools in research and policy I had developed at university were fully utilised and further matured. Some of the work I was involved in greatly increased my knowledge of Australia’s industrial relations legislation and how it functions in an Indigenous context. Other work deepened my understanding of the day to day running of a non-profit organisation. Overall, these skills were valuable and will transfer into many professional fields across government, the non-profit sector and Indigenous affairs.

I even developed skills in areas I did not originally anticipate. I now consider myself a Master Ikea Craftsman after building a new set of furniture for the office and kitchenette. The frequent coffee runs I undertook familiarised me with the key players of Redfern’s burgeoning hipster fashion scene. At the same time, I learned the intricate differences between EastEnders and Coronation Street from Pam, whilst Mickey’s academic knowledge of Global Political Economy kept me up to date with world affairs such as the looming cocoa shortage which may affect international chocolate prices.

Nathan, Frank, Mickey, Sheena and Alara at Frank’s Farewell

Lastly, I’d recommend that if you are a current university student with a passion for Indigenous affairs policy and Native Title you apply for an internship through the Aurora Project. As you can tell, my experience as an Aurora Intern was challenging whilst also being highly rewarding. Applications for the upcoming Summer 2012/2013 internship round close on the 31st of August and placements are offered across 15 Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRBs) and 62 other organisations. For more detailed information please visit www.auroraproject.com.au

- Frank Esparraga

- NCIE Editor’s Note – We really enjoyed having Frank intern with us here at the NCIE. His intelligence and wit made his contribution to the organisation as useful and meaningful as it was fun. We wish Frank all the best on his international exchange at Boston University.

I Wish We Could All Go Home

Posted on August 22, 2012 by ncie

Blog post by NCIE CEO Jason Glanville

I went home the weekend before last, I don’t go often enough, but going home is something I can do whenever I want. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case for still too many men and women in our communities who are victims of the forced child removal policies of the past.

Commemorative Plaque – Photo by David Williams, courtesy of the Healing Foundation

I spent the weekend with my family and friends observing the Centenary of the Cootamundra Domestic Training Home for Aboriginal Girls. The Home is one of the terrible and sad places that members of the Stolen Generation were taken after being forcibly removed from their families. My Grandmother spent some time in the Home and it casts a dark shadow across the history of my family, the families of the many residents and the collective community history of Cootamundra.

Photo by David Williams, courtesy of Healing Foundation

Photo by David Williams, courtesy of the Healing Foundation

Many former residents and their families made the journey back to Coota to share stories, reconnect and, hopefully, continue their healing. It was glorious and sad, funny and poignant. It was a reminder that even though at the NCIE we talk about resilience a lot, we don’t do it enough – these women should be the picture in the dictionary next to the definition of resilience (they would sit equally comfortably against the definition of deadly, cheeky, funny and proud). It was a great privilege to be part of the ceremony of the weekend, a delight to share it with my family and an honour to sit with the spirit of my Grandmother.

Photo by David Williams, courtesy of the Healing Foundation

So many of the women there on the weekend have built successful lives and healthy happy families of their own, but too many of them can’t go home. The mothers they were stolen from have passed and their families ripped away.

Photo by David Williams, courtesy of the Healing Foundation

Fortunately, due to the extraordinary and too often unheralded work of organisations like LinkUp some families have been reunited and those who can’t physically reconnect with their families have been able to know their history for the first time.

I honour the resilience of all the former residents of the Cootamundra Home and all others across Australia. I wish you all a safe journey home.

Jason Glanville

- NCIE CEO, Jason Glanville

Reflecting on Leadership Among Giants

Posted on August 7, 2012 by ncie

Blog post by NCIE CEO Jason Glanville

I had the great privilege of being a guest at Lowitja O’Donoghue’s 80^th birthday over the weekend and it was one of those opportunities that give you the chance to reflect on how far we have come and how much more work there is left to do.

Lowitja O’Donoghue, Sol Bellear, Jason Glanville

The room was full of giants, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, who have played a part in shaping Australia over the last half-century or more. What Lowitja has achieved is extraordinary and what she represents to future generations in terms of a vision of excellence is incredibly important. The battles she has fought, private and public, have established new benchmarks of integrity and possibility.

Michael O’Loughlin with Lowitja O’Donoghue

The NCIE’s vision of excellence is possible because of the work of Lowitja and so many of her contemporaries that were in the room. People like Jackie Huggins, Pat Anderson, Shirley Peisley, Anne Martin and Kerrie Tim and the next generation of Indigenous leaders present including Tanya Hosch, Kirstie Parker, Ian Anderson and Kerry Arabena. Our success will depend, in part, on our capacity to take the lessons from these great leaders and make sure they are transferred to future leaders.

Leadership is tough and many of our leaders didn’t set out to play the roles they do, but their resilience, passion, commitment and natural talent, led them on a journey from which we all benefit. Handing the baton over to a new generation of leaders isn’t always an easy or smooth process, but the bottom line is that the success achieved to date will be unsustainable without an effective transition. And, the reality is, there is plenty of work still to be done, requiring leaders from across the community contributing in a range of ways.

From everyone at the NCIE, Happy Birthday Lowitja – we owe you so much.

- NCIE CEO, Jason Glanville

Jason Glanville

‘Am I Black Enough For You?’ NAIDOC Event at the NCIE

Posted on July 12, 2012 by ncie

Back in May the Sydney Writer’s Festival hosted a conversation between Dr Anita Heiss and Anne Summers about Anita’s book ‘Am I Black Enough For You?’ down at Walsh Bay. The room was full and so was the viewing area on the opposite pier.

For those of you who don’t know Anita Heiss, she is a Wiradjuri woman born and raised in Sydney’s East. She is an author, poet, social commentator, satirist and avid blogger, ‘Tweeter’ and ‘Facebooker’. She has won prestigious literary awards and performed her works at festivals all over the world.

Anne Summers and Dr Anita Heiss – the discussion begins.

The inspiration for ‘Am I Black Enough For You?’ came from a number of things; however growing up Indigenous is enough to be inspired to write such a book. Anita is an ambassador for literacy programs and was in a school with fellow Indigenous author and ‘dear friend’ Boori ‘Monty’ Pryor, who also visits schools around Australia and dresses up in traditional wear and performs Indigenous song and dance for the children. One child asked ‘how long have you been an Aborigine?’ while the sweet naivety of a child was quiet humorous; there was a bigger story. The Andrew Bolt article ‘White is the new black’, written in 2009, created a real sense of urgency to get the ‘facts’ out there on paper.

The NAIDOC special event was a sell out with over 100 guests in attendance, among them, Her Excellency Mare Bashir AO CVO Governor of New South Wales who has shown stupendous support for the NCIE since we opened our doors back in 2010, Dr Helen Szoke Race Discrimination Commissioner for the Australian Human Rights Commission and Anita’s mother Elsie Heiss were also among the crowd.

Her Excellency Marie Bashir, Governor of New South Wales taking in the discussion.

Dr Helen Szoke, Race Discrimination Commissioner for the Australian Human Rights Commission in the crowd

The conversation around race, identity and family is one that needs to happen more often. Word of mouth is the most effective tool of communication. We should be talking to our children, grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews about culture, not just Indigenous culture, but all cultures. Let’s start the conversation and ultimately be a part of the resolution, as Anita stated during the discussion ” I am pleased that I can be a part of the a broader process that involves thousands of people around the country of all denominations that are trying to make this country a better place for everyone”.

Dr Anita Heiss with Her Excellency Marie Bashir, Anne Summers and Bianca Roberts, the NCIE’s Communications Coordinator.

The CEO of the NCIE Jason Glanville with Dr Anita Heiss

Dr Anita Heiss with Her Excellency Marie Bashir Governor of NSW, her mother Elsie Heiss and other special guests.

- NCIE Communications Coordinator, Bianca Roberts