Importance of a Youth Voice

Posted on February 17, 2012 by ncie

As the applications for our Youth-led Constitutional Recognition Forum start flowing in, before the deadline on Monday 20^th Feb (get yours in ASAP!), we thought we would reflect on why it is important for the young people to have a voice in the present nation-wide discussion about our country’s founding document.

Young people will inherit the legacy of the decision makers of today. The more current decision makers listen to young people, the more engaged and involved the young people across the country will be and we will gain more intergenerational understanding.

Young people view the world differently, they are often not jaded by bad experiences and can bring a fresh, positive and innovative look at issues that need a new perspective. The fact that the Australian Constitution still has race powers in it in the 21^st century is an indication we need a fresh perspective.

It takes young people to say ‘As a nation we cannot grow complacent, we must do the work to cross the finish line and ensure that our constitution reflects the Australia of today.’ - April Long, member of the NCIE National Youth Advisory Council.

“In terms of the Constitution, the biggest factor for me was racial discrimination—the fact that it’s in our Constitution in the 21st century is absolutely appalling. If other people were aware of this, I think they’ll have no trouble agreeing that racism has no place in our founding document.” – Josephine Bourne

Innovation often comes from combining different people, with different experiences and different views. The thoughts of our country’s baby-boomers and Gen x-ers are important, but they need to be balanced by young people’s ideas about what is important, what is moral and what we, as a nation, should be doing.

‘I think we have to be [ambitious] when we are given the opportunity to change our Constitution so that it reflects the Australia of today.’ - April Long

We look forward to receiving more applications this weekend and facilitating an amazing forum. Spread the word to all young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders between the age of 16-25 so they can be a part of this important opportunity to influence their own futures.

APPLY NOW!

The Community of Excellence – NCIE’s Social Network

Posted on February 2, 2012 by ncie

The NCIE has recently developed a concept and design for the new Indigenous social network set to empower young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders connected to the NCIE and its pathway partners.

Co-design session

In a series of co-design sessions with 16 young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, the NCIE, the Indigenous participants and Digital Eskimo have developed an exciting concept for how the online platform will connect, engage, encourage and inspire.

The Community of Excellence will be a culturally specific social space that empowers members to set personal goals and facilitates the support they need to achieve those goals through social connections. It will focus on linking young people to opportunities that allow them to reach their aspirations and on celebrating member’s achievements.

While in some respects, the online platform will be similar to some other social networks, the Community of Excellence has some unique custom elements that will make it a special place for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

More will be revealed soon as we move into the implementation phase of development and we start to build and code the online platform.

The NCIE’s approach to developing this social network has been to do it in partnership with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. We have used a human-centred design approach and consulted with over 50 young Indigenous people to understand their needs, desires, motivations and dreams for an online network built to empower them.

“It’s mad! I think it will be great for the community’ – Jayden, a co-design workshop participant talking about the concept and design of the social network.

Co-design session

If you are under 30, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, connected to the NCIE or one of its partners and interested in being a part of the beta-testing of this social network , please pre-register here and we will get in contact with you when the opportunity arises.

The NCIE would like to thank the Telstra Foundation for their generous support of this initiative.

Youth-led Constitutional Recognition Forum wants you!

Posted on January 23, 2012 by ncie

CALLING YOUNG ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER AUSTRALIANS TO GET INVOLVED IN CONSTITUTIONAL RECOGNITION!

We’re looking for 96 young Indigenous Australians, 12 from each state and territory, to join us at the NCIE in March for the Constitutional Recognition Forum for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

Members of the Expert Panel and the NCIE acknowledge the need for the voices of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to be heard in the Constitutional Recognition discussion. The program for the Forum will be driven by young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians as the legacy of this Constitutional Recognition process will be one that is inherited by our young Indigenous Australians.

Come to Sydney and learn more about Constitutional Recognition and work with other young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to develop a youth-led campaign!

When: Wednesday 14 March – Saturday 17 March 2012
Where: National Centre of Indigenous Excellence, 180 George St, Redfern NSW

To be eligible to participate you must:

Identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australian;
Be aged between 16 and 25;
Be available to attend the Forum from Wednesday 14 March – Saturday 17 March 2012

Travel, accommodation, transfers and meals are provided for each participant.

APPLY NOW!

Round One applications close Friday 27 January 2012.

Call Alison McLeod on 02 8094 2500 if you have any questions or need any more information.

Excellence vs Access

Posted on January 11, 2012 by ncie

Late last year there was a great discussion on ABC’s Artscape about the Australian Government’s plans to develop a new National Cultural Policy. One of the keys goals the Government would like people to consider is the support of excellence and world-class endeavour. Within the broader discussion, there was a debate about excellence verses access and whether it is a zero sum game as well as a discussion on the definition of excellence.

The conversation highlighted to us the innovation of the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE). We are a social enterprise striving to achieve both excellence and access at the same time. We recognise that there needs to be developed pathways and pipelines of opportunity established to promote excellence and that excellence can come from anywhere.

The greater the access and diversity of access, the greater the potential for excellence and innovation. This is a major reason why the NCIE aims to provide access to our facilities and our programs to as many young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians as possible, regardless of their location or socio-economic status.

Wesley Enoch the Indigenous director of I am Eora (showing this week as part of the Sydney Festival’s Black Capital at Carriageworks), said during the conversation that it was important for a diverse range of Indigenous cultural expressions to be seen and heard by the wider Australian public.

I Am Eora

The NCIE cultivates talent, invests in excellence, provides access and creates opportunities for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. We do this so young people can achieve their self-defined vision of excellence, broaden the nation’s perception of excellence and build a shared future of prosperity and opportunity. Most importantly, the NCIE does this within an Indigenous cultural context encouraging all young people to remain strong in their culture.

To paraphrase Claire Bowditch from the discussion on Artscape - excellence is allowing someone with a brilliant idea (or skill) to run with it until they realise their potential.

You can view the full conversation from Artscape below.

Season’s Greetings

Posted on December 21, 2011 by ncie

We hope you have a safe and happy festive season and look forward to seeing you next year. Please enjoy our innovative greeting card.

NCIE Season’s Greetings from Gilimbaa

Two more speakers announced for Unconference

Posted on October 24, 2011 by ncie

Rhinanna Patrick and Carla McGrath will be innovative participants and speakers at the Indigenous Innovation Unconference this Saturday 29^th October at the NCIE.

Rhianna Patrick is a Torres Strait Islander who grew up in Brisbane and Weipa. She is the presenter of ABC’s Speaking Out, a radio program about culture, lifestyle and political issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia.

Rhianna joined the ABC as a news and current affairs cadet in 2002. She spent a year in the newsroom at the ABC’s office in Mackay before heading to Sydney in 2004 to take up a position as the breakfast newsreader for triple j news. Rhianna joined the Speaking Out program after a stint in Television where she worked as an Associate Producer/Researcher for the ABC’s Indigenous program, Message Stick.

Carla McGrath is an Indigenous Australian woman from Thursday Island. Although raised on the mainland, she retains strong family and community ties to the Torres Strait Islands.

Carla is currently the Business and Program Development Manager at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE). She is also a delegate to the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples and a member of the NSW Reconciliation Council’s Management Committee. Prior to joining the NCIE, she was the Relationships Manager at the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) and in 2009 she held the position of National Indigenous Officer for the National Union of Students.

Event Details

What: Indigenous Innovation Unconference
Where: National Centre of Indigenous Excellence, 180 George St, Redfern, NSW 2016. Map here
When: Saturday, 29th October 2011, 10am – 4:30pm
Who: People in or interested in the Indigenous Sector and Social Innovation Sector
Why: To develop and progress ideas and action on Indigenous Innovation
Presented by: National Centre of Indigenous Excellence & Social Innovation Sydney

Register Now

Innovative Unconference Speakers Announced

Posted on October 19, 2011 by ncie

Announcing the first round of speakers for the upcoming Indigenous Innovation Unconference to be held at the NCIE in partnership with Social Innovation Sydney on Saturday, 29 October 2011:

Register Now

Tanya Hosch, Board Director, the Australian Centre for Social Innovation
Jason Glanville, CEO, National Centre of Indigenous Excellence
Shelley Reys, Managing Director, Arilla Indigenous Consultancies & Services
Lindon Coombes, Executive Director, National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples
Charles Prouse, CEO, National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy
Luke Pearson, Online Social Commentator @LukeLPearson

Tanya Hosch: talks about the intersection of Indigenous Innovation and Social Innovation in Australia, how they can and could collaborate and what the next steps are for the co-creation of Australia’s Innovative future.

Tanya is a consultant working on a range of Indigenous specific and broader social policy areas across Australia, and has a particular interest in the area of philanthropy and co-investment and community corporate partnerships as a model of progressing our social agenda.Her expertise is in Indigenous affairs, youth development and leadership development. In addition, Tanya serves as the Board Director at The Australian Centre for Social Innovation; as a Director on the Rio Tinto Aboriginal Foundation; is a Visiting Research Fellow with the University of Technology, Sydney; is a Director for the International Funders of Indigenous Peoples based in North America and the Aboriginal Advisory Committee to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. Tanya is also an advisor to Social Ventures Australia.

Jason Glanville is a member of the Wiradjuri peoples from south-western New South Wales. He is the CEO of the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) based in Redfern. Prior to joining the NCIE Jason was Director of Programs and Strategy at Reconciliation Australia.

Jason is Co-Chair of the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute, on the board of the Indigenous Leadership Centre and on the board of Carriage Works.

Jason was named in the (Sydney) magazine’s 100 most influential people of Sydney and, 2011 was featured in Boss Magazine’s True Leaders of 2011 list. He is also a member of the Sydney Leadership Program’s Headland Project.

Shelley Reys is an Aboriginal woman of the Djiribul people. She is Managing Director of Arrilla Indigenous Consultants and Services, which provides services that assist Indigenous Australians and the wider community to work more effectively together in business, government and community environs. Ms Reys is also Vice-Chair of the National Australia Day Council and Director of Indigenous Film Services (IFS). Previously, she was Director of The Hollows Foundation, NSW Coordinator for the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and worked with reconciliation’s people’s movement 1991 – 2000.

Lindon Coombes is a proud Aboriginal man whose family comes from Brewarrina. He is the CEO of the National Congress of Australia’s First People. Prior to joining the National Congress, Lindon was the Executive Director of Tranby Aboriginal College in Glebe.He worked in Aboriginal Affairs in NSW government for over a decade in positions covering culture & heritage, natural resource management, education, child sexual abuse and the Aboriginal Land Council system. He also worked for ATSIC and as Senior Policy Advisor to successive Ministers.

Charles Prouse is the CEO of the National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy (NASCA), located in Sydney. He currently serves as an observer of the Australian Indigenous Leadership Council (AILC) board. Charles is a Bardi/Nyikina man from the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Charles’ current role as the CEO of NASCA sees him managing a not-for-profit Indigenous organisation delivering healthy lifestyle programs to young Indigenous people, including students and jobseekers and using sports and sports role models to promote positive health, education and employment messages. Charles is an advisory board member for the Shift Foundation.

Luke Pearson is an Aboriginal man from NSW, he is a qualified Teacher (B.Teach/B.Arts), researcher and social commentator. He is a leading Indigenous innovator online and is best known for his influence on twitter as @AboriginalOz (he recently changed his twitter name to @LukelPearson).

Two more innovative speakers to be announced soon.

Register Now

Event Details

From Little Things Big Things Grow (Part 2 – Intern’s Prose)

Posted on October 17, 2011 by ncie

The following is the second instalment of a two-part post by Rhyll Tonge, a recent intern at the NCIE.

After my first day here, I was in awe. How I ended up here is a mystery. I’d gone from thinking remote, desert, new community to being in the city, concrete, home state.

I keep thinking that I’m in the political heart, this is where so much Indigenous change has stemmed from, where many of the heart beats of Aboriginal affairs have been loudest, Redfern. I walk down the street to get lunch in the sun and it seems so normal, people don’t even realise the history they walk in and around.

So I adjust. I thank Aurora and the universe silently. In my first week I go to the NAIDOC ball!!! And i also enjoy doing surveys with youth for the inaugural online Community of Excellence at the NAIDOC Family and Sports Day. In my second week I am inspired as I hear some amazing talks at the inaugural Leadership Plus forum and learn about the Indigenous Leadership Centre. In my third week AIME is creating change waves in all of Australia with the National Hoodie Day campaign and conversations. We get to go to the one that’s happening on site with the CEO of AIME. NITV pops in. In my last week I feel like I’m finally getting comfortable and typically it’s all over!

Basically this place is amazing. After pondering the beauty of resilience and laughter in my Indigenous cultures all semester, I am so grateful to have landed here. The word resilience also resonates here and I have also learnt NCIE’s Key values growth, inclusiveness, integrity and most of all EXCELLENCE.

This is the future of change. Focusing on a language and experience of excellence not the deficit language we are ingrained into at university and mainstream society. I am inspired to write university teaching guidelines to help lecturers understand that yes there are facts and we have got to change them. BUT by talking disadvantage into the mind of youth will NOT break the cycle. At NCIE the cycle has broken. The opportunities that lay ahead for Redfern community and all those that participate in programs here from throughout the country are walking in a new pathway for this country. Youth leave this site holding integrity and growing into the size and options of excellence. It is a wonder to be a part of. Everyone here works so hard at changing life and its happening every day.

If there is one quote that I have heard a thousand times but will never cease to give me faith in how we can create change it is ‘From Little Things Big Things Grow’. I am so grateful to have been a little thing in the big thing that NCIE is growing.

- By Rhyll Tonge

Rhyll Tonge

A Day at the NCIE (Intern’s Poem)

Posted on September 30, 2011 by ncie

The following is part one of a two-part post by Rhyll Tonge, a recent intern at the NCIE.

Rhyll Tonge with Shireen Malamoo

People are dashing in and out of the office. Laughter is rising from Mickey’s cubicle. Pam is answering the intercom again. Brooke is giving one of her famous NCIE tours. Carla is eating a cookie. Jason is having another meeting. Sheena is working in a quiet flurry. Another day at NCIE, who knows what may happen next…

Its NAIDOC week and the air is buzzing and ready to celebrate

Some famous footy people drop by for a photo shoot date

Shireen Malamoo is telling us of how she just changed Sydney council’s documents

Invasion the new word, put that in all your ‘arrival’ statements

NAIDOC family fun day is rockin, everyone’s out on the field or in the sun

Gondwana Choir, Collie Kidz, Samantha Harris and others join the fun

The NAIDOC Ball is at the end of the week’s many celebrations

A night of Indigenous performance and awards for people from our many nations

It’s the inaugural Indigenous Leader Plus Forum on my second week

Mick Dodson just dropped in to say hello and later to speak

The fire trucks arrived at the opening ceremony’s smoking

Alarms went off; everyone went out laughing, no one choking

These leaders are here to converse about how they are changing history

Building up another sense of support and family

It’s National Hoodie Day which is really a week, everyone is sky blue

Nationally people put their AIME Hoodie on and have a conversation long over due

Talk about AIME, then your talking about real social change

Indigenous excellence to cultural integrity is the new thought range

This is the time Australia, this is the place to be, NCIE

Indigenous youth are rising up out of the ‘disadvantaged’ identity

It’s a new generation full of opportunities,

One that’ll change expectations from the country to all the cities

- By Rhyll Tonge, stay tuned for part two.

Rhyll Tonge