The Australian Government Office for Youth is seeking an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young person, aged 12-25 years, to be a member of the National Youth Week (NYW) 2014 National Planning Group.

The successful applicant will play an important role in providing advice to increase engagement and participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people during NYW 2014. They will have input into the planning, promotion, implementation and evaluation of NYW 2014 at a national level. 

Expressions of Interest for the 2014 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian Government Representative are now open and will close on at 11am (AEST) Friday 14 June. 

Check out the NYW website for more info http://www.youthweek.com. You can email your completed Expression of Interest to the NYW Secretariat at nationalyouthweek@deewr.gov.au

Australian Disability and Indigenous Peoples' Education Fund Amount: Up to $2,500 Closing: 31 March 2013
Education is continuously growing, developing, changing, so many people undertake courses to begin again the education they never completed or to keep abreast with these new developments. With the development of technology, education has become more accessible for people with disabilities leading to people completing higher levels of education which in turn can lead to more complex and skilled work.

For many people with disabilities from both indigenous and non-indigenous backgrounds, education can go a long way to not only developing their skills but also their self esteem and the pride of their family, friends and community.

For many, a small financial grant will enable them to undertake a course. This education fund is about helping people complete or undertake courses and programs through providing small grants.

Our fund is looking to distribute small six monthly grants of up to $2,500 to assist people with disabilities to continue their learning.

For more info: http://members.optuszoo.com.au/~frankhbentick/ADIPEF/ADIPEF.htm

Aboriginal Benefits Foundation
Amount: $500 - $5,000
Closing: Ongoing The Foundation provides grants to assist Aboriginal communities and individuals by providing funds to support projects which advance the aims of the Foundation, with the current focus on supporting art, health and cultural projects with a connection to Aboriginal art and/or artists.

In view of the limited resources available to the Foundation, priority for funding is being given to the following categories:

1. Seeding grants:

• to research the relevance and value of new projects with a connection to Aboriginal art and/or artists that may be ineligible for support from existing agencies
• to facilitate schemes or projects with a connection to Aboriginal art and/or artists which are of benefit to Aboriginal health, welfare or education which have potential for wider application.

2. One-off grants in support of:

• health and well being of artists and their families
• education through art projects which will benefit health and well being
• individuals and communities, with a connection to Aboriginal art and/or artists, to meet special needs

For more info: http://www.aboriginal.org.au/grants.htm

In April, the NIYLA team will be travelling around Australia, hosting day forums for Indigenous young people. They are looking to engage 50 Indigenous young people in Years 10, 11 and 12 in each of the full day leadership forums in Melbourne, Sydney, Darwin and Brisbane during National Youth Week.

The interactive and engaging forums will focus on 'what makes a leader.' Students will explore this concept through a wide range of fun, reflective and practical activities structured around individual and collective identity, personal development, creating an aspirational vision and making change happen.  They are shaping up to be fantastic days!

APPLICATIONS OPEN Click Here

Source: AYAC enews 28/2/13

This study provides new evidence on the inter-relationships between Indigenous Australians' association with their traditional culture and their engagement with vocational education and training. It builds on previous work to develop a 'richer' measure of the concept of cultural attachment. This report discusses the links between cultural identity and current participation in education, and the benefits Indigenous Australians derive from education and training.

Read more and download the paper here.

Source: YACWA enews 8/3/13

  In May 2012, the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition and Reconciliation Australia launched the Yarn About Youth program to find out what issues matter to young people and how young people and the youth sector can progress reconciliation. This report comes from the first ever national survey of young people’s attitudes to reconciliation and broader consultations with the youth sector.

From May to July they consulted with 740 young people aged 15 to 26 via an online survey. In August they brought together representatives from 22 key youth sector organisations for a roundtable to discuss the survey findings and a way forward for youth sector organisations around reconciliation. Over half of the participants were engaged and active Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young leaders. When it comes to reconciliation, young people have a clear vision of what they want Australia to look like and there is energy to achieve this vision. However they need support to get there.

To access the report in full, click on the following link or copy and paste it into your browser:

http://www.ayac.org.au/uploads/YarnAboutYouthReport2012.pdf

Source: NTYAN Feb enews

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) has just released Cultural dimensions of Indigenous participation in vocational education and training: new perspectives.

Based on new evidence, this study discusses the links between cultural identity and current participation in education, and the benefits Indigenous Australians derive from education and training.

Copies of Cultural dimensions of Indigenous participation in vocational education and training: new perspectives are available from www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2573.html; please note you will have to log in to the NCVER website to access the report in full.

Registration is free, quick and enables you to subscribe to email alerts and NCVER newsletters – www.ncver.edu.au/subscribe.html

The Young and Well CRC would like to invite Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander young people aged 12 to 25 to form a new advisory group to support Young and Well CRC projects seeking to understand and improve the mental health and wellbeing of young Indigenous Australians. 

The advisory group's role will be to ensure that Young and Well CRC research projects engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in meaningful ways by advising and collaborating with project teams. 

If you identify as being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and would like to  volunteer a few hours per month either online or on the phone, then I'd love to hear from you. If you know anyone else that might be interested, please forward this email on to them.

Please register your interest below by completing the online form, or by contacting me (Kris Gesling, Youth Participation and Technology Officer, Young and Well CRC) by emailing kris@yawcrc.org.au or calling on 0401 438 789. Nominations close on Friday the 8th of February.

Register your interest!