Celebrate NAIDOC week!

NAIDOC week is now well underway, and celebrations are happening all over Australia. The theme for 2013 is "We value the vision: Yirrkala Bark Petitions 1963".  The theme proudly celebrates the 50th anniversary of the presentation of the Yirrkala Bark Petitions to the Federal Parliament. To read more about the significance of these petitions visit the official NAIDOC website.

There are a huge number of events going on across the Yamatji and Pilbara regions to celebrate NAIDOC this week. Check your local paper for a listing of events. Some highlights will be the Ngarluma & Yindjibarndi Foundation Ltd's football carnival in Roebourne this weekend, free community events featuring food and music in Karratha on Friday and Sunday, and the NAIDOC awards celebration in South Hedland on Saturday, to name just a few.

YMAC has already been celebrating NAIDOC, with stalls at the Tom Price and Perth opening ceremonies on Sunday, as well as last week's Bundiyarra cultural celebrations in Geraldton.

If you are in Karratha or South Hedland this week come say hello to YMAC staff at the community events on there.



Dawn service to commemorate 100 years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Veterans in Service. 7 July 2013

YMAC stall at Bundiyarra cultural celebrations in Geraldton. 3 July 2013 

Wajarri Yamatji Liaision Officer wanted in Geraldton

Sinosteel Midwest Corporation Ltd (SMCL) are currently seeking a Geraldton-based Wajarri Yamatji Liaison Officer.

For details of the position and application requirements, please visit the SMCL employment page.

Nominations for 2013 Mid West NAIDOC Awards closing soon

 

Do you know someone who deserves a NAIDOC award?

Time to get those submissions in, as nominations for the 2013 Mid West NAIDOC Awards close 5pm tomorrow, Friday 21 June.

The annual awards recognise outstanding achievements made by Indigenous Australians to improve the lives of Indigenous people, or promote Indigenous issues in the wider community.

If you know someone in your community who deserves to be recognised for their contribution, complete a nomination form in one of the following categories:

• Scholar of the Year
• Male Community Service of the Year
• Female Community Service of the Year
• Apprenticeship Award
• Musician of the Year
• Artist of the Year
• Hall of Fame
• Male Elder of the Year
• Female Elder of the Year
• Reconciliation Award
• Community Service Volunteer
• Youth of the Year
• Non-Indigenous Male Person of the Year
• Non-Indigenous Female Person of the Year
• Sportsperson of the Year

Nominations can be obtained from Laine-Rose Forsyth at the Geraldton Regional Community Education Centre by emailing laine@edcentre.wa.edu.au

For more information about NAIDOC Week 2013, visit the NAIDOC website.

Indigenous Storybook, Midwest and Pilbara edition

The Public Health Advocacy Institute of WA is launching the third edition of their Indigenous Storybook at a celebration in Geraldton next week. The book showcases the achievements of Indigenous people who have contributed to health, social, economic and environmental outcomes for their communities.

The storybook includes 13 stories from the Mid-west and Pilbara regions, told by the people involved. They cover projects such as health and environmental issues, community gardens and employment, leadership and personal journeys.

The stories highlight issues that affect Indigenous communities across the Mid-West and Pilbara regions such tobacco awareness, substance abuse, crime prevention, sustaining culture and language and youth engagement.

For more information, and to download the previous editions, visit PHAIWA's website or email phaiwa@curtin.edu.au.

Yamatji Special Regional Meeting

City of Greater Geraldton Community Grants

Applications are now open for Round 12 of the City of Greater Geraldton's Community Grants Program.

The grants provide assistance to local community groups and organisations that make positive contributions to the Greater Geraldton region.

Submissions close 5pm, Thursday 28th March 2013.

For eligibility and applications requirements, visit the City of Greater Geraldton website, or contact Natalie Hope on (08) 9956 6621 or natalieh@cgg.wa.gov.au

Geraldton Aboriginal Job Expo

The Geraldton Aboriginal Workforce Development Centre is running its first employer expo to connect Aboriginal job seekers directly with employers.

Jobseekers are encouraged to bring their resumes as many employers attending the event will be taking applications for positions within their companies on the day.

The expo will be at Margaret House in the Bill Sewell Complex on 21 March 2013, from 10am to 2pm.

To pre-register, send a resume to geraldton.awdc@dtwd.wa.gov.au, or ring Daniel on (08) 9964 6345 for more information.

YMAC Christmas Shutdown and Heritage Surveys

For many Aboriginal Communities in the Midwest and Pilbara, December to January is a special time of year to observe cultural obligations and practices.

Out of respect for these traditions, YMAC will not be conducting any heritage surveys between Monday 17 December 2012 and Friday 1 February 2013.

Any heritage survey requests received after 17 December will be scheduled to commence after 1 February.

Thank you for your understanding.

All YMAC offices in Perth, Geraldton, Karratha, South Hedland and Tom Price will be closed during the festive season from Thursday 20th December 2012, re-opening on Wednesday 2 January 2013.

YMAC’s Board of Directors, Pilbara and Yamatji Regional Committees, Management and Staff would like to wish you a happy and safe festive season.

YMAC News issue 19 is here!

The latest issue of YMAC News is now available for download from our website.

It includes a cover story on the visit the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples made to Njamal country, a special feature on Geraldton Aboriginal community organisations, and a landmark agreement between the Nyiyaparli people and BHP Billiton.

There is also a profile of Yamatji artist, poet and academic Charmaine Green, as well as a staff profile of Fiona Mackenzie, our Geraldton office manager. There is important information on YMAC's heritage services, information about YMAC's recent audit by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC), and of course lots of photos of people and country.

Click here to download YMAC News from our website.

If you have any stories or photos you'd like to share with us, elders who you think we should profile, questions about native title, or any other letters to the editor, send them to editor@ymac.org.au.


We hope you enjoy this issue of YMAC News.

Artists Honoured at Yamaji Art's New Home

Lakiesha Green-Ryan, Allison Yearwood and Charmaine Green of Yamaji Arts.

Yamaji Art, the Aboriginal owned and operated art centre in Mid West, Western Australia, has opened its new doors at the Bill Sewell Complex in Geraldton, along with its website launch, yamajiart.com

The new gallery space was officially launched on Friday 12th October, with a tribute event honouring the memory of two artists who played an integral part in the growth of Yamaji Art.
Representatives of the McIntosh and Boddinton families celebrated the memory of the artists with speeches, songs, dancing and a tree planting ceremony.

Yamaji Arts Manager Allison Yearwood said, "Today was about celebrating the lives of these two women who helped us so much, who brought us to the point of now having our own space. We've grown from a little art centre to this, and our new website is showing local work to international audiences. We are here opening our doors and we hope the community feel this is their place to share."

www.yamajiart.com

Educational training programs for young women in Geraldton

SHINE is an award winning educational program based in Geraldton that empowers young women with the skills and tools required to build a successful career.

The program takes place within a purpose-built hairdressing salon at John Willcock College, and aims to develop confidence in girls at risk of leaving school by inspiring them to learn through a hands-on, fun and engaging environment.

SHINE offers skills and leadership training to indigenous and 'at risk' girls aged between 13 and 15, and prepares these students for future traineeships and placement within the workforce.


For more information on the program, visit the SHINE website.

Yamatji Dolls and Yarning on show in Geraldton

Dolls and Yarning is an exhibition of dolls created by Yamaji parents, grandparents and young people in Geraldton and Northampton, Western Australia.

The exhibition comes after a series of doll making skills were learnt and shared in workshops during the year, that included yarning about family, learning, culture, play and education. As the creative process unfolded these inanimate objects came to life as the dolls and yarns became closely stitched together while Aboriginal ways of teaching and learning were explored, honoured and celebrated.

The exhibition runs until 5 November at the WA Museum Geraldton, Batavia Coast Marina.

 

Dolls and Yarning has been developed and presented by Western Australian Museum Geraldton in partnership with the Geraldton Regional Community Education Centre. The Dolls and Yarning project is funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) through the Parental and Community Engagement (PaCE) program.

For more information contact the Geraldton Regional Community Education Centre on 08 9921 4477

Free business workshops in Geraldton and Carnarvon

 

Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) is offering free Into Business workshops this week in Carnarvon and Geraldton to assist Aboriginal people to fully investigate and research their business ideas before taking the leap into business ownership.

 

The workshops are run in three parts, with part A: Your business idea, goals and expectations, running on:

• Tuesday, 18 September at Fascine Lodge, 34 David Brand Drive, Carnarvon 
• Wednesday, 19 September at Small Business Centre, 162 Marine Tce, Geraldton.

 

For more information and to register for the workshops, call 9229 1408 or 1800 107 107, or visit IBA's website.

 

Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) is a commercially focused organisation that promotes and encourages self-management, self-sufficiency and economic independence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. They aim to identify and pursue opportunities that enable Indigenous Australians to create wealth, accumulate assets and achieve their financial aspirations.

Midwest Aboriginal Groups Making a Difference in Their Region

The Midwest Aboriginal Organisation Alliance (MAOA) is a participatory action research group working towards greater community engagement in Indigenous issues. MAOA works collaboratively with community, industry and government partners to address key issues affecting the futures of midwest Aboriginal people.

YMAC would like to congratulate MAOA on being announced as a finalist in the 2012 Northern Agricultural Catchments Council Sustainability and Innovation awards. 

See the MAOA's promotional video below for an insight into the project's community aspirations, achievements and partnerships.

Lunchtime Learning with Fred Taylor - Making a positive impact on Aboriginal families

Lunchtime Learning sessions at CityHive in Geraldton are a simple yet invigorating affair, designed to give you an injection of inspiration mid-day, mid-week. The free sessions run from 12:35 to 13:35 so they fit within lunch hour, and are byo lunch. Participation is for Pollinators members, and you can sign up on the day.

On Wednesday, 8 August Fred Taylor will be presenting on "Making a positive impact on Aboriginal families". The session is free, but registration is required.

Click here for more information and to register for the event.

Fred Taylor is a Yamatji senior and leader in the Yamatji community, is a custodian of the country and is recognised as a spokesperson for the Yamatji region. He has extensive experience as a public officer in Aboriginal and Government agencies. He has worked as the Regional Manager and Aboriginal Liason Officer for the Yamatji Land and Sea Council and has also worked for the Midwest, Gascoyne & Murchison Areas Native Title Working Group.

CityHive is a social enterprise operated by Pollinators Inc, a non-profit, member-based organisation serving a growing community of social entrepreneurs. Pollinators Inc provides information, training, coaching, support and the physical, cultural and institutional 'space' to our region's social entrepreneurs to take their ideas to the next level. For more information on CityHive Geraldton, visit their website, or click here to learn more about Pollinators Inc.

YMAC Celebrates NAIDOC week

Thank you to everyone who helped make this NAIDOC week special. Here are just a few photos from last week, when YMAC staff got to speak to people across Pilbara, in Geraldton and in Perth. We hope everyone had a great week celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and achievements

NAIDOC in Geraldton

NAIDOC in Port Hedland

NAIDOC in Tom Price

Free business workshops in Geraldton and Carnarvon

Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) is offering free Into Business workshops  in Carnarvon and Geraldton to assist Aboriginal people to fully investigate and research their business ideas before taking the leap into business ownership.

The workshops are run in three parts, with part A: Your business idea, goals and expectations, running on 7 August 2012 in Carnarvon and 8 August 2012 in Geraldton.

For more information and to register for the workshops, call 9229 1408 or 1800 107 107, or visit IBA's website.

Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) is a commercially focused organisation that promotes and encourages self-management, self-sufficiency and economic independence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. They aim to identify and pursue opportunities that enable Indigenous Australians to create wealth, accumulate assets and achieve their financial aspirations.

Casual Positions for Indigenous Journalists at Yamaji News

Yamaji News is looking for casual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander columnists and reporters to join their team.

Yamaji News is Western Australia's only Indigenous newspaper, and is dedicated to publishing local stories relevant to WA's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. It encourages positive news, programs and events that promote the achievements of Indigenous people and their organisations.

The newpaper is also seeking expressions of interest for articles and photographs, and advertisment bookings for the June 2012 NAIDOC special edition, which are due by 8 June 2012.

Those interested in writing for the Yamaji News should send an example of their work and a current resume to Paul Ihanimo at paul@yamaji.com.au or call him on 0429 888 022.

For more information on the position, please click here.

Geraldton Community Grants now open

The City of Greater Geraldton is now taking applications for its Community Grants Program. Grants will be awarded to community groups and organisations to help them make positive contributions to the quality of life in the Geraldton region.

Applications can be submitted in any of the following categories:

• Cultural Grant – Opportunities for Creativity
• Economy Grant – Opportunities for Prosperity
• Environmental Grant – Opportunities for Sustainability
• Governance Grant – Leading the Opportunities
• Social Grant – Opportunities for Lifestyle 

Applications close Friday, 20 April 2012. For guidelines, applications and more information, visit the City of Greater Geraldton's website.

Join YMAC for Harmony Day

Harmony week is a time to celebrate cultural diversity across Australia. It has been held from 15-21 March every year since 2003 to coincide with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March.

Join YMAC in a celebration of cultural diversity in the Stow Gardens on the Geraldton Foreshore this Sunday, 18 March. The event is hosted by the City of Greater Geraldton and the Midwest Multicultural Association.

There will entertainment and treats from around the world showcasing the diversity of people living in the region. YMAC staff will be on hand to talk to people about Aboriginal culture and native title, and will have plenty of information to hand out to the community.

For more information contact the City of Greater Geraldton. We look forward to seeing you there.