Event inspires Koorie students

AN EVENT held in Geelong earlier this month has instilled pride in First Nations youth and provided them with many options for their future.

Held on Wadawurrung country at GMHBA Stadium, the Koorie Student Aspirations Day brought together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander secondary school students from the greater Geelong and Colac region.

Supported by the Polly Farmer Foundation, the April 4-5 event was organised by the Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (LAECG).

It provided an opportunity for students from Years 7-12 to hear from inspirational young Indigenous role models who have achieved success in their chosen field.

The program also presented several opportunities for students to learn about post school career and education pathways and opportunities.

Each day began with a Welcome to Country from Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Corrina Eccles, followed by a “speed dating” session where students visited several stalls to learn more about opportunities available to them post school in a number of different fields and industries.

Students heard from representatives of educational institutions such as universities and TAFE, representatives from building and construction organisations, unions, employment agencies and local organisations with Indigenous traineeships and pathways.

Staff and alumni from the Polly Farmer Foundation also ran a goal-setting session, where students were encouraged to start small but dream big, and work their way through developing goals to achieve whatever they want to do in life.

Isaiah Firebrace, a Yorta Yorta/Gunditjmara man, winner of The X-Factor in 2016 and 2017 Eurovision Australian representative, was the guest speaker for the Koorie Aspirations Day.

Firebrace shared his story of growing up in Echuca and his first experience of singing in front of a crowd at school in Year 8, his failures and how he worked through them before winning The X-Factor at the age of just 16.

The afternoon sessions included hip hop dancing, art and painting, Indigenous games, the AIMe Leadership program and Clothing The Gaps Foundation’s “Shades of Deadly” campaign.
LAECG co-chair Aunty May Owen shared how wonderful it was to see the annual event happen again after two years of COVID postponements.

“We want to make sure our kids know they can do anything, and there are people all around who can help them get to wherever they want to go,” she said.

“One of the best things about these days is seeing all the kids come together and connect with each other, with their culture and to meet new people and know they have support in whatever they want to do now and in the future.”

The artwork for the 2022 Koorie Aspirations Day designed by Gunditjmara Kerray Woorroong woman Tarryn Love is called Wootyook (or “star” in Wadawurrung language), and includes the words Mok Borriyn (“proud”) and the motto “Believe, Achieve, Succeed”.