Surfing Victoria claims Woolworths Indigenous Surfing Community Celebration Award

THANKS to an outstanding Indigenous Engagement Program, Surfing Victoria claimed the Woolworths Indigenous Surfing Community Celebration Award at the Australian Surfing Awards.

Jordie Campbell, who spearheads the program as Surfing Victoria’s Indigenous aquatics officer, was rapt to accept the honour on behalf of all the people behind the feat.

“As a collective, Surfing Victoria feel very honoured to take home the award,” he said.

“There were some amazing programs that were also nominated for the Indigenous award, such as the Juraki community group in Fingal NSW and all Indigenous boardriders club La Perouse.

“We feel very privileged to be honoured with the award and it will only give us more momentum as we try to deliver the best and most inclusive programs possible going forward.”

The Victorian Indigenous Surfing Program is a key initiative of Surfing Victoria’s Indigenous Strategic Pillar and is one of the longest running Indigenous engagement programs in the country.

Now in its 24th year, the program uses surfing as a way to connect Indigenous Victorians with the ocean while teaching participants new skills, water safety knowledge and healthy habits.

The program provides strong Aboriginal community leadership and engagement in culturally safe and engaging environments that are inclusive, respectful and flexible.

“From our first Indigenous event ‘The Koori Titles’ in Warnambool 24 years ago which played host to 30 people, our programs have expanded rapidly,” Campbell said.

“The same event, which is now held at Urqharts Bluff has jumped out to between 100 and 150 people which is amazing.

“In 2022, we run a statewide program where we take Indigenous communities surfing, stand up paddle boarding and undertake water safety programs with the idea of using those aquatic activities as a platform to engage with the community”.

More than 650 Indigenous participants took part in the program over the past two years, with the program expanding from coastal locations to inland, with the inclusion of a Stand-Up Paddleboard program which has been able to reach new communities in inland locations such as Ballarat, Bendigo and metro Melbourne.

“The programs inclusion of metro and rural areas has been great in allowing those communities to engage in activities that they usually wouldn’t do,” Campbell said.

“We can’t wait to continue expanding our services and assisting in making a difference in these communities.”