NAIDOC Week runs from 3-10 July and is one of the most important weeks in the contemporary Australian calendar.

NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day of Observance Committee. Its origins stem back to the 1920s when the Aboriginal community began banding together to promote awareness of Aboriginal culture and rights.

Today, NAIDOC Week is a celebration of Indigenous culture, history and achievements and this year we look towards the future with the theme “Change: the next step is ours”.

To kick off celebrations World Vision would like to share a few updates about some of the work we’re doing in Indigenous communities.

Indigenous youth living in urban areas often bear the brunt of social disadvantage. The World Vision-supported Young Mob Program seeks to rectify this through reinforcing cultural identity and fostering leadership and public-speaking skills.

Some young women from the program recently went on an Aboriginal Women’s and Girl’s cultural study tour where they had the opportunity to learn some traditional dance. For NAIDOC Week they will be performing these dances for classmates.

World Vision has also been working with the remote Warlpiri communities of the Tanami Desert, Central Australia, on their Early Childhood Development and Care Project.

Members of the Lajamanu Early Childhood Reference Group will soon participate in a seeing and learning governance study tour visiting Multifunctional Aboriginal Children’s Services (MACS) in South Australia.

MACS provide culturally appropriate community-based services for Indigenous children. The Reference Group will be meeting with the staff and community management committees of these services to exchange experiences with a view to applying their learning for early childhood services and activities in Warlpiri communities.
 
So what can you do to join in NAIDOC Week?

In 2011 the theme is “Change: the next step is ours” and World Vision would like you to walk alongside Indigenous Australians by evoking change through learning, doing and teaching.

Make a change through learning:

• Find out more about the traditional Indigenous owners of your area. Start by learning the meaning of a local Aboriginal place name
• Improve your knowledge of Indigenous culture and history online – since it’s NAIDOC Week where better to start than the official website!
• Invite a local Indigenous elder to speak at your school or workplace

Make a change through doing:

• Listen to some Indigenous Australian artists – start with local duo CuzCo who held hip-hop workshops at a recent Young Mob Leadership Camp
• Try your hand at traditional Aboriginal arts and crafts
• Hold a flag raising ceremony for the Australian Aboriginal Flag or Torres Strait Islander Flag

Make a change through teaching:

• Pin up some Indigenous posters in your classroom or work area
• Tell someone about a famous Indigenous Australian and the contributions they have made to contemporary Australia
• Get your friends involved in learning more – hold an Indigenous Trivia Night

And of course, remember to look out for any NAIDOC Week celebratory events taking place in your local area.