Citation

Mechielsen J, Galbraith M, White A. J. Emotion. Behav. Probl. 2014; 23(2): 35-41.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Compassion Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Australia's Northern Territory is twice the size of Texas, with only 230,000 people living in its enormous space. About half reside in the capital Darwin in the tropical far north; the next biggest town with a population of 25,000 people is Alice Springs, 1600 kilometers south in the central desert. Some 70,000 Indigenous people form 30% of the population in the Northern Territory. A majority live in very remote communities that are difficult to access and are not reachable for much of the year during the monsoonal wet season. Life for many Indigenous youth and their families in remote areas includes extreme poverty, poor and overcrowded housing, lack of sanitation, poor health, sexual and other violence, neglect, substance abuse, welfare dependence, no work, and no future--for many there seems to be no hope. Youth suicide is among the highest on the planet. It is not that Indigenous youth have fewer strengths than other Australian youth. On the contrary, they burst with talent across the whole gamut of human endeavour: aesthetics, bravery, generosity, ecological understanding, humour, language, music, patience, sport, and wisdom. Here is where hope lies, with wise elders and communities nurturing and encouraging their youth into a full-orbed life. In this article, the authors first provide historical context to explain how the indigenous communities have been stripped of hope for more than two centuries. They then introduce "Families and Schools Together" ("FAST"), a non-profit organization that promotes family strengthening programs to help kids succeed in schools and life. In 2000, Education Transformations, in partnership with elders from a remote region south of Darwin, developed a residential high school for young people from remote communities. Indigenous elders on the project planning group sought ways of supporting families and their children. This led to an affiliation with FAST. The authors also describe Youth FAST, a primary tool used by the Smith Family (a large Australian charitable organization) in its "Girls at the Centre" programme, and the elements of the program that make it successful. The authors explain that the experience of Families and Schools Together is that when Indigenous people are trusted and supported to make decisions for themselves, children, youth, families, and the whole community benefit. This is also the case with Community Driven Education, a similar program, where communities are in the driving seat for the education of their youth. When communities are trusted to do the best for their youth, everyone is made stronger. The authors go on to describe the impact of Community Driven Education on the indigenous communities and the importance of its presence. Both initiatives went into effect in Australia's Northern Territory with the assistance of Education Transformations. Both programs are informed by experiences in Indigenous communities around the world and adapted as Territory Indigenous communities decide what works best for them.

Language: en