Posts By: Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation

National Close the Gap Day, 22 March 2012

Posted: March 19th, 2012

Filed under: Aboriginal health organisations, Carnarvon, Closing the Gap, Oxfam, South Hedland

National Close the Gap Day is a day for all Australians to join together and remind our political leaders that despite their commitments to close the life expectancey gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, there is a lot of work left to be done.

The National Close the Gap Day focus for 2012 is on the need for genuine, meaningful partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health peoples at all stages of health planning and delivery.

There are events on all around the country this week, including these free public events:

Live healthy Live longer Closing the Gap

• When : Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:30 to 11:00
• Where : 2-34 Colebatch Way, SOUTH HEDLAND, WA

Closing the Gap 2012: Have A Go Day

• When : Thu, 22 Mar 2012 10:00 to 03:00
• Where : Egan Street, CARNARVON, WA

For more information on these and other Close the Gap Day events visit:

http://webfw.oxfam.org.au/act/events/close-the-gap-day/attend?g=1&f=wa

Join YMAC for Harmony Day

Posted: March 15th, 2012

Filed under: Geraldton, 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.

Community Action Grants for natural resource management

Posted: March 12th, 2012

Filed under: caring for country, community grants, natural resource management.

The Australian Government is currently offering grants under the Caring for our Country program for community groups actively involved in protecting and improving their environment.

Grants between $5000 and $20,000 are available to help community groups carry out on-ground parojects and/or knowledge sharing activities in areas of:

• coastal environments and critical aquatic habitats,
• sustainable farm practices, or
• biodiversity and natural icons

Projects may include recording and using traditional ecological knowledge, developing natural resource management plans, or restoring endangered ecological communities.

Applications close on 27 March 2012. To get more information, find out if your group is eligible, and  download an application form, visit the Caring for our Country website or call 1800 552 008.

Have your say: National Indigenous Youth Parliament

Posted: March 2nd, 2012

Filed under: Canberra, National Indigenous Youth Parliament

The National Indigenous Youth parliament brings together 48 young Indigenous people aged from across the nation to meet in Canberra, discuss ideas, learn from mentors and present a draft bill to the Government.

Six Indigenous Western Australians, aged 16-25 will be chosen to participate. The program consists of a week of training in April with the other WA delegates, and a week in Canberra in May with the delegates from all of the States and Territories.

Participants will be chosen based on their community involvement, ideas, and interest in government and the parliamentary process.

This is a unique opportunity for young people to learn how the system works, present their ideas to the Government, and connect with other future Indigenous leaders.

Aboriginal artists wanted for 2012 Good HeART exhibition

Posted: February 29th, 2012

Filed under: Aboriginal Art, Geraldton, Mid West, OPR

Following on from four years of showcasing traditional and contemporary works by mid-west Aboriginal artists to regional and metropolitan audiences, Good HeART is back again for 2012.

An initiative of Oakajee Port and Rail, the exhibition attracts artists from communities all over the region, including Wiluna, Mullewa, Northampton, Meekatharra, Mt Magnet, Cue, Yalgoo and Morawa.

A preview of the show will be held in Geraldton from 21 May to 2 June, and the main exhibition will be staged in Perth’s CBD from 18-22 June. All proceeds from sales go directly to the artists.

Works, including ceramics, woodwork, canvas, artefacts and textiles, must be submitted for consideration by 4 May 2012.

Free business workshops in Geraldton and Carnarvon

Posted: February 27th, 2012

Filed under: Carnarvon, Geraldton, Indigenous Business Australia

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, 28 February in Carnarvon and Wednesday, 29 February 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.

Indigenous Arts Funding: applications now open

Posted: February 16th, 2012

Filed under: community grants, Department of Culture and the Arts, Indigenous Arts

The WA Department of Culture and the Arts (DCA) awards a wide range of grants to artists, artsworkers, groups and organisations, including targeted Indigenous Arts Funding grants.

The DCA is now accepting applications for two different categories in their Indigenous Arts Grant Program:

Development (click here for more): This category is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, groups or organisations working in all eligible art forms for projects that involved the exploration of new ideas, the development of new skills, the creation of new work or the recreation or reinterpretation of traditional or customary practices or cultural expression.

Distribution and Marketing (click here for more): This category is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, groups or organisations working in all eligible art forms and facilitates the distribution of an existing WA arts activity, event or product to new audiences locally, interstate, and/or internationally.

Applications close on 23 March, 2012. To find out more information, visit http://www.dca.wa.gov.au/funding/ or call 1800 199 090.

New website tells the story of the Stolen Generations

Posted: February 14th, 2012

Filed under: apology, Stolen Generations

Yesterday, on the fourth anniversary of  former Prime Minister Rudd’s national apology to the Stolen Generations, a new website was launched to share the personal stories of members of the Stolen Generations.

The ‘Stolen Generations’ Testimonies’ project is an initiative to record on film the personal testimonies of Australia’s Stolen Generations Survivors and share them online.

According to the Project’s website, “The Stolen Generations’ Testimonies Foundation hopes the online museum will become a national treasure and a unique and sacred keeping place for Stolen Generations’ Survivors’ Testimonies. By allowing Australians to listen to the Survivors’ stories with open hearts and without judgement, the foundation hopes more people will be engaged in the healing process.”

So far more than 30 people have shared their personal histories for the Project. You can watch them online at www.stolengenerationstestimonies.com

Free information workshops on carbon farming

Posted: February 10th, 2012

Filed under: Binnu, carbon farming, climate change, Geraldton, Morawa, Mullewa, NACC

The Northern Agricultural Catchment Council (NACC) and Australian Carbon Traders are teaming up to offer free workshops on the Federal Government’s Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) in various regional towns.

The CFI offers land managers opportunities to earn money from activities that store carbon in the soil or reduce certain harmful emissions.

The workshops are a great opportunity to learn about carbon farming, what it is, how it works, and how it might affect you.

Workshops will be held in Morawa and Mullewa on February 15, and in Geraldton and Binnu on February 16. For more information on the workshops go to the NACC website nacc.com.au.

To learn more about the Federal Government’s Carbon Farming Initiative visit the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency website.