The Yarrabah conference room was full of anticipation and determination as over a dozen participants from Yarrabah gathered for the five-day Cape York Institute Leadership Academy (CYILA) – Positive Respectful Relationship Project.
Funded by the Queensland Government, the project involves a partnership between the Yarrabah community, the Department of Justice and Attorney-General and the Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts.
The project delivered meaningful leadership training to the young people in Yarrabah to build upon the strengths of First Nations identity and the local Yarrabah youth committee.
On the first day of the CYILA project, participants said they were looking forward to what it took to be a leader of their community.
“We don’t have enough opportunities here in community that focuses on youth and community empowerment,” one participant said. “When I saw this program, I had no hesitation in participating.
Over the five days they joined in a range of leadership workshops as well as hands-on activities, like being on Country cracking oysters and fishing. These activities were not just for their enjoyment but to connect them with the Country of their ancestors and connect with each other.
“Connecting with country is how we heal as First Nations people,” said CYILA Project Coordinator, Ivy Minniecon. “It’s how we retain our identity and renew our focus.”
During the week, participants also had the opportunity to visit several Cape York Partnership sites. The young leaders heard from the different entities, the O-Hub team, Pama Platform, Bama Services, and Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership, about empowerment, leadership and relationship building.
“What really caught my eyes was seeing the different departments working really hard to serve community,” Malachi Ambrym said.
This was not only an opportunity for the young leaders to network but also be inspired by the leadership and advocacy of those who have come before them. The participants saw faces around the room of Cape York leaders, past and present, and heard stories of struggle and triumph.
Another focus of the project was to enhance community safety for young people by promoting respectful, safe and healthy relationships. They heard talks about consent, personal and online safety, and reducing the risk of domestic, family and youth violence.
Ivy highlighted the project’s importance in addressing toxic relationships.
“We have young parents and young people coming from broken homes that deal with domestic violence,” she said. “This was an opportunity to provide a space to have yarns, and to equip and empower our young leaders to break this cycle.”
The Positive Respectful Relationship Project is a stepping stone towards a brighter future for these young people, now equipped with the resources and skill set to take lead in their community of Yarrabah.
