Cape York Partnership representatives shared lessons from our reform journey and our role in building strong partnerships.
Cape York Partnership showcased its leadership in community-driven reform, youth engagement, and regional collaboration at the 2026 Ignite Our Future: Purpose & Pathways Summit in Boorloo (Perth).
Hosted by Jawun in partnership with the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council, with support from KPMG, the summit was held on Whadjuk Noongar Country from 28 April to 1 May.
Representing CYP were Mayi Market Project Support Officer Amelia Ahwang-Sam and School to Jobs Manager Karl Adams, who attended the summit and led a session on CYP’s work in Cape York.
Their session highlighted CYP’s long history of community-led reform, the creation of practical youth opportunities, and its role in helping establish Jawun as a model for connecting corporate, government, and philanthropic resources with Indigenous-led priorities.
The discussion drew strong interest, with delegates keen to learn from CYP’s decades of place-based work.
Mayi Market Project Support Officer Amelia Ahwang-Sam said it was a privilege to share CYP’s story with leaders from across the country.
“It was a privilege to share some of CYP’s story and the work that continues across Cape York,” Amelia said. “There was a real appetite in the room to learn from each other and talk honestly about what it takes to create change that is led by community.”
Manager of School to Jobs Karl Adams said the summit was a valuable opportunity to share CYP’s approach to supporting young people into meaningful pathways.
“For us, it was important to talk about practical action — how we support young people to build confidence, make decisions about their future and connect with real opportunities,” Karl said. “It was great to share what we have learned through School to Jobs and hear how other regions are tackling similar challenges.”
CYP has always believed that strong partnerships should back local leadership, not replace it. That message really connected with people at the summit.”
Manager - School to Jobs, Karl Adams
The summit opened with a Welcome to Country on the banks of the Derbarl Yerrigan, setting the tone for a week focused on leadership, connection and community-led change.
Across the week, delegates explored youth empowerment, governance, resilience and systems change. For CYP, the summit was also a chance to reconnect with Jawun’s broader network and reflect on the organisation’s early role in shaping a model that continues to support Indigenous-led reform across Australia.
CYP left the summit with stronger relationships and a renewed focus on local leadership in Cape York.
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