Inspired: Yorta Yorta woman and former Ganbina participant Lena-Jean Charles-Loffel says the Ganbina Awards help motivate and inspire local First Nations students.
The Goulburn Valley’s inspired and motivated First Nations youth are to be duly recognised.
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In their 19th year, Ganbina’s Youth Achievement Awards, to be held on Friday, November 10, will recognise achievement in education, training and employment by the Goulburn Valley’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.
Yorta Yorta woman and former Ganbina participant Lena-Jean Charles-Loffel won several awards as a youth and said they helped change a well-worn narrative for her.
“When you’re an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander kid, you’re constantly hearing about how we’re not doing enough,” she said.
“It (the awards night) allowed you to give yourself a pat on the back and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students a pat on the back as well.
“The Ganbina awards provide the space to celebrate that, in fact, we are doing a lot. It made you feel inspired and motivates you to achieve and do more things in your education and career.”
Each year, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth from Year 7 up to the age of 25 living in the Goulburn Valley can apply to be recognised for their accomplishments in education, training and employment.
Recognition: Ganbina’s Youth Leadership Program co-ordinator Rianne Hood says it’s important to acknowledge the educational and employment achievements of the Goulburn Valley’s Indigenous youth.
Ganbina Youth Leadership Program co-ordinator and programs manager Rianne Hood said the awards night was also a celebration of community and culture.
“It’s common to see our youth achieve in sports, as we are very sports-focused, and it’s always celebrated, but it’s not always acknowledged or celebrated when they are achieving in education, training and employment,” she said.
“That’s why it’s important for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth to see within themselves and their peers that they are making significant achievements in these areas, and that is something to be very proud of.”
Established in 2004 by Shepparton-based Aboriginal charity Ganbina, the awards were founded to counteract the negative narrative about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth participation and success in education, training and employment.
At the time, it was estimated as many as 80 per cent of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population were unemployed. Education retention was also low compared to the non-Indigenous community, and Year 12 attainment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth was rare.
As a result, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth are often exposed to a negative narrative about their community’s levels of attainment in education and employment.
The awards night also celebrates the Yorta Yorta and Bangerang culture of the Goulburn Valley with a cultural immersion and traditional welcome from a local Elder and a cultural performance featuring current and past Ganbina participants.
Deserving: Ganbina chief executive Anthony Cavanagh says the charity’s awards help build pride among their participants.
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Ganbina chief executive Anthony Cavanagh said the awards night served as a reminder for Goulburn Valley Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth to be proud of what they had achieved during the year.
“We are seeing a generation of highly educated, skilled and confident Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth coming through, and the community is very proud of them,” he said.
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