How do you create education and employment pathways that honour culture, strengthen community, and don’t require young people to leave Country? In remote northeast Arnhem Land, the answer lay in trust, Elder leadership, and designing programs that reflect Yolngu values from the ground up.
The brief
How do you create education and employment pathways that honour culture, strengthen community, and don’t require young people to leave Country? In remote northeast Arnhem Land, the answer lay in trust, Elder leadership, and designing programs that reflect Yolngu values from the ground up.
Outcomes achieved:
- Elder-led recruitment process based on language, culture, and candidate strengths brought forward capable and dedicated young people
- High levels of participant engagement and completion achieved without requiring young people to leave Country
- Transferable skills developed and practiced at the annual Garma Festival, working alongside employers
- Strong community ownership supported continuity – including the decision to delay a ceremony for five weeks so all participants could complete training
- Increased confidence and readiness among participants for ongoing employment or further training
- Employment secured for participants, with some continuing in long-term roles
What we learned
When Elders guide, young people lead, and the community shapes decisions, real capability grows. Strength was built quietly in a place where people were trusted to act, skills were shared, and next steps were taken together. Programs succeed when they reflect community values.