Work on sport, recreation and education school holiday programs

The opportunity to live and work in a remote Indigenous community is one of the most challenging, rewarding and satisfying experiences in building an understanding of Indigenous cultures. YCA has been working in Indigenous Central Australian communities since 2004 and is now pleased to welcome you to our newest program in Australia, West Arnhem Land.

YCA is currently recruiting volunteers for the following communities:

Maningrida

Maningrida is a self-governing Indigenous community in the heart of the Arnhem Land region of Australia's Northern Territory. Situated on the coast, it is 500 km east of Darwin and 300 km north east of Jabiru. The community is a large one with an approximate population of 2,690 people and two supermarkets, a health clinic, police station and school. The Kunibídji people are the traditional landowners of this country. The meaning of the place-name Maningrida, which, according to the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation, is an Anglicisation of the Djeebbana name Manayingkarírra. This is said to come from a phrase, mane djang karirra that means ‘place where the dreaming changed shape’;[1]. At least ten languages are spoken in Maningrida.

Minjilang

Minjilang is an Aboriginal island community located 230 kms north east of Darwin in west Arnhem land. The Croker Island groups are the most northerly inhabited part of the Northern Territory and is about one hour’s flight from Darwin. The largest community is Minjilang on Croker Island itself with a population of approximately 270 people. There are 2 language's used on Croker Island, the Iwadja and the Moaur.   Arnhem Land is widely considered a hub of traditional Aboriginal culture and Minjilang is no exception. Many Aborigines acknowledge Croker Island as the birthplace of the Rainbow Serpent - one of the most important spiritual beings in tales of the Dreamtime.

Warruwi

The North and South Goulburn Islands are located in Auray Bay off the northern Arnhem Land coast inthe Indian Ocean. Warruwi is a village on the southern tip of the south island, about 290km east-northeast of Darwin located. The Warruwi people are the traditional owners of the Goulburn Islands and the population of the community is around 330 people.   Culture: Warruwi has a rather dark history like much of the Northern Territory. In the Early 1940's a Mission was formed on the island and many Indigenous children were stolen from the area. Today however there is no industry on Croker Island and visits to island are by invitation only. The community is still very traditional, in that most of the food eaten on the island is collected and hunted from the sea and the country as the season dictates. There are four main language groups on the island with the dominant being Iwaidja.

West Arnhem Land Program

Volunteers will support the coordination and running of sport and recreation activities for school aged youth during the Christmas holidays in the communities below. Volunteers will take on various roles of responsibility in promoting, supporting, organising and running the following: Nutritional Eating programs; Activities that promote health awareness; Healthy cultural camps; Smoke free sports carnival; and Volative Substance/Petrol sniffing awareness programs.

The overarching objective of YCA’s partnership with the West Arnhem Land Shire Council is to provide a fun and engaging school holiday program to Indigenous youth in remote communities. The partnership aims to produce increased engagement between Indigenous communities and non-Indigenous persons to improve awareness and cultural understanding across youth in Australia.

Project Partners:

West Arnhem Land Shire Council

West Arnhem Land Shire Council was one of eight new Councils established following the Northern Territory Government’s reform program for local government. The reform transformed the way local government services are delivered to all Territorians living in rural and remote communities.

Effectively, the Council is a conglomeration of five local government bodies: Maningrida Council Incorporated; Jabiru Town Council; Kunbarllanjnja Community Government Council; Minjilang Community Incorporated; and Warruwi Community Incorporated.

Apart from the traditional local government services, the Council also provides a wide range of community programs.  These programs focus on a regional approach so all community members can enjoy the benefits.  These programs include: training and employment; family safety that includes night patrol, safe houses, counselling; maintenance and recording of languages; local radio broadcasting; and sport and recreation. This has been an exciting time for the region and the Council is firmly committed to achieving significant and lasting change to improve the quality of life for all Shire residents.