Our Way Home
Workforce Development Program
“Rebuilding Indigenous cultural knowledge and building new futures within and beyond the Tasmanian Aboriginal community.”
Nayri Niara’s “Our Way Home” workforce development program reflects our core values of sharing and rebuilding Indigenous knowledge, culture and ways of being, promoting inclusivity and building and strengthening relationships between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous community, investing in longer term community building and teaching lasting skills in a safe and spirit raising environment. Mentees learn entrepreneurship through an Indigenous cultural and wellbeing lens, inviting a sense of community, purpose and belonging.
Nayri Niara is determined to break down cultural barriers, address intergenerational trauma and ‘Close the Gap’ for Indigenous people by providing reconnection to First Nations cultural practices for healing, disrupt systemic poverty through Nayri Niara’s “Our Way Home” workforce development program, and heal the epidemic of isolation and mental health crisis through providing connection and belonging.
The “Our Way Home” Program has seen more than 50 mentees successfully graduate and go on to flourish within the creative arts, tourism, design, events and hospitality sectors. We feel deeply proud.
Hear directly from the voice of First Nations “Our Way Home” mentee, Zane.
“We believe in belonging - knowing that we, & what we create, matters to the world.”
— Ruth Langford, founder and director of Nayri Niara
Support our work by making a donation.
Your donation towards Nayri Niara’s Indigenous Social Enterprise and “Our Way Home” workforce development program helps strengthen relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, investing in longer term community building, creating job opportunities and skills, helping us in our work towards ‘Closing the Gap’ for Indigenous people.
Our Way Home Journey:
Program launch: 2017
No. of programs to date: 6
Total no. of mentees completed program: 50 +
Program success:
Michelle Maynard won the State Training Award
Meahd Farnaby won the National Project Management Award
Warren Mason created & launched Tin Camp Studios at the 2019 Nayri Niara Good Spirit Festival, which has been greatly successful, featured at the 2021 Mona Foma, now touring Tasmania & featured again at the 2022 Nayri Niara Good Spirit Festival
Joshua Langford went on to produce cultural works across the State
Linda Brinkman created & launched Story Dome at the 2019 Nayri Niara Good Spirit Festival which was featured again at the 2022 Nayri Niara Good Spirit Festival due to its success
Variety of participants have now gone on to working in the events, creative arts, hospitality, design & tourism sectors.
2022 Program:
In March Nayri Niara launched its 6th “Our Way Home” Mentee Program alongside the Nayri Niara Good Spirit Festival. Nayri Niara, in partnership with the Institute of Project Management, Events Tasmania & the Local Jobs Program (Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment), engaged 15 Southern Tasmanian Indigenous & non-Indigenous individuals aged 16-25 to join a 12-week paid internship to gain a Certificate 4 in Project Management. The program fostered a ‘learn-by-doing’ experience with an Indigenous cultural knowledge and well-being lens, mentoring, & hands-on project management experience by assisting in the production of the 6th Nayri Niara Good Spirit Festival(celebrated 22-25 April on lunawuni/Bruny Island).
The 15 mentees experienced a transformational 12-weeks, having completed their Certificate 4 in project management, delivered the 3-day Nayri Niara Good Spirit Festival, & received live work experience in the Events, Cultural Creative Arts, Tourism & Hospitality sectors through mentoring with some of Tasmanians most exciting creative individuals. They not only learned invaluable skills within Project Management but they created a strong sense of connection & purpose within themselves, each other & the broader community.
Image Contributors
Jillian Mundy • Peter Casamento • Jessica Coughlan
‘This Local Jobs Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment’.
