Congratulations to five participants of the Korin Gamadji Institute’s REAL Program, who successfully passed ‘The Indigenous Education Bill’ in the 27th annual YMCA Victoria Youth Parliament yesterday.
Lillian Arnold-Rendell, Kzanne Atkinson, Tahlia Biggs, Dylan Burns and Jake Berthelot successfully debated to introduce cultural education as a part of the curriculum in Victorian schools.
The annual YMCA Youth Parliament of Victoria program provides 120 young people aged 16-25 the opportunity to take over the chambers of Parliament House and debate issues and ideas important to them.
The KGI, which is supported by the Federal Government, partnered with the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) to deliver educational sessions to REAL Program participants, encouraging a culture of active citizenship in young people, as a component of the program.
The Youth Parliament team feel passionately about educating the whole community about Indigenous culture and history.
“We hope that an increased cultural education will promote understanding and prevent racism towards Indigenous cultures”, team leader, Lillian Arnold-Rendell said.
The KGI provides specific programming for Indigenous youth to educate, empower and provide meaningful career pathway opportunities for the participants to work towards.
“We’re extremely proud of the five participants of Youth Parliament, who were not only successful to progress their Bill forward, but for debating passionately on an issue that will benefit the whole community,” said Belinda Duarte, Director Korin Gamadji Institute.
“It’s initiatives like this that will go a long way to bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.”
The student’s Bill will now be passed onto the relevant minister for review and discussion. Since the program commenced, more than 25 Bills that have passed the Youth Parliament have gone on to become Victorian legislation, including Drug Testing for Drivers, Over the Counter Availability of the Morning After Pill and Replacing Glass with Plastics in Nightclubs notorious for Glass Related Violence.
