Indigenous Community Volunteers

The record number of Indigenous Community Volunteers working at the country’s premier Indigenous festival is not the only way ICV is participating at Garma in the Northern Territory’s East Arnhem Land.

The festival which runs from August 6th – 10th is also a chance for ICV to explain to people what it does and also the chance for it to raise funds needed to continue its growth.

A variety of organisations, including industry, tertiary institutions and government agencies use the festival to explain what they have on offer and in ICV’s case a chance to raise its profile.

ICV employees Wayne Harvey and Alicia Edwards are operating a stand located amongst a number of other similar displays.

“It is about creating community awareness of what ICV is about and promote its fundraising activities,” Alicia explained. “Many of the people coming up and talking to us are looking at being potential volunteers and want to know more about what we do.”

She said a number of people sought out the stand after seeing Indigenous Community Volunteers in their distinctive t-shirts carrying out a variety of roles at the festival.

Wayne says ICV’s presence is also an opportunity for Aboriginal communities to find out more about the organisation.

“Some communities have approached us and we have explained how we can assist in everything from writing submissions to assisting in developing a market garden or checking for rheumatic heart disease.”

Garma is the largest single operation that ICV has placed its people who are involved in everything from stage management, to ticketing to garbage collection.

Like the 13 volunteers Wayne and Alicia are camping on the site in some of the 1000 tents supplied by festival organisers.