Indigenous Community Volunteers

Are you qualified or skilled in event management, graphic design, programming and project management?

A skilled volunteer is required to help build capacity of local individuals and community groups in Townsville through informal training in community events planning and project management.

A national Native title conference is being held in Townsville which acknowledges the 20th Anniversary of the Mabo Native Title decision. The project committee wishes to host a two day Reconciliation Festival which coincides with the conference but focuses more on celebrating the practical gains regarding reconciliation post Mabo.

The project committee has indentified a worker to lead this project and requires a skilled volunteer to transfer their event planning and project management skills to the project leader. Ideally skills should include resourcefulness, preparation, setting of timelines and milestones, and developing communication strategies for community events.

This assignment is designed to help the committee gain valuable organisational skills and develop a draft events program. The volunteer will build capacity in the committee and workers so they can undertake future planning for similar events themselves.

The project is aligned with Townsville City Council’s Community Plan for Strong, Connected Community.

Palm Island community has identified the need for help with writing grant applications to secure funding for youth development projects. Securing funding will help Palm Island youth programs develop confidence and self worth in young people, giving them the best possible opportunities in life.

Initially the volunteer will work alongside the Youth Program Officer and her staff at the Palm Island Police-Citizens Youth Club, writing successful funding applications and also passing on their grant writing and researching skills. This process will be ongoing until the skills have been developed successfully. Additionally, the volunteer could possibly be involved in holding short sessions on grant and submission writing tips for the interest of the community (these would be organised by the community applicant).

In the longer term, staff at the Palm Island Police-Citizens Youth Club would like to be able to write their own funding applications and run sessions to pass on researching and writing submissions skills to community members.

Skills required are:
• Submission writing
• Office administration
• Teaching
• Tutoring
• Youth Worker experience

Dates for this placement are (approximately) 30th April - 18th May 2012

Accommodation is in a teacher’s self-contained Unit, the volunteer is required to provide own linen and food.

The Gunbalanya Community (Oenpelli) in West Arnhem are looking for a volunteer with radio, media broadcasting and editing experience.

The volunteer will need to be able to teach adult learning, knowing that English maybe a second or third language with known barriers around literacy and numeracy. Topics taught will include radio equipment basics, compiling content for radio shows, interview techniques, recording and playback and trouble shooting,

The volunteer will also be required to leave a process in place for participants, together with a manual for participants to pass knowledge onto others. It is hoped that, after completion of the project, participants will be able to gain qualifications in broadcasting.