OUR STORY
We believe freedom and thriving quality of life can be achieved when Indigenous Pedagogies nurture proud and strong lifelong learners.
Our Purpose
To mobilise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth to drive a new education ecosystem where we can govern and self-determine an education of our own design, for the future of our Nations.
National Indigenous Youth Education Coalition (NIYEC)
We recognise the transformative effects education can have in our lives and communities. Through education we can assert self-determination, improve health outcomes, supporting employment opportunities and building our communities.
However, Australia has the fourth most socially-segregated education systems in the OECD, and that inequity is growing. This disproportionately impacts our mob, given that education in Australia has been used as a tool to assimilate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, to take from us our cultures, languages and family. This history continues to impact our communities and influence the education institutions and systems available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners today.
In 2015, through the support of the UN Secretary General's Global Education First Initiative Youth Advocacy Group and the Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education, Hayley McQuire held a National Indigenous Youth Education Advocacy Workshop to establish a network of young mob to understand to share collective experiences and rethink the future of education. The workshop brought together 19 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people from around Australia. The workshop delegates developed a Call To Action which highlighted the changes they wanted to see the education system.
It was clear at this workshop that greater work needed to be done to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are engaged in the decisions made about their education, and supported to be the next generation of education leaders that redefine and reimagine education.
Together delegates formed the National Indigenous Youth Education Coalition to drive this work.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth Call for Education
Our Artwork Story
Our logo was designed by Krystal Hurst, Worimi artist and owner of Gillawara Arts and Kimiah Alberts, Gungalu, Koinjmal, Yiman and South Sea Islander graphic designer and owner of Wantok Designs.
We are a diverse group of young people, from different Countries, of many rivers, embarking on a journey to come together for our right to equitable education.
Our Old People laid the foundation for us to continue the stepping stones to freedom and empowerment for future generations.
As we come together with our minds and hearts, with our hands together as one, we are the powerful force to create change for a better education system that is culturally safe for our mob to thrive throughout our entire life.