Dreaming Together in Yarrabah: A Community Vision For Learning

Over two powerful days, NIYEC had the privilege of being invited to the Far North Queensland community of Yarrabah, by Yidinji and Djungan woman, Ngema Andrews – member of our Action Collective — to deliver our Dream Design workshop.

Across the two days, participants shared their own learning journeys, unpacked the historical and political realities of education, and mapped a future where education uplifts, honours, and reflects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity and ways of knowing.

What emerged was a powerful vision for a future-focused learning system grounded in cultural strength, community leadership, and self-determination.

“Education is, I believe, one of the strongholds that really moulds us as a community — culturally and spiritually,” says Ngema.

The workshop was part of a larger journey — one that began when Ngema attended the 2024 Dream Design Summit in Naarm (Melbourne).

There, she connected with other leaders from across the country to imagine a new future for First Nations education.

“I gathered a lot of knowledge and experience about how the education system is rolled out across the country — and how we, as Indigenous People, could really work together to create some kind of strategy to better our education goals,” says Ngema.

A key outcome of that national gathering was the creation of the Dream Design Collective Agreement 2024, a document that outlines a shared vision and commitment to building learning systems by us, for us.

The Yarrabah workshop brought that national vision into a local context, creating a powerful platform for community voice.

Among those who attended was Kuku-Yalanji woman Gweneth Yeatman, a Yarrabah resident of over 58 years. She shared:

“My passion is our young people.

“I want them to have a better life and take advantage of the opportunities we didn’t have.

“It’s up to us — the parents, grandparents, and Elders — to support them, empower them, and help them make positive choices.

“Like the saying goes: you must remember your past before you can get to the future.

“Our Elders are the past, we are the present, and our young people are the future.

“When you’re passionate about something, it’s your heart that drives you to keep going.

“Our children are worth fighting for. That’s why I keep doing what I’m doing.”

We are deeply grateful to the Yarrabah community for your warmth, wisdom, and courage. Your vision will continue to shape the work of the Dream Design movement. We’re walking with you, every step of the way.