Dream Design National Summit 2024: Self-determined learning for Indigenous futures
From 3–5 September 2024, over 40 young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delegates gathered on Wurundjeri Country in the Dandenong Ranges for NIYEC’s inaugural Dream Design National Summit.
United by a shared commitment to reimagine education for future generations, participants travelled from across the continent to explore the past and present of learning systems and design a future that is innately Indigenous.
Over the three days, delegates connected through storytelling, examined the history and politics of education in Australia, and envisioned what learning systems built by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people could look like.
The journey began with personal stories - delegates shared their own educational experiences, uncovering common threads and reflections across states, schooling contexts and generations.
From these stories emerged a deep collective understanding of how the systems we have inherited have shaped the lives of Indigenous learners to date and how truth-telling must be central to transforming education.
Delegates were joined by leading First Nations changemakers engaged in truth-telling, movement building and sovereignty work in Victoria, including Indi Clarke, Melissa Kennedy, Commissioner Travis Lovett, Stephen Thorpe and Seau Geas.
Through their experiences, delegates explored how community organising has driven change in areas ranging from treaty to water rights and considered what this means for young people shaping the future of education.
Through collaborative workshops, delegates imagined what a truly Indigenous-centred learning system could be. They envisioned environments that nurture identity, culture, and sovereignty, while providing the tools for young people to thrive in the world on their own terms.
The Summit culminated in the co-creation of the Dream Design Collective Agreement 2024: a powerful call to action outlining a vision for where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people want education to be, the practical steps needed to get there at both local and jurisdictional levels, and the systemic shifts required to ensure lasting change.
“The summit provided an incredible opportunity to build deeper connections with other mob from across the country. It offered a unique space for us to envision and dream about the kind of education we truly want for our communities,” – Dream Design National Summit Delegate.
“The summit was extremely useful in reframing how we think about the future of education, and moving from a deficit model towards a model grounded in our power,” – Dream Design National Summit Delegate.
As the Dream Design movement continues to grow, the Dream Design National Summit marks a significant milestone — led by young people, for young people.
