Sport Australia Project #6720

Inspire and empower Indigenous youth in Australia

by Action Change (Formerly GVI Trust)

Project Report | Mar 15, 2017
Looking Ahead to The Trip South 2017

By Deb Oliver | Desert2Surf Founder and Director

Trisha and Sharleena

Dear Supporters,

During the period from Trip South 2016 (December 2016) until now (March 2017) Desert2Surf has had no trips/activity to report. The main reason for this lack of activity was that only AU$137 remained in Desert2Surf’s bank account by the end of 2016.

However, unexpectedly and wonderfully, The GVI Trust has recently notified Desert2Surf of the arrival of more funding- this funding has come directly from you, our generous donors here on GlobalGiving! At this stage, the funding will go directly into Trip South 2017. In Trip South 2017 a number (depending on funding closer to the time) of indigenous youth from the remote Northern Territory will travel to Victoria to engage in a surfing and cultural exchange program. This will occur in late November/early December when the weather is Victoria is mild enough for the Territorians.

Desert2Surf is incredibly relieved and excited that the funding has become available. It will enable us to focus more heavily on the leadership component of its program this year. Given that all three Trip South 2016 participants (Wyonna, Samuel and Marcianne) presented as enthusiastic, competent and impressive leaders, the plan is to structure Trip South 2017 so that one of girls becomes the leader/chaperone for some younger participants.

The younger participants were noted on Desert2Surf’s Stand and Lead 2016 trip to Minyerri Community. The hope is these girls will be available for trip South in 2017. The girls (Trisha, Sharleena and Shanika) are pictured below and will be a great age to be led/chaperoned by either Marcianne or Wyonna.

Conducting Stand and Lead 2017 would, amongst many other things, really ensure the success of Trip South 2017. However, this will require significant extra funding. Fortunately, the relationships between all participants and Desert2Surf and the associated communities are very strong and indicate the likelihood of a fantastic Trip South 2017 for these remote and disadvantaged youth who are so deserving.

Thank you so much for your support, which has given us renewed hope that we will be able to conduct a Trip South this year!

With Gratitude,
Desert2Surf

Shanika

Wyonna

Marcianne

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Dec 29, 2016
Trip South 2016: Surfing and Cultural Exchange!

By Deb Oliver | Desert2Surf Founder

Three participants joined us in Melbourne!

Dear Supporters,

We are so pleased that we were able to end 2016 off on such a high note!

We managed to bring 3 Australians down from the Northern Territory to Melbourne thanks to you and your donations! From the 3-7 December, we hosted Marcianne, Samuel and Wyonna in Melbourne, taking them surfing and engaging them in various cultural activities. It really was an amazing week!

Samuel and Wyonna live in a place called Gorge Camp, which is 20km east of Katherine. Marcianne lives in Minyerr, 270km south of Katherine. All three of them have previously attended our Stand and Lead trips and have done stand up paddling with us before. Samuel and Wyonna have even been surfing with us before!

Samuel helped us with all of the travel arrangements including all bus trips between Katherine and Darwin, all taxi arrangements and payments in Darwin, and timely arrival and check in for flights at Darwin airport. Marcianne was the (stand out) leader during the surfing. She was first into her wetsuit before helping the others, she was first to get a board off the car and help the others with carrying to the beach, she was first to be ready for the beach lesson and assisted the others with technique practice, she was first into (and last out of) the water and overflowed with encouragement for the others as they embraced the art of riding the waves.

The surfing at Point Road Knight built the participant’s self-confidence, self-esteem and self-belief and every participant expressed a desire to fulfil any Desert2Surf requirements in order to participate in future trips. These requirements include regular school attendance, a commitment to their employment and training and a commitment to making healthy life choices. All trip participants commented that they wished Trip South 2016 could run for at least a week longer!

Providing trip participants with the opportunity to engage with an organisation, a school in Victoria and family facilitated positive cultural exchange. Desert2Surf also organised a visit to a small organic farm in Warburton for trip participants to meet the property’s delightful owners and take a tour. Desert2Surf’s aim with the cultural exchange of this kind is to build on trip participants’ ability to successfully navigate the mainstream.

Thank you for your support this year which made this trip possible!

With Gratitude,
Desert2Surf

Getting the hang of the waves

Fun times in the sea!

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Nov 3, 2016
Testimonial from Trip Participant

By Kate Robey | The GVI Trust, Operations Manager

Dear Supporters,

Today we'd like to share with you some feedback from one of the participants on our Trip South 2015. Christina* was 16 at the time of participating in the trip, this is what she had to say.

"I was lucky enough to be chosen to take part in the Desert2Surf trip which took me down to Victoria with my cousin and Mum for a week to participate in activities that included road trips along part of the Great Ocean Road, visiting chocolate factories, storytelling and two-way learning between my family and our wonderful host family, yoga, creative thinking, shopping in the city, sightseeing and most importantly, surfing plus much, much more.

This trip was one of the most amazing trips I have ever been on still up to this day a year on. I learnt so much more about my country and some of the amazing people living in it, and more importantly myself. This trip took me out of my small outback town in the Northern Territory and down to a lovely city with amazing coastal beaches in the outer suburbs.

What made the trip even more enjoyable is that I was able to experience this with my best friend - my Mum - and one of my closest cousins, and we were able to chose some of the activities we would like to try. We were encouraged to feel that this was 'our' trip, and that made us feel more comfortable and made the trip very enjoyable being able to have our own input.

We had such an amazing time with Deb and Robbo and their family and friends, and I am so grateful and lucky to be able to have participated in the Desert2Surf trip, and I would highly recommend this trip to anyone else who is invited to participate in the coming years.

I thank both Deb and Robbo and their families for taking us into their homes and making us feel very welcome. It is a trip that I will never forget and will be forever grateful for as it helped me build my confidence, self-worth, determination and mindset, and have a more open outlook on life and this beautiful country I'm glad to call home."

Thank you so much to you, our donors, for making trips like this possible. These trips are funded 100% by donations so experiences like this wouldn't be possible without you!

With Gratitude,

Desert2Surf

*not her actual name

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