Stories
Around Australia, stories of hope, vision and determination prove that community-owned development is transforming lives every day. Each Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community we work with has a story worth sharing.
Blokes on Track
Blokes on Track is a group of men who have big ambitions to address some of the significant challenges facing Aboriginal people and communities in Central Australia.
Supporting a second chance at positive change in WA
Ngalla Maya is a not-for-profit organisation located in Perth WA, designed to reduce Australia’s disturbing Indigenous incarceration rate and bring about positive change within the prison system.
Meet Téa and Belle
Meet Tea, aged 11 and Belle, aged 8. These two budding entrepreneurs have teamed up to create a socially conscious business with support from their parents and ICV.
Planning success for Coobabla Farm
Coobabla Farm is a beautiful 650 hectare mixed farming property in WA owned by Woolah-Wah Land Aboriginal Corporation (WWLAC).
Big news for Littlewell
The now abandoned Littlewell Reserve has a rich history and significance to the local Aboriginal people who lived there until the early 1970s.
Gudjuda showing their capability for the Commonwealth Games
With the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games set to commence in April 2018, the State Government has been on the lookout for cultural tourism programs as part of its regional events initiative.
Mosaics bring a school and community together in remote Wiluna
ICV and Wiluna Remote Community School (WRCS) have a long-term relationship dating back to 2010, partnering on a number of activities over the years.
Engaging and Inspiring young people to achieve in Wreck Bay
Guramaa Global Indigenous Corporation has developed a number of unique learning programs that will embed into the curriculum of the schools in Wreck Bay. Enabling and encouraging students to aspire, and focus on a career of their choice.
Envizioning a brighter future in Cairns
enVizion is the only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander run training provider in the region. The aim of the group is to break the generational unemployment cycle with specialised pre-employment, mentoring and training programs.
Healing the cycle of domestic violence in Pilbara
A sad reality is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 34 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence when compared to other Australian women. And the rate is even higher in WA’s Pilbara region.
Larapinta Trail 2016
The Larapinta Trail through central Australia is one of the seven Great Walks of Australia and is noted as one of the top ten walks in the world.
The Day ICV and NASA crossed paths
ICV volunteer Danielle recounts the day she and Martu school children had a chance encounter with NASA as they prepared for a mission to Mars.
Toys Change Lives
Located in the northern NSW town of Casino, the program is called Toys Change Lives (TCL) and is open to young men who have been released from youth detention. Participants are taught the basics of woodwork then supported and encouraged to create wooden toys and furniture.
Hands-on engagement in Numbulwar
The Numbulwar community was looking to engage their youth more in community life and provide them with skills and confidence for potential job opportunities.
Spreading the word in WA
Mulga Mail is the only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander newspaper in Western Australia and has built a strong reputation as a reliable source for local news, positive stories and important issues.
Achieving better health in Aputula
Aputula Aboriginal Corporation (AAC) implements initiatives to promote healthier lifestyles for the remote Aputula community. Recently AAC took on the management of a community building to facilitate a range of health-focused membership programs called the ‘Aputula Aboriginal Achievers Club’.
Opening doors to a sustainable future in Katoomba
In the heart of the beautiful Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, the Aboriginal Cultural Resource Centre (ACRC) provides much-needed services for the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
Aboriginal memorial garden becomes a reality
For the past year, ICV has been working with the Dharriwaa Elders Group based in Walgett, NSW. The Group aims to support Aboriginal Elders to resume leadership roles in the community, keeping active and healthy, and to promote local Aboriginal cultural knowledge and identity.
Keeping history alive in the Flinders
At the junction of the famous Oodnadatta and Birdsville Tracks, some 680 kilometres north of Adelaide in the beautiful Flinders area, lies the little town of Marree.
Reviving a school library in remote WA
The Wiluna community wanted to ensure that their children would be strong learners. To meet the community’s goal, Wiluna invited IVC to assist them in reviving the school library.
Opening doors to economic opportunity and social inclusion
Many people dream of the day they pass their driving test. It’s their ticket to independence, and it can open so many doors to economic opportunity and social inclusion.
Griffith business partners for social outcome success
A new local business partnership with a national charity will increase opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people.
Yara Custom Wear provides quality work wear, corporate and sport uniforms to business, government and sporting organisations Australia-wide.
Kurrawang community on a path to success and sustainability
Kurrawang is a self-governing Aboriginal community close to Kalgoorlie, 600km East of Perth. ICV has been working with Kurrawang since 2013. Our first collaboration was to improve the community’s financial stability.
Supporting cultural and creative wellbeing
Baluk Arts is a non-profit Aboriginal arts organisation owned by Aboriginal artists from Frankston, the Mornington Peninsula and wider south-east Melbourne. Through Baluk Arts, family groups and members of the Stolen Generation have reconnected with their culture and can express their histories through strong artistic practices that support their cultural and creative wellbeing.
Bringing history back to life
Nanima Village is a former mission on the outskirts of Wellington, between Orange and Dubbo in NSW. It was the first inland Aboriginal mission and is Australia’s longest continually operating reserve. The Village is managed by the Wellington Local Aboriginal Land Council (WLALC) and its members have an ambitious vision to restore it to its former glory.
Improving water security in rural WA
Coobabla Farm is a beautiful 650 hectare mixed farming property in WA. Owned by the Woolah Wah Land Aboriginal Corporation (WWLAC), it is an important base for the Coobabla Farm community and future generations.
Aboriginal music festival to celebrate Reconciliation Week in Geraldton
Midwest Yamaji Music Aboriginal Inc (MYMAI) is a non profit organisation based in Geraldton WA. MYMAI showcases Indigenous artists and creates opportunities for the artistic development of young people in Geraldton.
Better access to health and wellbeing services
Ngunnawal Aboriginal Corporation (Ngunnawal Community Care) is a registered charity dedicated to advancing the interests of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Since 2013, ICV volunteers have been helping staff and community members achieve their goals.
Building skills to improve housing
Katampul Aboriginal Corporation (KAC) manages a small village of several families in the town of Leonora, north of Kalgoorlie. A shortage of housing led ICV volunteers to help scope renovations of run-down dwellings, which helped KAC secure funding to complete the work.
New gathering space brings big benefits
Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association (HICSA) provides a range of vital services to the community in and around Healesville, Victoria. Architect and ICV volunteer Noel recently helped renovate an old metal workshop which is now being used as a year-round art space and gathering place.
Making hay while the sun shines
The Gerard community is a small, resourceful Aboriginal-controlled local government area in The Riverland, South Australia. ICV volunteer Pete has been designing a fantastic new website which will help Gerard community market its hay. And he’s passed on valuable skills to community members who can now maintain their website and promote their products.
Planning for the future
Ngalla Maya is a not-for-profit organisation which aims to reduce the number of Aboriginal people in custody in Western Australia. Its programs target at risk youths and help people being released from prison to reintegrate successfully into society.
Foundations for a brighter future in Lismore
Jarjum Centre, a 20 place non-profit Preschool for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children in Lismore, NSW, is bursting at the seams.
In 2015, Jarjum Centre reached out to ICV for help with the design of the new Centre.
All hands on deck for heritage cottage restoration
Menzies is a small mining and pastoral town in WA’s Eastern Goldfields, an eight hour drive east of Perth and home to around 235 people. It is a growing destination for tourists who come to see the famous Lake Ballard Sculptures. But limited accommodation means that few visitors stay and appreciate the rich history of the town.
Keeping Nyoongah Culture Alive
Dumbartung (meaning “We of the people”) is a Perth-based grassroots community organisation committed to supporting the healing of Nyoongah people through cultural initiatives that strengthen spiritual identity and belonging. Over the years it has attracted famous visitors including Bob Dylan, the Dalai Lama and Johnny Cash.
Creating transport links connects communities
Living in a remote area can have its challenges, particularly when good local transport options are hard to come by. With a bold vision and desire to help their community, John and Kitty Tabuai took matters in to their own hands, and a thriving local business was born.
Helping Bowen community plan for the future
Girudala is the only Indigenous-controlled organisation providing much-needed community services in Bowen and surrounding areas in northern QLD. ICV volunteer Ross has been helping review the effectiveness of its programs, and pave the way to a successful, sustainable future.
Meet Rosemary
My name is Rosemary and I am an Aboriginal woman from Richmond, NSW. I’m also a volunteer with ICV, so when you make your donations, it’s people like me you are sending around Australia to help communities in need.
Lending a hand keeps vital community services going
EnVizion Group provides training services to local disadvantaged Indigenous people with multiple extreme learning barriers. It is the only Indigenous training provider in the Cairns regional district. So when EnVizion staff approached ICV for help, volunteer and chartered accountant Michael was more than happy to lend a hand.
Brightening up a remote community brings better job prospects
Numbulwar is a small, primarily Aboriginal community on the Gulf of Carpentaria. Its remoteness means the community has to rely heavily on its own resourcefulness and resilience. Veteran ICV volunteer Allen has been sharing his skills and experience helping Numbulwar locals build infrastructure and restore important sites in the community.
Celebrating strong and resilient community spirit brings generations together.
2015 is a very important year for the Yalata community. It marks the 60th anniversary of the granting of land to the Lutheran Church to form the settlement of Yalata for the Anangu people who were displaced from their tribal lands by the nuclear testing at nearby Maralinga.
Building skills and capacity for long term success in country NSW
Wellington Local Aboriginal Lands Council (LALC) has a big vision, but facing tough times and in receivership for more than six years, its very survival was in doubt. ICV volunteer Ian stepped in to help Wellington LALC turn its fortunes around.
Honey Ants Dreaming
ICV uses this beautiful ‘Honey Ants’ design widely in our communications and publications. Permission to use the artwork was given to us by Rowena Lynch, an artist from the Eastern Arrente, whom we met while working with the community of Santa Teresa, 80km north of Alice Springs.
Indigenous Community Volunteers’ model of invitation and local empowerment is bringing social and economic impacts
The KPMG report Economic and Social Impacts of Indigenous Community Volunteers (ICV) Activities endorses the value of the ICV model of invitation and local empowerment to achieve social and economic impacts.
Building resilience and self-esteem in Griffith
Tirkandi Inaburra Cultural and Development Centre is an Aboriginal community centre offering Aboriginal boys a culturally-based residential program aimed at reducing future contact with the criminal justice
Volunteers in Action
Kerrie Anderson, a Visual Arts school teacher from the Gold Coast of QLD, is a keen supporter of ICV. So much so that she recently decided to get involved in a more hands-on way.
Littlewell Aboriginal Reserve
On the outskirts of Mingenew, a small town 100km south east of Geraldton in WA, lies a significant Aboriginal Reserve called Littlewell. It has a rich history of connection, belonging and hardship for many local Aboriginal families.
"Mirror Mirror on the Screen"
Wednesday night before Easter was a big night for Jilkminggan. The small town on the Roper River had an opening night and about seventy people, young and old, came for the first performance of a play produced by the young members of the town.
Mechanical skills help remote community run smoothly
Locals are delighted to have learned new skills, extended the life of their vehicles and reduced the cost of motoring in a remote community.
Yester Year Bridal Parade showcases hospitality skills
Fifteen young women were able to showcase their new skills at a successful inaugural Yester Year Bridal Parade.
Jarlmadangah Ranger Base open for business in WA
When Nyikina Mangala Rangers asked ICV for help to complete of their ranger base at Jarlmadangah, ICV volunteer Ian jumped at the chance. He spent a month in the remote community teaching the Rangers valuable construction skills. Together they installed two storage containers and built a huge shed to protect them from the harsh WA sun.
Women’s Healing Camp in APY Lands
In October 2014 ATT held its first women's healing camp on the traditional country of the APY Lands in northern South Australia. The camp offered women a unique opportunity to visit traditional Anangu lands and experience the culture and traditions of Ngangkari spiritual healing practices which have been in use for over 60,000 years.
Hands-on help leads to great results
The Yurauna Centre at the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) offers a place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to seek support and guidance. In late 2012 Caroline Hughes, Director at the Yurauna Centre, asked ICV to help with a tutoring program for its students.
Learning practical skills empowers and connects local women
Ngallu Wal Aboriginal Child & Family Centre, in the Doonside area of suburban Sydney, is leading the way in building partnerships which focus on social inclusion and connectedness for local Indigenous people.
Building relationships for long term success in Dubbo
ICV has a long standing relationship with Dubbo Local Aboriginal Land Council (DLALC) which began back in 2008. Since then, ICV volunteers have helped in many different ways.
Hands-on help for local artists
Arts and crafts are a traditional and time-honoured way for people to express themselves and their culture. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, art is also a communications tool for passing on cultural identity and knowledge from one generation to another. And it’s an important source of income for many communities.
The Spinifex People build a brighter future
The story of the Tjuntjuntjara people is one of resilience and determination. The community is part of a larger group known as the ‘Spinifex People’.
Women Working on Country, Warburton
The Ngaanyatjarra Lands cover over 250,000 square kilometres, representing approximately 3% of mainland Australia. The Lands are recognised for their strong cultural and natural values. The Ngaanyatjarra people (Yarnangu) have cared for their country for thousands of years, and their social and cultural activities continue unbroken to the present day.
Three Sistas support their community
The Three Sistas housing initiative, based in Cairns, was the brainchild of social entrepreneurs Janet Guthrie and Stuart Wright. Since 2011 it has been providing affordable housing to people in crisis and transition.
Breathing life in to a cultural treasure ‘MAWONGA’
‘MAWONGA’ is a sprawling 22,350 hectare property to the north of Hillston, New South Wales. It is located on traditional country of the Ngiyampaa people and holds enormous cultural significance.
Small Engines, Big Dreams
Ngukurr is a large community some 300km south east of Katherine. When local men approached ICV seeking assistance to run a small engines training and maintenance program, volunteer, Ken jumped at the opportunity.
High school sweethearts are making dreams come true for their community
The Murray Districts Aboriginal Association (MDAA) was established in the late 1970s in Pinjarra, a small town in the Peel region of Western Australia. ICV has had the privilege of working with MDAA for the past three years. Over this time we have seen MDAA navigate its way through stiff opposition, complex challenges and institutionalised racism.
New skills and new clothes for remote NT community
Bulman Women’s Centre has been operating for a while now with many local women involved in different activities. They are understandably very proud of their centre and its programs which enable women to build their skills in different areas. So when centre coordinator Jill approached ICV with an idea for a sewing program, ICV was delighted to get involved.
Regional Gathering creates new opportunities and lasting connections for Indigenous women
Women play a very important role in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Creating a culturally supportive environment in which they can explore issues that affect their lives and discuss the needs and wants of their communities is key to creating positive, lasting change.
Many hands make light work in Milikapiti
Hi, I’m Peter, and I’d like to share my most recent experience with you because I know it will inspire you as much as it did me. You see, when we work together, we can help Indigenous people in amazing ways.
Western Australia: Numeracy and literacy support is helping create education and employment opportunities
ICV is working closely with the remote communities of Punmu and Jigalong to improve adult literacy and numeracy levels, as part of a long term relationship with communities in the Martu Lands, WA.
Western Australia: Caring for Country and sharing knowledge - Kimberley International Ranger Forum 2013
Indigenous people the world over play an instrumental role in managing and enhancing the natural environment. Australia’s unique Kimberley Ranger Program is a leader in the conservation of heritage resources by combining the wisdom of Elders with modern resources.
Queensland: From trouble in paradise to a thriving, resilient community
Palm Island is an Aboriginal community within Great Palm Island on the Great Barrier Reef in North Queensland. Its natural endowments and breathtaking beauty make it a classic ‘tropical paradise’, but it is not without its problems.
Reconciliation in action through two way learning
The Yolngu people of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory are resourceful and visionary. And helping make their vision a reality is something ICV is delighted to be a part of.
Community gardens bridging cultural divides
Community gardens can be an important ingredient in bringing people together, and bridging cultural divides.
Meet Bob Bowen – ICV volunteer and all round legend
Bob lives with his wife in Culcairn, NSW. He is involved with Rotary, listens to infants reading twice a week, visits an aged hostel and plays lawn bowls. And in his spare time he shares his plumbing knowledge and skills with Indigenous communities through ICV projects.
