Darebin Schools Yarning Conference 2023

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Reconciliation Victoria’s Education officer attended the sixth Darebin Schools’ NAIDOC Yarning Conference earlier this month.  The Yarning conference is a Darebin Council program taking cultural and program advice from Clothing the Gaps,Uncle Bill Nicholson, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural HeritageCorporation,  and the Korrie Education Support Officer, DET. 

The conferencetakes the NAIDOC theme from earlier in the year, and participating schoolslearn and embed teachings from the theme, and truth telling more widely intothe school curriculum leading up to the conference day. The Yarning conferencefocuses on grade 5 kids. 

This year, 20Schools (a mix of state and independent) took part, with over 420 students inattendance. 

After learning aboutthe NAIDOC theme “For our Elders” for the past few months, on the day of theYarning Conference the kids participated in activities led by CulturalEducators, and also heard speeches by guests, including Brent Ryan (DirectorEngagement, Support and Communications, Yoorrook Justice Commission), and UncleBill Nicolson (Wurrunjeri Woi-Wurrung Elder).