The Department of the House of Representatives has launched Yarning, a new competition for First Nations secondary school students across Australia.
The Yarning competition is about storytelling. It aims to raise awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and provide a platform for young First Nations Australians to connect with the work of the Australian Parliament.
The Department of the House of Representatives said the goal of Yarning is to give young First Nations students a chance to share their perspectives and stories with a broader audience.
“We also want to increase students’ understanding of the work of the department and the Australia Parliament,” it said.
The competition is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in years 7/8, 9/10 and 11/12 to share their unique stories and experiences.
Students from regional, rural and remote areas are encouraged to take part and showcase their stories.
There are four themes to choose from and students can choose from different creative mediums such as two-dimensional artworks; a piece of writing; photographs or videos; or a song, speech or soundscape. The themes are:
- Country and connection
- Identity and culture
- Family and community
- Reconciliation
Entries will be judged on how engaging the storytelling is, the originality and creativity, how relevant the entry is to its theme, and the care and effort that has gone into its presentation. The judging panel includes members of the APS Indigenous Senior Executive Network and the Parliamentary Services Indigenous Employee Network.
The three winners will be flown to Canberra for three nights and will meet the Minister and Shadow Ministers for Indigenous Australians. They also get to share their entries, enjoy private tours behind the scenes of Parliament House, and a prize pack of goodies from the Parliament Shop.
Entries can be submitted via the online entry form. Entries close 30 May.
Full details of the competition are available at yarning.houseofrepresentatives.gov.au.
