The Meeting Place
The Meeting Place is held once a fortnight during school terms, for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children within the Mount Alexander Shire and others who their parents bring from other parts of Victoria. Whilst there, students learn the curriculum, through our way – through Culture to Country. Ages range from early childhood through to high school age and beyond. We learn as a Community and honour all who attend.
Kuli Business
Kuli Business (Men’s business) is for those who identify as male of the age of 12 -25, or at secondary school, under the guidance of Uncle Rick Nelson our young men are taught about Culture and Country. Going out to various parts of Country and various Cultural activities which enables them to continue to be aware how strong and deadly they are. This program is in partnership with Castlemaine Secondary College.
Wararak
Wararak is for young First Nations woman and gender diverse young people between the ages of 12 and 25. Meeting fortnightly during the school term, we engage in soul and community building activities on Country, we learn about woman’s business, traditional ceremony, and anything else that interests our beautiful members. We hope this will help ground the youth in our Community and help them feel more connected to each other and our Culture. Our dream is also that our amazing young people learn to become more present, strong and independent adults.
Me-Mandook Galk Bush Tucker and Education Place
We bought back land near Chewton to heal Djandak, watched over by the Grandmother Tree. It is the site of our new First Nations youth lead Bush Tucker Place, where we sow, grow and sell plants. Our dream is for this place to be an Indigenous Educational hub, to grow our programs and grow our young people. For more details or buy plants go to our page here.
Dharrak Djanga
Dharrak Djanga is the Bush Tucker Project working with the Tabik Mooroopook Upper Loddon Landcare Group, taking place across three sites. This includes a beautiful parcel of land out at Harcourt thanks to Henry of Harmony, where we a doing broad acreage cropping of Bush Tucker, Me-Mandook Galk our Education space, and a new place right in the centre of town where the three creeks meet called Booladj Kiarp Bolealong. All three places are about Bush Tucker growing, Education, and employment for mob. Education in this space is not only critical for mob to learn but also for the wider community to learn about the importance of Country. Dharrak Djanga is funded by Federation of Traditional Owners Corporation, Agriculture Victoria, and DELWP. Dharrak Djanga is part of the Djakitjuk Djanga Community Practice.
Aunty and Uncle Mentoring Program
Nalderun facilitates the development of a Community of care by creating wrap around services that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and families. Using a wrap around effect, Nalderun helps kids through the school season through tutoring, supporting school and helping schools with curriculum. Anything that is needed to help our students thrive.
Nalderun SBAT Wrap Around Service
The Nalderun Wrap Around Service for the School Based Apprentice Traineeships (SBAT) is a program that helps support sustainable employment and training for young Aboriginal people as they transition from their Year 12. Nalderun continues to play a key role in the SBAT program to secure local Indigenous students in paid traineeship positions with host employers who are committed to improving employment outcomes for Indigenous Australians. These organisations believe in Indigenous perspective and presence in their industries. The Nalderun SBAT Wrap Around Service Program directly responds to this intention. Nalderun’s mentorship, counselling, cultural and employment activities are to support the many young people in the community. Currently those who want to work in admin and on Country do so through certificate 2 in Horticulture and office administration. The cultural component of the project and continuity that we provide to students through partnering in the delivery of this program will set up the students for certification, training, and employment outcomes, through an Indigenous lens. But most importantly through our way of seeing, living and being in the world. Nalderun have run these programs previously, running on volunteer hours.
Nalderun Curriculum Team
Nalderun Curriculum Team provides curriculum support, writing of curriculum, training on Indigenous worldviews and pedagogy, going into schools and universities to take lessons and classes, mentoring program for leaders and lecturers at university level, and publishing of papers.
First Nations Youth Leadership Program
The Nalderun Youth program was created to build connections and knowledge in Central Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth. The program was launched in 2019 and is now led by three awesome Youth Mentors. Created to address concern that at a certain age young people were losing connections and even de-identifying the program is built on a strength-based approach that builds trust and interest in Culture. The program is overseen by Elders and has succeeded in building capacity in school staff to prioritise Culture, it has put student voices to the forefront, and built relationships across the region. The program has run camps, cultural days, excursions, in-school class enrichment, responded creatively to the challenges of Covid, and built Youth capacity in communicating, dealing with government departments and promoting the necessity for Culture to be taught, understood and celebrated.
Tabik Mooroopook Upper Loddon Landcare Group
This is a recently formed Landcare Group by and for the Nalderun Upper Loddon Aboriginal Community. They have partnered with other local Land Care Groups interested in healing Country, with a focus on three local sites of significance including Me-Mandook Galk Bush Tucker and Education Place.
Indigenous Relational World Views and Pedagogies
This training run by Nalderun is primarily for schools and educational purposes. It discusses Indigenous ways of seeing and being in the world, Indigenous pedagogies and using Indigenous protocols to introduce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content. For enquiries about fees or further information please contact info@nalderun.com.au.
Community Food Share Program
For those Mob who have really been needing it – sourced through Bendigo foodshare when possible and delivered to families around Mount Alexander as they need it and with the support of Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-operative. We are currently looking for funding for this program which is primarily done on a volunteer basis. Please get in touch if you would like to support.
Funding for many of the above programs is through the Indigenous Advancement Strategy of the Commonwealth Government. Mt Alexander Shire council, Murray PHN and other grants and organisations.
