First Nations Media News : Employment & Skills Development Strategy : Election 2019 : New resources : Our Media Matters

First Nations Media Australia commissioned the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research (with funding support from the CBF) to develop an employment and skills development strategy for our sector. The strategy particularly responds to the Australian Government's target of 90% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment within funded organisations by 2020. Over the past year or so many of our members have provided input to this report through consultation at our events, participating in webinars and online meetings and considering drafts along the way. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the ideas outlined in the report, especially CAAMA, Goolarri Media, PAKAM and Batchelor Institute who provided in depth interviews.

The final report, Strong Voices Stronger Communities: First Nations Media Employment and Skills Development Strategy contains 22 recommendations. The first one we'll be implementing is recruiting an Industry Development Officer to oversee the rollout of the strategy (see below).

We are pleased that the report aligns with several of our Calls for Action and excited about moving forward with the next phase of implementing the strategy recommendations. Thanks to Pauline Clague and the team at Jumbunna Institute for your work in developing the Strong Voices Stronger Communities report.

First Nations Media Australia has an exciting and unique opportunity for an Industry Development Officer (Indigenous Identified) to join their company in Alice Springs, NT on a full-time basis. Reporting to the CEO, your focus in this position is to identify and implement initiatives for industry development, capacity building and workforce development. You will also coordinate industry forums and support advisory groups to facilitate knowledge sharing and build leadership, business acumen and governance expertise in the sector.

Jacinta is an Eastern Arrernte and Warumungu descendent from Central Australia. Alkupitja is her grandmother’s country which is a family outstation north of Alice Springs. Born in Darwin, Jacinta lived in multiple remote communities in the top end and has a Bachelor of International Development specialising in Indigenous Knowledge and a Certificate in Creative Industries and Marketing. Make sure you say hi next time you visit our office!

The first event Jacinta is working on is the Indigenous Focus Day in Alice Springs on 27 June. Save the date - details to follow soon!

The Government released its Budget for 2019-20 this month, which did not include the allocation of funding to support the 9 Calls for Action despite our lobbying efforts. However there were some announcements in the Budget that run parallel with our sector’s objectives. We were pleased to see funding allocations for regional connectivity and addressing mobile black spots in response to the Regional Telecommunications Review. The Government also indicated support for an Indigenous Digital Inclusion Program, although no funding allocation has been made for this purpose yet. These activities align with our recommendations to the Regional Telecommunications Review. The Budget also included an allocation of $2.7million over 4 years to support Indigenous music as part of a $30million package to be administered by the Australia Council.

With the Federal Election set for Saturday 18 May, we continue to seek a commitment to support our sector’s 9 Calls for Action from all sides of politics. We are tracking policy announcements relevant to our sector at the moment and will keep you up to date of any relevant announcements during the election campaign period. Feel free to bring this to the attention of your local candidates if you have the opportunity.

Our new inDigiMOB team members, Veronica, Milly and Steve have been busy creating some new resources on communications technology hints and tips to supplement our workshops. The resources are designed to help community residents that aren't very familiar with using phones and other devices. The cover topics such as online banking with your mobile, how to block people on your phone, how to share your photos and how to set a passcode.
The resources are available for everyone to view on indigiTUBE.

Demonstrate your support for the First Nations media sector by participating in the Our Media Matters campaign. It’s easy to get involved: write a message, take a photo, share it with the hashtag #ourmediamatters

Or you can just share some of the social media posts we have been publishing to help everyone understand the value of our sector. Take a look at our Facebook page here.

There are a bunch of resources on our website to help show your support. Posters, social media tiles, starter scripts for audio spots, an #ourmediamatters frame for your social media profile pic… lots of ways to make this campaign visible to your networks.

PAYING HOMAGE WITH KYA KYANA

WA hip hop artist Flewnt pays homage to his Noongar culture with this powerful music video Kya Kyana. The video is part of Beyond Empathy’s Excursion project, aiming to connect people to their identity and their culture through various art forms.

The project gave Flewnt the skills and confidence develop his own music and build a career for himself in the music industry by teaching other young fellas how music and art can help them embrace their culture and be proud of who they are.

Congratulations to remote media pioneer Pantjiti McKenzie who received an Order of Australia Medal at a very special ceremony held at NPY Womens Council in Alice Springs on Friday 5th April.
Pantjiti has spent much of her life living in the Ernabella Community. With her husband, she helped set up EVTV in 1984, later PY Media, and made hundreds of films, particularly organising and recording Inma and re-enactments of Tjukurpa across the region. Pantjiti won the Preston Memorial Award for Lifetime Contribution to the remote media industry in 2007.

The Community Media Training Organisation is partnering with Transom in the US to bring their world-renowned Travelling Workshop to Australia for the first time!! This a 7-day radio retreat at beautiful Glenelg, SA and the workshops focus on story and are geared toward beginning radio producers. Australian community broadcasters will be given preference for selection. There are two subsidised positions for participants who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and a young person (under 26) broadcasting in a language other than English. Transom/HowSound's Rob Rosenthal will be the lead instructor along with teaching assistant, Georgia Moodie from ABC National Radio. Apply by May 17th here.

In partnership with NITV< Screen Queensland has officially launched Origins, an initiative that aims to break new grounds through the development and production of format-based factual series by local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytellers.
The Origins initiative is open to all Queensland-based Indigenous writers, directors and producers and aims to create opportunities to build careers within the Australian media sector. Shortlisted participants are invited to attend a masterclass in May 2019 where they will be given expert advice by a leading industry expert. This will be followed by a development workshop and up to three projects will receive funding to produce a pilot episode intended for broadcast on NITV. Applications are open now and close on 7 May.

Dart Centre Asia Pacific has announced a longterm commitment to Indigenous Journalism in Australia. After facilitating one of the largest gatherings of Indigenous journalists last year, Dart Centre Asia Pacific will make permanent a position on its Board of Director’s for a First Nations person, and create an ongoing scholarship for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island journalist to attend Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism's prestigious Summer Investigative Reporting Course in New York City. Applications are open now and close on 4 May 2019.