This year’s NAIDOC theme ‘because of her, we can’ continues to be embraced.
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Community groups joined forces to empower young women in Batemans Bay on Wednesday, July 18. Campbell Page, Katungal, The Girl Campaign and Aboriginal Affairs all backed the intitative.
Organiser Aeron Ryan said the event grew out of a netball group, and aimed to help young Koori women flourish.
“There’s often things for boys around in the community, so we thought it would be a great idea to start up an initiative for girls to get together and be active and healthy,” she said.
“Initially we started with taking the girls away to two Koori carnivals for netball – this year we have four kids teams and four adults teams going away. It’s to promoting health, fitness and coming together.”
This year long-time supporters Campbell Page and The Girl Campaign came up with the idea to hold a day to get the girls together early for bonding and cultural activities.
Ms Ryan said the benefits of the initiative were endless.
“The community bond, gaining cultural knowledge, coming together and meeting people they might not have met before helps create a broader, stronger community and in the end, the whole program is for health and fitness as well,” she said.
“Some of the biggest challenges facing Koori girls in our community are around self esteem, which is why The Girl Campaign has come on board – combining health and body image though this program is a good package.”
Ms Ryan said the women involved with the group didn’t just talk the talk – they walked the walk, celebrating diversity.
“With our group there is a broad range of people involved – some are working, some are stay-at-home mothers, so the kids come from all different backgrounds, not just one stereotypical background,” she said.