UPCOMING
EVENTS
Check back regularly for new events or follow our Eventbrite account to learn about new events as soon as they are created.
AGM 2022
Join us for our Annual General Meeting on the 7th November 2022 at 6pm. The AGM will be preceded by a Keynote Address from the United Workers Union Big Steps Campain at 5pm.
Relevent documents and reports will be made available on or before October 17th 2022.
Register here.
AGECS Reconciliation Series
The AGECS Reconciliation Seminar Series is comprised of 12 monthly events that introduce Early Childhood Educators to the historical, social and contemporary issues faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. It is important to recognise that when we enrol students, we enrol their whole family. This series is about truth-telling. It provides the real backgrounds, the real histories and the real stories of Indigenous families in 2022.
Together these Seminars are forming a toolkit of resources to support ECEC settings enrolling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families. The toolkit can be found here.
Upcoming Seminars
Register for upcoming Reconciliation Seminars.
September 19th
Seminar 9: Child Protection stats and facts +
‘Grandmothers Against Removal’ – GMAR
present Kids in Care
6:30 to 7:30
The rates of removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children by government agencies into out of home care nationally continues to worsen. Figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2022) reveal that Indigenous children are now 11.5 X more likely to be placed in care then their non-Indigenous counterparts, with 1/3 in least preferred placement option (away from Aboriginal family) and ¼ do not have a cultural support plan. AJ Williams-Tchen will talk about the latest figures + GMAR representatives will explain the current state of Aboriginal kids in out of home care, the role of grandparents raising grand-children, what GMAR does & provide personal stories of survival in the child protection system of young people today.
October 24th
Seminar 10: ‘Embedding Aboriginal perspectives into curriculum’
6:30 to 7:30
Taylor Hampton (Ngiyampaa / Wiradjuri) of Birrang Cultural Connections and Shae Rotumah (Iwaidja and Gunditjmara) of Gunditj Yarkeen Allammeen-ngan Cultural Enterprises talk about their work in providing cultural experiences to students in Early Childhood and primary school settings, and provide strategies for Early Childhood Educators in beginning to embed Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander perspectives into curriculum.
November 21st
Seminar 11: ‘First 1000 days and Embedding Torres Strait Islander Perspectives into Curriculum’
6:30 to 7:30
Kerry Arabeena presents on the First 1000 Days Australia, a First Nations model aimed at strengthening all families so they can give their children the best start in life. It aims to provide a coordinated, comprehensive strategy to strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families so they can address their children’s needs from pre-conception to two years of age, thereby laying the best foundation for their future health and wellbeing.
Kerry Arabeena (Meriam descent from the Torres Strait) is a Social Worker with a Doctorate in Environmental Science. She will talk us through the ‘First 1000 Days’ + provide strategies for Early Childhood Educators to begin to embed Torres Strait Islander perspectives into curriculum.
December 6th
Seminar 12: ‘Seminar Series 1 Closing Event’
6:30 to 8:00
This will be the final seminar of Series 1. This seminar will revisit the topics covered in Series 1.
Aunty Di Kerr (Wurundjeri Elder) who will provide us with a Welcome to Country. Shiralee Hood (Noongar-Kurnai-Gunditjmara Comedian), Ms Hood (Kurnai / Gunditjamara Hip Hop & Rapper) and Carissa Nyalu (DjaDja Wurrung / Yorta Yorta singer song writer) who will all be performing.
