Over the last three years, Red Dust has expanded its programming in the Northern Territory's Top End while increasing local employment opportunities for First Nations peoples.  

‍

Thanks to the generous support from the Insignia Community Foundation, our reach has extended into more remote communities, collaborating and building on relationships. Our expansion hasn’t just been geographical, it has celebrated and reinforced our commitment to local leadership and employment.

‍

In the Top End, like our Central Australia programming, Red Dust partners with communities to deliver the Healthy Living Program, the Strong Young Women's Program, the Strong Young Men and Boys' Program, and the Storytelling Program. Central to these programs is the engagement and empowerment of the community through local leadership, which ensures our programs are both relevant and topical.  

‍

In Darwin, we have recruited First Nations program coordinators who have facilitated more than 190 local employment opportunities within remote Indigenous communities. They have not only supported the delivery of our programming across the Tiwi Islands, Wadeye, Nauiyu, and Peppimenarti but also fostered training development and community empowerment.

‍

Nathan Fejo, a Red Dust Team member and strong local role model, shed light on how Red Dust has helped him transform personal barriers into strengths.

‍

He said, "Working with Red Dust boosted my confidence. Working with younger children and taking leadership.

‍

Before I started working with Red Dust, in 2020, I was working at the school but kind of moved away from working... because I was nervous… like working with children… I didn’t know how to take up the role of being a teacher.

‍

I was just scared that I was going to make a mistake or wasn’t confident in myself. Since working with Red Dust, in 2021, I moved to Darwin for a bit (and went on) those Tiwi trips, making music with the school kids, and going to Peppi… and yesterday, finished up with Daly River (and the) Nauiyu school kids.

‍

Working with Red Dust helped me boost my confidence and just helped me a lot. Now I’m working back at the school. I started working back at Minjilang School, in week 7, term 1 of this year and yeah (I have) no problem now working at the school.

‍

(I am) just happy, confident, you know? Whenever the teachers tell me to take a group to do activities – Maths or English...I’m not too shy or not scared that I’m going to make a mistake. Just more confident now you know. So yeah, I really thank Red Dust. Working with Red Dust really helped me a lot".

‍

As we look towards the future, Red Dust remains committed to nurturing and expanding these local employment opportunities and to developing programs that are sustainable within community.

‍

We are eager to continue to support meaningful employment in remote Indigenous communities, identifying local priorities and fostering environments where people like Nathan can become pillars of leadership and change.

‍

Join us as we continue to support, celebrate, and empower others.

Give a tax deductible donation to support programming.