Standard Presentation 2024 Australian Marine Sciences Association Annual Meeting combined with NZMSS

Creating space for young mob (#83)

Noah Thomas 1 , Louise Cairney 1 , Zoe Brittain 1 , Sophie Madden 1 , Jody Dalton-Walsh 2 , Kristi Watts 2 , Prue Francis 3 , Alecia Bellgrove 1
  1. Deakin University, Warrnambool, VICTORIA, Australia
  2. Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative, Geelong, VIC, Australia
  3. Deakin University, Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia

There is a push for young mob to become more engaged in environmental management on their Country, and in environmental science more broadly. Engagement with on Country work has been shown to have positive outcomes for Indigenous youth. But despite a push for this, many of these programs can struggle to effectively engage young people or create a culturally safe space, especially when facilitated by non-Indigenous people. Noah, a Taungarung and Gunai man, and Sophie, a Yorta Yorta and Taungurung woman, have both been identified as young Indigenous leaders at their high schools, and will share their experiences as research assistants on the DeakinSeaweed/Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-op seaweed culture revitalisation project, and explore how young people were effectively engaged and supported during workshops, and the projects related outcomes.