On Bundjalung Country in northern New South Wales, a youth-led and Indigenous-designed initiative has supported Aboriginal girls to reconnect with culture on Country while developing practical skills for the future. The Bundjalung Bush Food Youth Program was established in response to significant challenges facing Indigenous young people in the Northern Rivers region, including high rates of disengagement from education and employment, teenage pregnancy, and the ongoing social impacts of the 2022 floods. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls are often among those most affected, with limited access to culturally safe pathways that connect identity, learning, and work.
Supported by a $10,000 FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grant funded by the Sally Foundation, the program was delivered by The Returning Indigenous Corporation in partnership with Namabunda Farm, an Indigenous-owned bush food enterprise on Bundjalung Country. Together, they designed an eight-week school-term program for 10 Indigenous high school girls aged 14 to 18 who were identified by their schools as disengaged or at risk of disengaging. The program was entirely Indigenous led and governed, ensuring cultural integrity and community leadership throughout its design and delivery.
Each week, participants travelled to Namabunda Farm to gain hands-on experience in propagating, planting, harvesting, and preparing native bush foods within a commercial setting. Learning was guided by local Bundjalung knowledge holders and practitioners, who integrated cultural knowledge, care for Country, and practical work skills. This approach demonstrated that cultural knowledge is not only central to identity but also holds tangible economic and employment potential.
The program was co-designed with young people already engaged in local youth mentoring initiatives, with Elders consulted to ensure it was culturally safe, trauma-informed, and responsive to participants’ needs. The impact was quickly evident, with strong weekly attendance despite previous challenges with school engagement. Teachers observed increased confidence, stronger peer relationships, and improved participation in learning, as the girls developed new skills and a deeper connection to culture and Country.
Building on early success, the pilot also generated important insights around culturally appropriate evaluation and the need for flexibility in delivery. With additional funding now secured, the program is expanding across multiple Northern Rivers schools, supported by a dedicated Indigenous Program Coordinator. The initiative demonstrates how youth-led, culturally grounded approaches can create meaningful, lasting change by strengthening connection, confidence, and opportunity from the ground up.
