CONFERENCEPRESSMTFUNPARK’SDRUITT 2021-2022 REPORT
FUNPARK acknowledges the Darug people of the Darug Nation, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work, create and play. We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that this land was never ceded.
ALWAYS WAS, ALWAYS WILL BE, ABORIGINAL LAND.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 5 Forward by FUNPARK Director Page 7 What is FUNPARK? Page 8 What is the Mount Druitt Press Conference? Page 11 Our Goals Page 12 What young people had to say! Page 13 * Postcode Stigma Page 16 * Education & Mentorship Page 20 * Racism & Policing Page 24 * Community Strength & Role Models Page 28 Meet the Participants Page 31 Acknowledgments 3
FORWARD
WhenBidwill.I was offered the role of FUNPARK Director in 2019, I wanted to bring back the Mt Druitt Press Conference and turn it into a series of conversations that were led by a diverse group of young people from the area. The purpose of these conversations was to prove to our community that young people have valid opinions about the environment they grew up in and that these points demand our attention.
FUNPARK Director, Daisy Montalvo
Mount Druitt Press Conference was first presented in 2014 as a verbatim performance that highlighted the lived experiences of the young participants on stage. I was one of those performers - we spoke about our dreams and our hopes for
In 2021 - 2022 we held four live, broadcasted conversations with First Nations, Pasifika and mixed youth. In preparation for the public event, the participants attended a series of workshops that supported them in identifying core issues that affected the daily lives of young people in Mt Druitt and reflecting on their own personal experiences relating to those Hearingtopics. these young and inspiring people discuss tough topics like gang violence, racism and poverty with so much consideration and honesty has just proven how important it is to work with local youth to achieve a strong, connected and harmonious community that serves its people. We at FUNPARK will turn these important conversations into workable actions within our overall future programming. It is important to us that these conversations are a seed for something bigger and at FUNPARK we plan to water and nurture that seed and we encourage others in our community to partake in that care too.
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"EDUCATION IS EVERYTHING, AS LONG AS WE TAKE IT IN AND USE IT PROPERLY . . . I'VE NEVER BEEN TO SCHOOL, BUT I'VE BEEN EDUCATED. I LEARNT FROM THE OLD -PEOPLE."UNCLEWES MARNE
WHAT IS
FUNPARK celebrates the diversity and talents of the Mt Druitt community, providing an opportunity to showcase and exchange cultural knowledge and build robust, sustainable networks and partnerships across communities and cultures.
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UNPARK is a sustained arts and cultural program, celebrating place, culture, young people and the community of Mount Druitt. Now entering its ninth year, FUNPARK is led by a unique coalition of arts, government and community organisations collaborating to support young cultural leaders in the Mount Druitt community to thrive, be visible and be heard. The program offers unique art experiences and place activation through our workshop and festival programs, creating temporary interventions that lead to long-term change in a community of high need.
FUNPARK?
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WHAT IS THE MOUNT DRUITT PRESS CONFERENCE?
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This report reflects on the conversations and issues raised over four live-broadcast Mt Druitt Press Conference events held over 2020-2021. In the lead up to each of these events, participants attended a series of facilitated workshops which encouraged young people to share their lived experiences with each other and to develop their own carefully considered personal reflections on issues that arise. The workshops are designed to teach and empower young
UNPARK’s Mt Druitt Press Conference is a curated conversation led by young local cultural leaders. Emerging from a need to highlight the lived experiences and concerns of Mt Druitt youth, the Mt Druitt Press Conference provides a vital opportunity for youth-led, critical conversations around the issues that matter to young people. The unique Mt Druitt Press Conference format creates time and a safe space for young participants to reflect on 'wicked' problems facing our society - stigma, poverty, mental health, violence and hopelessness in the face of exclusion. Facing hard questions head on, young people propose meaningful solutions to these issues which fundamentally challenge social cohesion in our community and flip the lens, by focussing on the enormous strengths and potential, ready to be unleashed by the next generation.
people to 'control the narrative' and to curate the conversation the way they want to be heard.
Through this process, we amplify youth voices and provide a platform for conversations about difficult topics to reach local change-makers in a public forum. In doing this, we hope to combat societal stigmas and stereotypes, create opportunities for youth-led change and build resilience and empathy across the community.
“REALLY GREAT AND IMPORTANT DIALOGUE THAT'S PART OF THE ONGOING CONVERSATION AROUND MT DRUITT PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES!” - MICHAEL CRUZ 9
• Create a safe space for young people to explore tough cultural and social issues that impact them and other youth alike;
OUR GOALS
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• Exchange cultural knowledge and build respectful relationships with each other and within the community, by bringing in Elders, role models and locally based facilitators; Combat negative stereotypes and postcode stigma about young people and Mt Druitt; Inspire and empower young people to lead positive change and be champions for their community;
UNPARK’s Mt Druitt Press Conference aims to:
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• Build resilience, cultural and generational understanding and empathy across the community.
WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE HAD TO SAY! M t Druitt Press Conference conversations highlight that young people care deeply about their communities, culture and quality of education and have a wealth of insight into the challenges and opportunities of growing up in Mt WeDruitt.have condensed themes raised by four groups of participants, involving a total of 16 young people, into the following topics: 1. Postcode Stigma 2. Education & Mentorship 3. Racism & Policing 4. Community Strength & Role Models "LOVE THIS PROCESS OF VOICING YOUNG LEADERS WHO HAVE SUCH DEEP CARE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY" - CAITLIN NEWTON-BROAD
A few participants said they were able to push through their insecurities by using the stigma as ‘fuel’ to ‘beat the stereotype’, but this is not a valid solution for many young people.
Summary Throughout the four live conversations, the lived experience of postcode stigma was shared by a majority of the Ninaparticipants.andChristina shared feelings of self doubt when starting university, doubts relating to where they grew up and the schools they attended. A general sense of ‘not being smart enough’ or ‘not succeeding’ because of their postcode was brought up and shared amongst the group. These feelings come from years of negative messaging and the misrepresentation of the Mount Druitt area, especially in mainstream journalism. This messaging has trickled down and has been taken as fact by those living outside of western Sydney. Jason and Robyn have both experienced encounters in which they have been judged or mistreated by others solely because of where they grew up.
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POSTCODE1. STIGMA
ROBYN "When Struggle Street came out... the whole premise behind it that they came up with was ‘'We want to show the real Mount Druitt' and then they just flipped it all... They came in telling us we want to show the good things, everything that is great about Mount Druitt."
"I was very overwhelmed... I was looking at a uni in the city but in my head I was telling myself you're not smart enough, you can't use big words like those guys from those ways. I remember speaking to one of my friends, who is of Indian background, and he told me...you know Nina, it's not the location. It's not the uni that you go to. But it's about your mindset...if we limit ourselves and if we let these stigmas get to us, then we become that stigma."
JASON "There's so many stories that aren't being told and the ones that are, just aren't positive... they aren't telling the message that people really need to hear... we read what's written about us... the constant negative talk and misrepresentation... that itself weighed me down."
CHRISTINA "Growing up in schooling in Mt Druitt and then going to uni - it was such a different experience. I felt so out of place going, I went to a uni in the city. I just felt like everyone went to the best schools. I felt like I wouldn't succeed as far as they would because I was from the west... even though I did graduate, I did hold myself back from what I could achieve because I had this stigma that I wouldn't get as far as everyone else, because I was from Mt Druitt."
NINATestimonies
JASON "I know I've been in so many introductions with people, I say my name... what I do, everything is all good, until I say where I'm from and then immediately there's a response, a reaction, an image" Solutions and Actions
“THANK
The participants expressed a shared hope to see more positive media representation of the area, both locally and in the mainstream. Some of the participants have taken it into their own handset shift the stereotype. As practicing artists and musicians, they are sharing positive messaging through their music, film and other art mediums to reach both local young people, as well as communities beyond Mt Druitt. YOU KIND, SUPER
ROBYN
SO MUCH FOR THIS INSIGHTFUL, CANDID,
"I had my own family members tell me that I was going to be a shit-kicker because of where I come from. I refuse to believe it, I refuse to let people tell me that. It's not true and I won't let it be true."
SMART, BRAVE DISCUSSION!” - ANNE LOXLEY 15
Summary There is so much that was brought up in this conversation. I’ve narrowed it down to two main topics:
History/ Education Curriculum Riana and Brittney believe that not enough is being done to include Aboriginal history in schools. At their schools, less than a term is dedicated to the subject, leaving little time for cultural learning and history that is beyond the perspective of colonisers. This conversation comes at a great time when the newly elected Labour government has just announced their commitment to the ‘Uluru Statement From The Heart’.
Dropping out of school Jason provides a shocking statistic that is followed up by Christina who is a youth leader at her local church. She expresses why some kids are struggling to get to school.
Robyn and Christina provide insight into how often young people are forced to be the adults in their families; taking up several jobs, holding onto money for groceries and caring for their parents. A lot of families have no access to the internet or devices for young people to use. This was exasperated during the lockdown when only 20% of kids in Bidwill attended online google classrooms due to limited digital Firstaccess.Nations
EDUCATION2 & MENTORSHIP
JASONTestimonies
CHRISTINA
"Less than 20% of students graduate in Year 12 in Mt Druitt... that makes me question... What are we doing wrong as a community?... is this generational or habitual?”
CHRISTINA “We need to combat youth stigma by understanding and having empathy with what these young people are going through that affect their education"
DAISY "When classes have 30 students with one teacher, anyone who is not actively learning gets left behind"
ROBYN "There are kids there that need to focus that have two or more jobs at the age of 14 because they're trying to support their families. They can't focus on school cause they don’t have the time, they don't have the resources, they don't have the support."
CHRISTINA “We need access to the internet, laptops, safe places to study, and connections to the arts and sports”.
"I feel like there's a lot of things going on in a young person's life living in Mt Druitt, which may stop them from wanting to go to school. When I do youth group on a Friday night, I hear stories from kids that tell me they sometimes lack groceries that week... or they have early experiences of trauma or early exposure to substances... some of them have to lock their parents' stuff away... or hold onto money so that there's money for tomorrow... these kids want to do well but they're stuck in cycles unfortunately."
BRITTNEY
LEON "In Blackett...we have the Fred Murray Community Centre. We have youth gatherings...and we just run classes for young children in school to come out and do their homework. I think that we need more spaces like that...because some kids don't even have that at home"
"Education is always going to be important… but in the context of where it doesn't work, where these kids are filled with trauma in their households, they go through a lot - and I've definitely been through my fair share of trauma... but was fed the same thing that everyone else was being fed, it's just not relatable or inspiring… textbook knowledge itself won't heal my trauma... and it may not inspire me, but when you pair the power of education with teachers who actually invest in you personally and cater learning to your own goals and aspirations - I feel like then, you have ingredients for success, to break generational poverty in your family. I think mentorships are valuable"
RIANA "In school, we're mainly learning about other cultures or other countries... their histories, rather than our own. We spend maybe only half a term on our own history and that's the white side of history. We should have a whole term on Aboriginal culture. Then everybody learns about Australia's history. We want to learn more about OUR history."
"We can start by introducing our Elders back into schools just for like 10 minutes for words of wisdom."
JASON
"THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. . . LISTENING AND HEARING STORIES AND HOW IT'S AFFECTING PEOPLE." - SUBINI HYDE 19
Changing school curriculum or policy is generally out of our control, however families and students can advocate with their local schools to find ways to teach Aboriginal culture and to better support those kids in need. Bringing Elders into schools regularly to meet with kids and share stories is an important way to bridge the knowledge gap, alongside introducing Darug language, First Nations arts - weaving, painting and dance - or holding NAIDOC week activities etc.
Solutions and Actions
School staff do understand the barriers that are stopping kids from attending school. Schools need to ensure their staff are supported so they have the capacity to listen and be there for the students. They also need to tap into the right resources and contacts so that each student can also seek the support they need outside of school.
that fear of the police starts from a young age, either learnt from your families or your peers. As a result, a lot of young people are afraid to approach the police and are unsure how to express their rights when a situation arises. In the recorded conversation Leon and Nina brought up the increased tension between police and western Sydney residents during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020/2021 when the government unfairly targeted western Sydney and sent military and police to enforce lockdown
LeonPolicingexpresses
POLICING
We paired these two topics together because both racism and policing have had a huge impact on Mt Druitt Pasifika and First Nations youth.
women who were participants in the First Nations Mt Druitt Press Conference event expressed their shared experience of being called ‘not Aboriginal’ due to their ‘light coloured-skin and features’, despite them saying otherwise. This links back to our earlier topic around education, the lack of Australian history taught in schools and the genocide and assimilation that colonisation meant for Indigenous Australians.
RACISM3 &
Summary
TheRacismrules.young
SAFIATestimonies
"I applied for a hospital position as a nurse's assistant and the moment that they saw that I ticked a box being Aboriginal they were like, “Yes come in, we'll interview you, there's definitely going to be a spot for you” and then I arrived and they're like “You don't look Aboriginal” .. I didn't have the curly hair or dark skin!.... We are not here to make you look better... we're here to make a difference for us."
"We get very scared, we don't know how to approach the police. I feel as Pacific Islanders, we also need to be more educated and be more aware of our rights and also know of a way to speak to authoritative figures. I think that's powerful. When we learn to develop the courage and knowledge to speak to police, that's when we'll be able to bridge the gap”
LEON "Just growing up... it all starts in school, your friends will be like: I hate the police, they're always after us. I think just coming from Western Sydney you feel targeted like non-stop. You just grow up having that relationship with the Cops."
"When I do tell people I am Aboriginal, they don't really believe that I am because of what I look like...what hurts me the most is when people ask: 'What percentage are you, you're not really Aboriginal because of your skin colour.' If you tell someone you're Aboriginal then they should believe what you say".
NINA "We all know how religion plays a huge role in our community. Literally growing up the only time I saw cops was when they rocked up to church as if they were going to make this big announcement that something was wrong...it was never like
RIANA
NINA
Nina talks about how important the Church is to Pacific Islander communities. She believes that if the police reach out and work with families and cultural leaders, this might help bridge connections with young people and the wider Shecommunity.alsomentions
having more community police initiatives that promote harmony between police and youth. For example an art and sport event run with the police or a filmmaking workshop involving police as performers or crew, working together to create content that teaches young people about their legal rights. There are various fun and creative ways that FUNPARK can include art programs that address this issue but we’d need the commitment of local Mt Druitt Police to make this into a reality.
Racism is a tough one to crack, that is unfortunately a long and difficult process involving education in schools, workplaces and community public spaces. Tackling this in an institutional setting such as schools and hospitals can be harder to action but young people, individuals and private businesses could take this first step, working with our diverse communities to be the pioneers promoting change, understanding and harmony in our community.
‘Let's work with Churches, Let's work with Elders... I think Cops should speak to our Elders… we need more community policing initiatives"
Solutions and Actions
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DAISYTestimonies
"What I really love about Bidwill, you do get to know your neighbours. There is a really beautiful sense of community"
Summary Many participants expressed the importance of having positive mentors outside of their family home and the impact these people have had on their lives. As mentioned above, many Mount Druitt youth are in battle with their own selfdoubt due to postcode stigma and other factors, and they struggle with seeing past that. The support and encouragement of positive mentors has helped all of the participants in one way or another on their life journey.
ROBYN "I've had some amazing experiences because someone said 'Hey did you want to do this' and I said Yes! I learnt how to cook because Jon and Lisa Owen from ‘Urban Neighbours of Hope’ ran a cooking group for little kids in their garage…. both my parents were working and I had to support my brother and sister. I had to cook their meals, I had to get their clothes and get their food ready. Jon and Lisa Owen were my responsible role models... I had to look outside of my own family to find that."
COMMUNITY4 STRENGTH & ROLE MODELS
AALIYAH
"I had no sense of what my future could look like...then comes along David Echo, a guy from the community - he picks me up and he's like 'hey man, whatever you want to do, think of the best thing you can do, don't look at where you are now, you can do it and i'll be here every single step here with you'... Dave told me I can do, he saw my potential before I even saw my potential."
"Henry McCarthy inspired me by inviting me to Fusion and becoming what I am now, a peer leader at Fusion... he would always tell me to keep being confident and follow leadership roles, which is why I'm here today. Mum influenced me by motivating me to go chase my dreams and goals and do better than she did. I think she's very proud. Dove Cameron said in an interview “Just because you aren't a singer or weren't born one, doesn't mean you can't be one”... I now sing with Fusion, the Salvation Army and with the worship team" CHRISTINA "It's easy to believe when you see something in front of you and I feel like what's stopping young people is the belief that they can even achieve these goals... Role models who
JASON
CHRISTINA
"We still need to keep giving young people role models to look up to, I know for me if i didn't have my parents pushing me to study, I don't think I would motivate myself to finish, to keep going to graduate uni. People like David Echo, helped see things in me that I didn't see in myself and gave me a sense of direction. They saw maturity in me and thought I could lead a youth group ... they saw talent and they helped me pursue it and grow it. That's what I think young people really need because if they see someone living it out in their life, in their area, then it's so much easier for them to model their life from that..."
Young people from Mt Druitt bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and hope in terms of what they need to not only survive BUT thrive! Young people advocate for a community that LISTENS, is proud of who they are and where they come from, is inclusive and supportive and works together. FUNPARK aims to continue our work in Bidwill and Mt Druitt, supporting young people’s voices and making positive change in our community.
celebrate where they're from and are resilient... I feel like there's such a need to support young people to achieve their goals" ROBYN "Working with FUNPARK has been a great experience because I've been a part of that since it started. Being behind the scenes and seeing a coalition of organisations work together to put forward a program for young people... it’s great because we were working together. "
DAISY "I love the idea that FUNPARK doesn’t belong to one person or organisation, the ownership is almost to the community... it isn't just me as the curator… it’s about everyone coming together to create something and to be proud of our community" NINA "Church leaders need to change their terminology, the words that they use. Sometimes praying isn't going to fix everything for a young person... Maybe we can have those hubs/ community services that are working with our churches, so that Church leaders become more updated with the words, the language that they use when they speak to our young people about depression and anxiety... it's literally a journey (mental health)" Solutions and Actions
"SO GENTLE AND SUPPORTIVE, INTELLIGENT AND INFORMATIVE. WELL DONE DAISY AND THE MT DRUITT PRESS CONFERENCE CREW. I LOVED LISTENING TO THIS." - MARGIE BREEN 27
AALIYAH recently graduated from Chifley College Bidwill Campus and has involved herself with community organisations such as FUSION and Salvation Army as a peer leader.
JASON grew up in Bidwill and as a teen involved himself in youth groups such as LBM (Living Bread Ministries) and Impact Youth, where he felt a part of the community. He is now a photographer who travels the world and meets incredible people and sees incredible places.
BRITTANY is a proud Wiradjuri woman and has lived in Mount Druitt and the surrounding suburbs for most of her life. She hopes for a future full of better opportunities and aims to help people in any way possible. Brittney wants her voice heard and she fights for what matters to her and her community.
MEET THE PARTICIPANTS
ROBYN has grown up in Bidwill her whole life.. She is the Community Liaison Officer for FUNPARK and works as a youth mentor at Learning Ground Mount Druitt. Robyn is involved in many different local community organisations in and out of Mount Druitt. She is passionate about providing opportunities for young people in her community.
NINA is a Samoan Christian who loves her family as well as Rugby. Her schooling was based in Mount Druitt, from primary to secondary. She graduated from Western Sydney University and she currently works as a caseworker at Mission Australia. Nina is a massive advocate for all things Pasifika.
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RIANA is from the Stolen Generation. She has grown up in Mount Druitt and attended her schooling in the area. She is passionate about educating people and shifting the stigma attached to Mount Druitt.
CHRISTINA has grown up Mount Druitt and has involved herself with Living Bread Ministries by assisting with food vans in Bidwill. She is currently studying Psychology. She believes a revolution in Mount Druitt will happen by sharing a meal together and by connecting to people on another level.
MADISON is a proud Wiradjuri woman who grew up in St Mary’s and finished high school in 2021 at Chifley College Bidwill Campus. She was part of the First Nations Mount Druitt Press Conference in 2021 which was part of Richard Bell’s Embassy project at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA).
SAFIA is a proud Wiradjuri woman who has lived in Mount Druitt her whole life. She finished high school at Chifley College Bidwill Campus. She loves teaching kids in primary school about traditional dancing, how to make damper and go on bush walks.
LEON is a Samaon Australian, born and raised in Western Sydney. He loves to play sports and music and is part of MANIFOLD, a Mt Druitt band that addresses social issues through music. His goals consist of making the community a better place and making his family proud.
TALA is a Samoan Christian who has lived in Mount Druitt for 10+ years. He attended schooling in the Mount Druitt area and loves to game and play basketball. Tala wants to give people insight into different perspectives and opinions.
"This conversation is better than any podcast from the experts. Love it." - Adam Booth "Well done Daisy and Coalition! Really fantastic digital content! So proud!" - Paschal Berry "Vinaka vakalevu to the panel for your courage speaking openly about topics that are taboo in our Pacifica Communities.. Inspirational" - Lizzie
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A huge thank you to the FUNPARK Coalition and Team for all your hard work and dedication on this project: Staff: Daisy Montalvo Sivani Yaddanapudi Robyn Hardge-Scott The FUNPARK Coalition: ThankBidwillPYTBlacktownCuriousWorksArtsFairfieldUnitingyoualso to all the participants, facilitators, Elders and community members for your support, wisdom and guidance. FUNPARK’s Mt Druitt Press Conference has been generously supported by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts and the NSW Government through Create NSW and Multicultural NSW’s COMPACT Program. © funpark@curiousworks.com.auwww.funpark.org.auFUNPARK
