Breaking the Cycle

Cape York Partnership exists to break the cycle of disadvantage and welfare dependency, to support individuals and their families to strive for better lives for themselves and their children. While data is important when pursuing an evidence-based approach, the personal journeys shared by Cape York Indigenous people are invaluable, as they reveal real-life struggles, the courage, and the triumphs along the uncharted road to reform.

Breaking a cycle, but not his stride

Waynead Wolmby has the Boston Marathon finish line set in his sights for one reason—to change the wider world’s perception that Aurukun is a broken community.

The 19-year-old Wik man has found his pace as a mentor and role model for other young people. He was awarded Aurukun’s Young Citizen of the Year in 2020 and regularly assists with the Aurukun Police Citizens Youth Club community events.

As a member of the Aurukun Deadly Runners, Waynead took part in the inaugural Aurukun marathon in 2020, and is encouraging his peers to take up the hobby. “I run because I want to change the perspective of Aurukun,” he says. “Imagine if people hear that a young Aurukun man ran in Boston, instead of hearing about our rates of juvenile incarceration.”

It is no secret Waynead’s community is in a cycle of entrenched hardship. Aurukun has an intolerable estimated 80% unemployment rate with a predominantly fly-in flyout workforce, and the participation rate in tertiary study is extremely low.

A teacher’s aide at the school of his childhood, Waynead is a living example of how the cycle of welfare dependency can break. He wants to see an end to passive welfare dependency in Cape York communities and shares his vision for more Bama from his home to further their education and become leaders.

“I just want to help the kids here,” he says. “If they keep coming to school, and keep being proud of their Indigenous culture, then good things will come their way.”

Embracing Aurukun’s predominantly Wik language and culture—as one of the oldest living civilisations on the planet— is so important, Waynead says, and by doing this, it will help to break negative perceptions of their community.

“Living in this environment can be tough,” he says. “Yes, there’s some rubbish that goes on, but as Aboriginal people we also have to deal with the negative way that we are portrayed in the media.”

Waynead says being a ‘good role model’ is his duty for the sake of his younger siblings and peers, and that the cycles of hardship will not break until more senior community members adopt this responsibility. Since primary school, Waynead has “pulled up his socks”, achieving a number of educational achievements. A graduate of the Cape York Leaders Program (CYLP), Waynead was an Academic Secondary Leader during his high school years, graduating from Marist College in Brisbane. He then completed a Certificate III in Community Services and a Certificate IV in Youth Work through Griffith University, with the support of CYLP’s tertiary program.

Waynead encouraged his younger sister to become a CYLP Academic Secondary Leader, who subsequently graduated from Stuartholme School in December 2020.

He credits his parents with guiding him away from a life of delinquency and underachievement. His mother, Marcia, made use of the Student Education Trust, offered through the Aurukun O-Hub, to save for her children’s schooling.

“I used to run amok when I was in primary school, but my parents wouldn’t stand for that. I think I come from a very good family. If you come from a good family, you’ll do well. If you don’t, you get caught up in the rubbish and lost in a system that fails you. If it weren’t for my parents, us kids might not have succeeded.”