For further information

Belinda Duarte Director – Korin Gamadji Institute

e bduarte@kgi.org.au p (03) 9426 4458

Luke Murray Indigenous Community Engagement Manager

e lmurray@richmondfc.com.au p (03) 9426 4469

Richmond Football Club would like to acknowledge Dick Smith as the proud partner of the Tigers in The Community Foundation.

From the Director of the Korin Gamadji InstituteAs a Victorian Aboriginal person, I am excited and proud of the possibilities that the Korin Gamadji Institute presents our communities within Melbourne, across the state and throughout the country.

The KGI will provide a truly unique experience for those we engage with - unlike any other in the nation. The facility resides in a precinct that has a strong cultural heritage of ceremony and gatherings and this, together with the contemporary facilities of the Richmond Football Club, make it a site of great significance. The rich history of this precinct is something we want KGI participants to feel and experience.

In developing the KGI offering, we have worked in collaboration with our community, and industry partners, to ensure that the priority needs of our Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people remains as the focus. Together with our partners, we will provide and continually develop programs and pathways that support growth, education, skill development and instil a real sense of cultural pride.

There have been many people who have worked extremely hard to develop a facility and suite of programs that have enabled us to officially open the Korin Gamadji Institute. I would particularly like to acknowledge the board of the Tigers in The Community Foundation and members of our Indigenous Advisory Council for their unwavering support and shared vision.

To those who have been a part of the journey thus far – and those that will be a part of it in the future – let’s make this space everything it can be and make a genuine and meaningful contribution to the community.

Belinda Duarte, Director, Korin Gamadji Institute

From the Prime MinisterWhen the Richmond Football Club came to me as Education Minister with the idea for an Indigenous leadership and training institute, it grabbed my immediate attention.

The club wanted a facility that would support Indigenous youth and deliver sustainable employment outcomes for young people, with the goal of creating a new generation of Indigenous leaders.

This ambition was something truly special. It was not long after the Apology, and people were keen to capture the opportunity of that historic moment.

Now, four years later, at a site of great significance to the Indigenous community, I am proud to see the Korin Gamadji Institute operating as a hub of learning for young Indigenous Australians.

The Federal Government invested in the Korin Gamadji Institute to help create a place where young people can come to learn – indeed to “grow and emerge”.

It is not only a place for young people to develop valuable skills for the future; but a place that the broader Indigenous community will benefit from for many years to come.

To me, the Korin Gamadji Institute is confirmation that the work of Reconciliation isn’t always about the big gestures. The transformative power of education should never be underestimated, and the Korin Gamadji Institute will be responsible for changing lives.

I would like to thank the Richmond Football Club for their vision and perseverance to make the Korin Gamadji Institute possible, and also Director Belinda Duarte. the staff and pathway partners who are opening up new horizons and possibilities every day.

Congratulations on the official opening of the Korin Gamadji Institute.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard

From Richmond’s PresidentIt is with great pride that the Richmond Football Club has officially

launched the Korin Gamadji Institute (KGI), in partnership with the

Federal Government.

The development of this facility has been a significant undertaking

and one we firmly believe will be of enormous benefit in

supporting Indigenous communities long-term.

We share a vision with both the Federal Government, and the

broader AFL community, that this facility will provide significant

opportunities to young Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

people. This will be achieved through the delivery of high-quality

leadership training, career transition and vocational education

programming, together with our pathway partners

Beyond that, it is critical that we continue to provide other

community engagement opportunities which will be the

foundation of our success.

To this end, we expect to have welcomed in excess of 1500

Indigenous community members through the doors of the KGI for

the 12 months to October 31, 2012. This has been most pleasing

and that number will continue to grow.

Richmond Football Club’s role – through the Tigers In The

Community Foundation – is to continue to provide support to our

KGI Director Belinda Duarte & staff, through the provision of our

facilities and people to ensure this a truly unique experience.

Belinda is a proud descendant of the Wotjobaluk nation and along

with her fellow Indigenous staff Luke Murray and Anzack Newman,

has worked tirelessly to build a solid foundation upon which we

can build for the future with our partners.

It is a future we look forward to with great anticipation.

Gary March, President, Richmond Football Club

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REAL CampsThe REAL (Richmond Emerging Aboriginal Leaders) program is

a four-day, leadership program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander students aged 13 to 16 years.

Since the KGI became operational in mid-2011, more than 150

young people from metropolitan Melbourne, regional Victoria

and central Australia have participated in the camps.

Participants are nominated by their schools and communities

for their excellent school engagement and strong

leadership qualities.

The REAL program, which is a delivered in partnership between

the KGI, the Victorian Electoral Commission, the Department

of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and the

YMCA, is an important component of the Club’s work around

Indigenous employment and training pathways.

The REAL program is a two-camp cycle, with participants

invited back for a second camp. This allows greater

engagement with the students and an opportunity

to have a genuine impact throughout the 12-month

period between camps.

“One of the main messages I took away early from this camp was that no matter what we look like, we’re black and we should be proud. This camp was so emotional and heartfelt and it made us believe in ourselves and our future.”Lillian Arnold-Rendell, 16 years old, Wodonga

What does the KGI deliver?

“The dancing was thoroughly enjoyable. No shame, no judgement and everyone flourished. As a way for people to express themselves, it was amazingly liberating.”REAL Camp participant

The five main areas of the REAL program:

REALCAMPS

CITIZENSHIP AND

DEMOCRACY

HEALTH AND

NUTRITION

LEADERSHIP AND

RESPONSIBILITY

CULTURAL PRIDE AND

AFFIRMATION

PERSONAL AND CAREER PATHWAYS

For further information on the REAL program, please contact Luke Murray at lmurray@richmondfc.com.au.

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Career Transition & PathwaysThe Career transition program is delivered to provide participants with the opportunity to reflect on their career pathway and prepare critical information to establish a plan towards the next step in their career journey.

The part-time course is delivered over five weeks facilitated in an intimate and relaxed environment. Our Vocational Education Training (VET) is delivered in collaboration with our pathway partners. These include numerous providers such as the AFL industry, Aboriginal community organisations and specialist training providers.

Some outcomes to date include 60 Level 1 coaching accreditations, 50 young people completed governance training, and supported pathways for 68 trainees from across the state.

Community EngagementSince the doors to the KGI opened in mid-2011, there has been a clear focus on community engagement. This is a critical foundation upon which the sustainability of the KGI will be built.

This is a facility operated by Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people for the benefit of Indigenous Australians. KGI Director Belinda Duarte is a proud descendant of the Wotjobaluk nation; Indigenous Community Engagement Officer Luke Murray is a descendant of the Yorta Yorta and Wamba Wamba nations while our trainee Anzack Newman is a Torres Strait Islander man from the Sabai and Badu Islands. Together with the support of the Indigenous Advisory Group and key community leaders, we will continue to ensure a collaborative and inclusive approach around our engagement activity.

Beyond this, it was critical that the facility was welcoming and culturally appropriate. Indigenous artwork – provided by the Koori Heritage Trust – adorns the walls of the facility. The main function room of the KGI was named in honour of the great Maurice Rioli – a champion of the Richmond Football Club and a champion of his people. With the input of Wurundjeri elders, this room design depicts the Yarra River and the earthy colours of the banks that surround it.

It is also important that the facility is being utilised by the Aboriginal communities. In the 12 months to October 31, 2012, more than 1500 Indigenous people will have benefited from the development of the KGI.

As part of our community engagement program, the KGI has developed a number of critical partnerships that will drive the successful operation of the facility and create outcomes to benefit young Indigenous people.

• Federal Government (Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations)

• State Government (Department of Business and Innovation)

• Australian Football League

• AFL Victoria

• AFL SportsReady

• Dick Smith

• Victorian Electoral Commission

• Indigenous Leadership Network of Victoria

• Koorie Heritage Trust

• Koorie Youth Council (formerly Victorian Indigenous

Youth Advisory Council (VIYAC))

• Fitzroy Stars

• Athletics Australia

• Progress Consulting

• Inner North Community Foundation

• Portland House

• YMCA

We thank all our partners for their support and look forward to continuing to work with them into the future.

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