Triple C Program
The Triple C Program aims to Connect young people with their Culture and Country.
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NNTC own and manage over 100,000 hectares of high value wetlands, rangelands and river frontage for cultural and environmental benefits. NNTC strives to create a meaningful connection to land, using Toogimbie and Gayini.
Disassociation with cultural practices and failure to spend time ‘on country’ has been cited as part of a larger social problem that is affecting First nations young people. Within the school contexts, it impacts on school retention (truancy) and transition (progression to further education, training, or employment). Cultural disconnection also impacts upon social and emotional wellbeing and often manifests via at-risk practices such as alcohol and other drug use and misuse, self-harm and suicide.
"The use of cultural practices, as well as individual and community control over their physical environment, dignity and self-esteem, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's rights are also important to social and emotional well-being." - The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples drug strategy 2013-2018.
The Triple C Youth Development program incorporates re-introduction of traditional practises, ‘on country’ opportunities to share experiences, concerns, and stories in an environment free of judgement and punishment. It also introduces culturally secure therapies to address underlying trauma and other psychological issues being experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia.
Expected outcomes of the program are a stronger sense of identity, improved wellbeing, increased school retention and transition and a select student cohort who imagine a career in the environmental domain—water and land management pathways. For example, a ranger, conservation, environmental science etc.
HEALING THE FUTURE
YOUTH TO COUNTRY
Triple C Program Overview
The TO’s Elders and members want to see young First Nations people grow strong in their Culture, with support of the community. We want to see our lasting connection between our future leaders and country by providing opportunities to spend time at Gayini and Toogimbie, learning from our land.
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The Triple C Youth Development program will be led by the traditional owners, elders and community, linking modern life to the Aboriginal tradition of young people being taught, led and supported by their mob in a culturally appropriate manner.
The program is a pathway for First Nations youth to improve their lifestyle, based culturally connecting to country, while practising traditional ways and traditional lore customs. Triple C is a drug, tobacco and alcohol-free program.
The Triple C Youth Program aims to provide early intervention support to First Nations young men aged 12-18 years old. Ideally hosting 1-2 camps per term would be ideal, this will be dependent on the school curriculum and availability of the facilitator, weather will also be a factor with heat and rain. Currently the Triple C programs is only for young boys, as the facilitators primarily work with males. Ideally in the future we would envisage hosting you women’s Triple C camps on country unfortunately NNTC will only be offering Triple C camps to young men.
The Gayini River Rangers will be involved in all 5 days of the youth camps when they take place out on country, the Rangers will demonstrate and be hands on with the all activities undertaken throughout the 5-day stay.
The Rangers now have very high level skills in Aboriginal cultural site identification. The Ranger team will share their knowledge on significant cultural sites and help the young men and walk country identifying these sites. Cultural sites may include; Stone tools, hearths, food remains including midden/mound materials such as mussel shell, are found in a range of sites known collectively as occupation sites single artifacts (isolated find), scarred trees and burials.
The Rangers will help demonstrate how to make artefacts on country. Since being employed as a Gayini River Rangers the team have had significant exposure and experience in artifact making and will engage and help guide the young men in making their own artifacts whilst out on country.
The Triple C Youth Program aims to increase wellbeing by creating a support network for young people while building resilience based on re-connecting with Culture and Country.
The Triple C Youth program is a unique program that has been developed by NNTC and can be adapted to each individual that partakes in the program. The Triple C program aligns with what we at NNTC believe is important and appropriate for young First Nations youth.
The Triple C Youth Program is about being able to connect to Country and help each individual’s healing process and helps aid young men onto the right pathways while connecting to their culture, which is a right every Aboriginal person is entitled too.
The program is suitable to any organisation or group working with First Nations youth some of whom may be affected by drugs and alcohol use and misuse, family violence, anger issues and mental health, both directly and indirectly.
The program is delivered ‘on country’ and includes activities such as:
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Aboriginal site identification and protection
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Artifact making
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Bush survival skills
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Animal tracking and fishing
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Plant identification
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Working alongside University researchers with current projects
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Introduction to bush tucker and medicine knowledge
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Cultural ceremonies
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Camp fire yarn ups and group counselling
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Living skills (cooking, hygiene, healthy living)
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The Triple C Youth Development program has been developed and delivered by Nari Nari Tribal Council is fully supported by Hay Local Aboriginal Lands Council and Mawambul Co-Management Group.
Clontarf Foundation have been key stakeholders for the past 3 years, as their students have participated in various camps. Hay War Memorial High School are also new stakeholders and look forward to participating in future camps.
For the Triple C Program to be delivered successfully we do need a commitment from Clontarf, schools, or any other organisation with the appropriate age group of young First Nation youth.
A Risk Assessment is completed prior to each camp that identifies any risks including work, health and safety and how these will be managed.
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The Triple C camps are for young First Nations men aged 12-18 years. There is no selection criteria, students are selected by the Clontarf staff or School teachers. NNTC are also open to self-referral.
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When appropriate, the Triple C participants with the Ranger team will work alongside and obtain “on the job training” with University researchers and the River Rangers with current projects being undertaken. This will occur when the activities are appropriate for the participants, it will also be when researchers are out at any NNTC owned lands. Activities may include, turtle surveying, fish tagging, pelican tagging, vegetation identification, bird identification are just a few to name but this can change depending on what is happening at the time.
The Triple C Program participants will interact with researchers such as Charles Sturt University (CSU), University of NSW (UNSW) and Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group (MDWWG). The involvement can be tailored around current projects that are being undertaken on any NNTC owned lands. The Triple C participants can also be involved in monitoring of vegetation and water birds.
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The Triple C participants alongside the Rangers will also be involved in smoking ceremony when arriving at the property and have a cleansing ceremony prior to leaving. The importance of these ceremonies will be explained to the participants.
All participants will be involved with cooking of all meals, the Rangers will help show the participants the importance of eating healthy and preparing foods such as lunch and morning tea in advance.
A very important part of the Triple C camp is sitting around the yarning circle and chatting, this is like a group therapy session. The idea of the Yarning circle is for everyone to open up and be comfortable and discuss life issues and what has been happing in one’s day life.
The Triple C Youth Development program are delivered over five days, Monday- Friday in fully supervised, intimate groups of 8 to 10 participants. The timeframe can be altered to suit each camp and can be delivered in less days if required.
All supervisors have a Working with Children Check.
Expected outcomes of the program are a stronger sense of identity, improved wellbeing, increased school retention and transition and a select student cohort who imagine a career in the environmental domain—water and land management pathways. For example, a ranger, conservation, environmental science etc.
