Ampe-Kenhe Ahelhe
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Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe COMMUNITY REPORT 2018 A Photography by Children’s Ground staff and families © All photographs, filming and recordings of Arrernte people and country is owned by Arrernte people and used by Children’s Ground with their permission. Painting ‘The Children’s Ground’ by Rod Moss, 2018 Contents Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe is the Arrernte translation for Children’s Ground. This is the name we use for 03 From our Director: MK Turner Children’s Ground in Central Australia. Mparntwe is the Arrernte word for the area in and around Alice Springs. 04 Ingkerrekele Arntarnte-areme | Everyone Being Responsible (Governance) 05 Anwerne-kenhe Angkentye, Iterrentye | Our Principles 07 From our Chairperson: William Tilmouth 08 From our Directors: The Story So Far 10 Ampe Mape Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe | Children’s Ground Children 2018 12 Ampe Akweke Mape-kenhe Ayeye | Children’s Stories 18 Akaltye-irreme Unte Mwerre Anetyeke | Learning and Wellbeing 20 Anwerne Ingkerreke Apurte Urrkapeme | Working Side by Side 22 Arrernte-kenhe Angkentye | Arrernte Curriculum 23–29 Akaltye-irreme Apmerele | Learning on Country 30 Tyerrtye Mwerre Anetyeke | Health and Wellbeing 32 Mwerrentye Warrke Irretyeke | Economic Development and Wellbeing 36 Arne Mpwaretyeke, Mwantyele Antirrkwetyke | Creative Development and Wellbeing 42 Tyerrtye Areye Mwerre Anetyeke | Community Development and Wellbeing 44 Ayeye Anwerne-kenhe ileme | Sharing Our Story 46 Anwerne ingkerreke Apurte Irretyeke | Reconciliation Week 2018: We All Get Together 50 Ampe Anwernekenhe Rlterrke Ingkerre Atnyenetyeke | Keeping All Our Children Strong 51 Kele Mwerre | Thank you 52 Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe Staff 2018 1 “Anwerne Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe-nge warrke mwerre anthurre mpwareke year- nhengenge. Utnenge atyenhe nhenhe ikwerele aneme. Anwerne-kenhe iwerele aneme. Anwerne-kenhe iwerrele arratye anetyeke. Iwerre anwerneke-nhenge akaltye- irreme. Anwerne ingkerreke apurte warrke-irretyeke. Iwerre anyentele alhetyeke.” We’ve been going really well at Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe this year. I love it here. This is where my heart is. We are doing it our way.This is where the wheels are turning around. We will stay on this straight road. We are recognising the pathway forward and learning from where we’ve been. We all work together and walk together on the same track. MK Turner OAM, Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe Director 2 2 3 Everyone Being Responsible: Governance Our Principles Ingkerrekele Arntarnte-areme Anwerne-kenhe Angkentye, Iterrentye Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe is held and led Ingkerrekele Arntarnte-areme are Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe grew out of the Iwenheke apeke unte Tyerrtye ingkerrenyekenge Arne mpwaretyeke arrurle by a group of strong, passionate governing, designing, delivering same vision and passion of families arle mpwarewarretyarte First Nations people – young and old. and evaluating our work at Ampe- who started Akeyulerre (the Arrernte lyernpenye unte anthetyeke urrkapetyeke Expect the best and deliver the best. Work with everyone. We all want to make a change in our kenhe Ahelhe. We work closely Healing Centre) from the grassroots. ante nthakenhe arle lyete This is what our kids and families deserve. It is our aim to work with every child and lives for a better future for our children with the Children’s Ground Board As our key partners, we share arne mpwarewarreme arteke family in our communities. If all families and families. which oversees the financial viability, governance with them and regularly Always think about old ways and are supported and included, this will corporate governance, strategy and hold dual governance meetings. new ways of doing things. Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe is directed by Akweke anthurre mapenge strengthen the whole community. integrity. We govern from the local Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe and Akeyulerre You have to know your history to us – the community, the families, the urrke arne mpwaremele level and make recommendations to are walking together on the same go forward – so we never forget the people. Our Governance structure is urrkapetyeke them. As First Nations people, we are journey to create a new future for old ways – but we integrate new determined by Arrernte kinship. We Start early with the little ones. Mwarrentye arle the ones that have the solutions for Arrernte families. knowledge to make sure we are follow the leadership and guidance This is when their brains are arne mpwareme our families and communities. Jane delivering the very best. of our Elders while supporting the Over the last few decades many developing, so good health and renhe tnaketyeke Vadiveloo (CEO) and the Board listen younger generation to come up Arrernte Elders and community wellbeing is so important. If we start Use and celebrate people’s ability. to us and help us make decisions too. - behind us and find their voices. leaders in Mparntwe, some of whom early we have the best chance for We celebrate people’s abilities and Anwenehe Ampe Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe works across have now passed on, have dedicated getting our kids on the right track. their capacity to contribute, whether kenhe Ahelhele iwerre We come together weekly for four sites in Central Australia: their lives to their people and culture. they are artists, translators, authors, arratye alhetyeke Ingkerrekele Arntarnte-areme Irrkerlantye (Whitegate Town Camp The work we now do at Ampe-kenhe healers, teachers or advisors. There is akwete community-ele arlke Governance meetings. We are the Akweke itnekenge akwete East of Mparntwe), Yarrenyty Arltere Ahelhe and Akeyulerre honours the a wealth of talent and knowledge in decision makers at Ampe-kenhe apentetyeke (Larapinta Valley Town Camp in vision, talent and passion of these anetyeke itnenhenhe our communities. We see the ability in Ahelhe, so it’s important to listen - We are led by the children, Mparntwe), Mpweringke Anapipe strong leaders. amangkelhe ilenhemele people, not the deficits. to each other and our community. their families and community. (North of Mparntwe) and Ewyenper Stay with the children and grow It’s a powerful message that we’re At Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe, First Nations We are the directors, designers, Atwatye (Hidden Valley Town Camp with them until they are big. speaking. It’s healthy for all of us to people are designing, delivering and Arne ingkerrenyeke deliverers and evaluators. in Mparntwe). Families who live in It will take 25 years to see the get that strong message out there. evaluating a learning and wellbeing Ewyenper Atwatye integrate into the changes we want to make. We anyentelhe iletyeke: We are trying to inspire the younger system that empowers us to make Irrkerlantye and Mpweringke Anapipe want to follow the children we are tyerretye ngwenhe Ingkerrenyeke apmerenye generation to be leaders like us. decisions, rather than suffer prescribed groups for Early Years activities. Local working with now every step of the mwerre anetyeke, akaltye apurte-irreme apmerenge solutions imposed by others. To help us governance for each site sits within the way and make sure they have every irremele, tyerrtye ngwenge Whole of community in community. do this and to guide us in our work we families who are responsible for that opportunity made available to them. artweye mapenge We are delivering where people live, follow these 9 principles: country. Each country is represented Connect everything – education, building upon the social, cultural on the Governance Committe. health, culture, identity, economic and economic capital for the whole wellbeing. They are all connected, community. in the way that Aboriginal lore and society is connected. 4 5 Message from our Chairperson William Tilmouth Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe is not just Historically, governments have failed a system: it’s a way of life. Our First Nations peoples. The resistance “Our kids don’t need to principles are deeply rooted in giving starts with empowering and directly be fixed. Our kids need the community agency in their lives involving communities in sustainable in a world that has rendered them solutions and creating partnerships. to grow up as Aboriginal powerless. Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe gives We must stop being complicit in children with rights and the community control; it gives them implementing programs that are not options, rather than suffering the opportunities, with a voice designed to eradicate the problems prescribed solutions handed out by on the ground. We cannot and will and the ability to control others. It’s not rocket science – it’s not achieve the outcomes for our letting go of the reigns and saying their own destination.” people if the status quo is maintained. “Here you go – it’s your life; you work William Tilmouth, Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe Change has to happen now. it out and we’ll support you.” Chairperson Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe has always had No one desires to live in poverty. the intention of being long term. We Aboriginal people do want a say in No one desires to live in hardship. follow each child in each community their lives. These are people who have At Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe, Aboriginal for a generation, supporting families had more than 60,000 years of living people are championing Aboriginal to support their children. We are and 200 years of dispossession and solutions for Aboriginal problems. empowering people to champion their disempowerment. The community are taking control of own solutions, and we are seeing results. issues that directly affect them, and Our kids don’t need to be fixed. are determining the pace, the shape We are conducting a longitudinal Our kids need to grow up as Aboriginal and the manner in which they address evaluation to show the broader children with rights and opportunities, those issues. community that this works. We are with a voice and the ability to control proving ourselves in the face of a their own destination. At Ampe-kenhe I sit on the board of Children’s Ground Western-dominated system. Ahelhe we see what can happen when as the community’s Chairperson. But you are culturally empowered – a whole I’m not one to prescribe a solution for community, family and kids are mobilised them.