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Our Truth Our Way

Truth Telling. Story telling.

SHR

Our Truth Our Way started in June of 2023 and ended in October of 2023. If you have questions or want more information about Our Truth Our Way, you can contact firstnations@fya.org.au.

What is Our Truth Our Way?

Our Truth Our Way wass a three month intensive workshop for young (18-35) First Nations people to learn and refine truthtelling and storytelling. 

Guided by the FYA First Nations team and First Nations media experts Aiesha Saunders and Rachael Hocking, participants engaged in a series of six virtual workshops, where they learned everything from foundational journalism skills and ethics, to legal risk and community protocol, as well as social media content creation, presenting, and podcasting. At the end of the program, participants were supported to produce and publish one original content piece.

The program centred the needs and wellbeing of participants, adapting as necessary to cater to the specific interests of the successful applicants. It also ensured that the group remained connected both virtually and offline.

Why Our Truth Our Way?

Platforming and amplifying the sovereign storytelling of young mob and their calls was critical to achieving social change.

Our Truth Our Way helped build the power of young mob by supporting them to become critical thinkers and fearless truth tellers who dismantled barriers and empowered the future of Black independent media.

How did Our Truth Our Way support young First Nations People?

Through Our Truth Our Way, participants had the opportunity to learn from peers, mentors, and industry professionals the skills needed for truthtelling and storytelling in the media, including:

  • Pitching and publishing work
  • Writing and Editorial Skills
  • Legal Risks and Defamation Knowledge 
  • Fact Checking in Media
  • Social media content creation
  • Cross-Generational Storytelling

At the end of the program, participants were supported to produce and publish one original content piece.

Frequently Asked Questions

How were people be selected, who made that choice and when were they notified?

Participants will be selected in a panel selection by the manager of the Our Truth Our Way program, Tallulah Brown, and the two headers and facilitators, Rachael Hocking and Aiesha Saunders.

Participants will be assessed on the following criteria:

  • Aged between 18-35 years
  • Must be Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander 
  • Passion for truthtelling and storytelling
  • Mob who are building their skills in truthtelling and storytelling
  • Committed to learning through Our Truth Our Way

Successful applicants will be notified on the 8 of May.

What were the key dates?
  • Successful participants announced May 8th. 
  • Introduction session held on June 7th, 2023.
  • First workshop 14th of June. 
  • Second workshop 28th of June. 
  • Third workshop 19th of July. 
  • Fourth workshop 2nd of August. 
  • Fifth Workshop 16th of August. 
  • Sixth Workshop 30th of August. 
  • Major Work Draft due 13th September. 
  • Major Work Final Work Due 27th September. 
  • Possible in person event mid October.

Who were the trainers and mentors?
  • Tallulah Brown is a proud Gomeroi and Arab person, currently living on Gadigal land. They work in the First Nations team at FYA as the First Nations Programs Associate.Tallulah has extensive social media experience from Instagram to Tiktok, using these mediums for their own storytelling.
  • Rachael Hocking is a Warlpiri woman from Lajamanu, currently living on Gadigal land in Sydney. She is a journalist, curator and presenter who is passionate about sharing First Nations stories. Her work can be found across Black media, from the national Indigenous newspaper Koori Mail to NITV. She is a director on the board for Common Ground and most recently worked as Editorial Coordinator for the 2022-2023 First Nations Media Australia News Initiative program for community reporters. 
  • Aiesha Saunders has worked within the communications and cultural arts sector for over a decade as a First Nations journalist, project manager, producer, educator, researcher, consultant, and curator. Her work is community and culture focused with truth-telling and self-determined Indigenous advocacy at the core.

Additional facilitators will be announced in coming weeks. 

What inclusion and accessibility support were provided?

We work to make all our events as accessible to as many people as possible. 

As this will be held online, this will be COVID-19 safe. After the selection process we will be asking how we can make this course more accessible to the participants.

Auslan Interpreters

Auslan Interpreters can be provided.

How was the program funded?

Our Truth Our Way is fully funded by FYA. FYA is investing $2.3 million into our dedicated First Nations work over 3 years (2021-2023). 

Some projects like Our Truth Our Way are run by the First Nations team and some are run jointly with our team + other teams at FYA.

Who can I contact for more information?

For more information you can contact firstnations@fya.org.au.