Referendum Yarns
A space for all views, for young mob, by mob, about the referendum on the Voice to Parliament.
Referendum Yarns have finished
If you have questions or want more information about Referendum Yarns, you can contact firstnations@fya.org.au.
What are the Referendum Yarns?
Referendum Yarns was an online workshop for young First Nations people to come together to yarn about the referendum on the Voice to Parliament in a safe, supportive space.
The workshops were run by FYA’s First Nations Team – for mob only, by mob. The idea for these yarns came from FYA’s First Nations Governance Group (of young mob under 35) as a space that young First Nations people want and need right now.
Why join the workshop?
| “There’s so much information circulating about the upcoming referendum, and a lot of it is quite hard to navigate especially with misinformation and disinformation being produced. Engaging in yarns rights now feels quite intimidating and overwhelming, especially if you are like me and don’t know the in and outs of it all. That’s why it’s important for us to have safe spaces, designed by and for young mob, to connect, learn, and share our thoughts without fear of harm or judgement.” FNGG member, Hope Kuchel. |  |
These workshops provided a space for young mob to yarn, connect, and learn together, acknowledging and holding space for different views in our communities – not a place to campaign on the vote.
What participants experienced
- Connected with other young First Nations people and learned about the referendum on the Voice to Parliament, as well as past and future First Nations resistance beyond the referendum
- Shared their hopes, concerns, and questions about the referendum in a supportive space
- Received tips on how to navigate the news and media during that time
- Learned strategies for looking after themselves during the referendum debate
Who was it for?
This discussion was designed for young First Nations people aged 16–35 who wanted to have a yarn about the referendum on the Voice to Parliament in a safe space.
Frequently asked questions
The workshops will be led by members of the FYA First Nations team:
- Meriki Onus (she/her) Gunai and Gunditjmara woman, FYA Director of Programs & Movements, First Nations.
- Rachael Hocking (she/her) Warlpiri woman, FYA Director of Our Truth Our Way, First Nations.
- Roxy Moore (she/they) Noongar person, FYA Executive Director, First Nations.
- Teina Te Hemara (she/her) Ngarluma/Yindjibarndi and Te Atiawa/Ngati Raukawa person, FYA Workshop Organiser, First Nations.
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. During the registration process we will be asking how we can make the workshops more accessible to the participants.
This event was free to access. Participants required access to a computer and the internet to be able to watch/listen to the conversation.
If you’ve got questions about the yarn, you can email firstnations@fya.org.au