A group of Indigenous Martu men from the remote reaches of Western Australia’s Pilbara region met with the Western Bulldogs Board this week for a leadership dialogue with a difference, on the eve of Indigenous Round.
The visit saw 13 participants from the Martu Leadership Program - a joint initiative between World Vision Australia and Pilbara-based Aboriginal non-government organisation Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa (KJ) - meet the Western Bulldogs Board to learn about the mechanics of corporate management and governance and then interchanged business talk for footy with the participants also meeting the Western Bulldogs playing group as part of the visit.
The Martu are the traditional custodians of a vast area of the Great Sandy, Little Sandy and Gibson Deserts in the Western Desert of the Pilbara.
They are among the last of Australia’s Indigenous people to make contact with the European world, many leaving completely traditional desert lives to move into stations and missions in the 1950s and 1960s.
The Martu Leadership Program aims to build on, and complement, the community leadership skills of Martu men and women through equipping them with practical knowledge and tools to engage with the mainstream world.
The Western Bulldogs Board of Directors were thrilled to host the Martu men, especially on the eve of AFL Indigenous Round.
"There is no better way for our Club to support AFL Indigenous Round than investing in the development of indigenous leaders through the exchange of dialogue and sharing of our corporate management and governance experience,” Western Bulldogs President, Peter Gordon said.
"We look forward to being apart of this unique initiative in partnership with World Vision Australia and Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa (KU)."
KJ’s Strategy & Governance Manager, Peter Johnson, said this program was not only aimed at enhancing participants leadership capabilities within their own community, but giving them a greater confidence to have an influence beyond.
“Young adults in Martu communities are smart, talented and strong. They are fully grounded in their culture, but they also need to become confident in dealing with mainstream organisations and systems,” said Johnson.
“They need to walk in two worlds. They gain enormous confidence and knowledge from experiences like this and they tell us ‘This program is for everyone, not just us.’”
“These guys are hungry to learn. I’m so proud of them. They’re the future,” said Billy Landy, Martu Mentor for the Leadership Program.
