Earlier this week, our Kids on Country™ team—Warren Milera and Katie Perry—presented at the Indigenous Wellbeing Conference in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Now in its fourth year, the Indigenous Wellbeing Conference celebrates Indigenous community, culture and identity to help advance social and emotional wellbeing for all First Nations Australian, Māori and Pasifika people.

The conference highlights the importance of connection to country, culture, spirituality and ancestry and the roles they play in wellbeing, and brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples to conceptulise and strategise solutions to the most important wellbeing needs of all First Nations Australian, Māori and Pasifika people.

Warren and Katie's presentation entitled—The Value of Connection to Country for Health and Wellbeing—provided an overview of the Kids on Country™ Junior Ranger Program, and key learnings from it that might assist other educators and those working with young people.

The breakaway session following Warren and Katie's presentation was a packed house.

The Kids on Country™ program builds employability skills for young Aboriginal people by improving wellbeing, teaching life skills, building confidence 'on country' and sparking interest in conservation and land management.

Since its inception in 2016, 44 camps have been held across our Hiltaba and Witchelina Nature Reserves, positively impacting 503 Aboriginal young people.

We are very proud of Warren and Katie sharing the program and its positive outcomes to an overseas audience.

Learn more about the conference here.

Learn more about our Kids on Country™ Program here.