At the Y Discovery Camps, we're committed to creating spaces where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples feel welcomed and respected. Our vision for reconciliation focuses on equality, unity, and truth-telling. We believe that everyone should feel a sense of belonging, and we want our camps to reflect this belief.
To help us achieve this, we’ve partnered with Buneen (an Aboriginal-owned consultancy) to review our cultural inclusion practices. This review has shaped our ongoing approach to creating culturally-safe environments at camp.
Our focuses are:
- Elevating First Nations stories through camp-specific Local Story Maps
- Increasing employment opportunities for First Peoples
- Educating guests about First Nations culture as part of the camp experience
- Building long-term partnerships with First Nations communities
Keep reading to learn more about our commitment to cultural inclusion and the actions we’re taking across our camps.
Developing place-based cultural stories
We’re developing Local Story Maps for each of our camps to honour the lands on which our camps operate.
A Local Story Map is a site-specific, culturally-guided tool. It carefully documents what stories can be told and how they should be shared with our campers.
By working closely with cultural authorities, we ensure that First Nations stories are authentically represented.
Creating strong employment pathways
We know that cultural inclusion must be reflected in our team. That’s why we’re working to create structured employment pathways for First Nations peoples.
This initiative focuses on tailored recruitment, practical training, and long-term retention strategies to ensure First Nations staff are supported and valued.
At the same time, we’re upskilling our wider staff network to ensure they can confidently and respectfully deliver First Nations content within our outdoor programs.
Fostering education and learning
Education is a powerful tool for building unity and understanding. That’s why we’ll be incorporating curriculum-aligned First Nations education into our camp programs.
These educational experiences include lessons on Australian history, connection to Country, and cultural tours.
By embedding First Nations perspectives into our everyday practice, we’re strengthening educational outcomes for all guests.
Building partnerships with First Nations communities
None of this work is possible without strong, long-term partnerships. We’re actively collaborating with Recognised Aboriginal Parties (RAPs) and Traditional Owners across all our camp locations.
These partnerships ensure that everything we do maintains cultural integrity and authenticity. By listening to and being guided by community partners, we make sure our programs reflect the Country we operate on.
Looking ahead on our inclusion journey
Embedding First Nations perspectives across our programs, environments, and everyday practice is not a one-off initiative. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made so far, but we know there’s always more to learn and do. We remain fully committed to progressing cultural inclusion with integrity, accountability, and respect.
If you would like to learn more about our commitment to reconciliation and how we support young people at our camps, please reach out to our team today.