About Tirkandi Inaburra
  > Our Philosophy
  > Our History
  > Our Facilities
  > Our Program
  > Our Management
  > Our Staff
  > Our Partners
 
The Catchment Area
How to Apply
Outcomes
The Centre's Guidelines
Picture Gallery
Contact Us

 

 
   

 



 


“Boys to Men: Learning to Live Their Dream”

Tirkandi Inaburra Cultural and Development Centre is an Aboriginal community run centre offering Aboriginal boys aged 12-15 a culturally-based residential program aimed at reducing future contact with the criminal justice system by strengthening the boys’ cultural identity, self-esteem and resilience.

The centre houses 14 boys at a time and the boys stay at the Centre on a voluntary basis for a single school term. Whilst at the Centre the boys engage in educational, sport, recreational, life, living skills and cultural activities which have all been designed to incrementally develop each participant’s skills and abilities. Schooling is provided on site by the NSW Department of Education. The Centre is located on a 780 hectares rural property between the townships of Coleambally and Darlington Point in the Riverina district of south-west NSW.

The name “Tirkandi Inaburra” means “to learn to dream” in the Wiradjuri language. Tirkandi Inaburra delivers a culturally based residential program aimed at strengthening cultural identity and resilience and empowering its young participants to reach their full potential in life.

Boys who live in communities located between the Lachlan and the Murray and between Balranald and the western side of the Blue Mountains are eligible to apply to come to the Centre.

The NSW government provides funding for the centre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Promoting Resilience

The Tirkandi Inaburra philosophy is based above all on promoting resilience. It aims to empower Aboriginal youth to develop and draw on their own resilience in order to take responsibility for their own lives, develop strategies to deal with their problems and minimise the risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system. The promotion of self-confidence, identity and cultural pride in Aboriginal youth is seen as central to the development of resilient young men.

 

Guiding Principles

> .Voluntary participation
> .A select school for boys with potential
> .Cultural relevance and involvement of elders
> .Confidence and resilience building
> .Flexible and challenging activities targeted to individual needs
> .Acting at all times in the best interests of participants
> .Providing a safe, secure and challenging environment for participants
> .Engagement with families / carers and communities
> .Aboriginal community controlled
> .Responsiveness to youth and community needs
> .Working in partnership with government and non-government agencies
> .Equity of access across communities in the catchment area
> .Empowering participants to return to their communities


For more information about Tirkandi Inaburra,
click to download the Fact Sheet.