NECU backs Frog Dreaming Conference for young people

The New England Credit Union has provided $1,500 in financial backing for a conference to put young people in touch with the land and Aboriginal traditions of custodianship.

Frog Dreaming Conference at Echidna Gully, Hillgrove on October 23-24 is being organised by Southern New England Landcare and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Coordinator Sara Schmude says the two day conference for Year 5-6 students aims to make them more aware that respecting and cherishing the land lies at the heart of good environmental practices.

Caption: Conference dreaming... Rebecca Smith ( Discovery Coordinator, National Parks and Wildlife), Jon Izzard (NECU Armidale Branch Manager),  Debbie Horrack (NECU Armidale assistant branch manager) and Sara Schmude (Schools Landcare Coordinator, Southern New England Landcare)

“People must feel a connection to the land if they are to develop empathy and an interest in preserving it for future generations,” she explains. “The focus for the conference is to encourage young people to understand the part that Aboriginal people played in conserving the land and to become more aware of local environmental issues.”

NECU CEO Kevin Dupé said the students would benefit from interaction with the Aboriginal community whose cultural traditions and creative activities were so closely linked to the land.

“At a time when we are facing such environmental challenges, it is very worthwhile to look at what has been successful in the past,” he said. “The Aboriginal culture celebrates a strong connection to the land through music, dance, art and rituals. “The conference is an opportunity for young people to interact with those concepts and to develop their own creative responses to the land through a range of activities over the two days. I would urge the business community and community groups to also come forward to support this great initiative.”

During the conference students will be involved in performances, cultural activities, spotlighting and star gazing and group sessions on a number of Landcare themes. “Linking people, the environment and economics and creating a vision for our children by empowering them with skills to plan, problem solve and make decisions that will help them to achieve their goals will be a focus of the conference,” Ms Schmude said.