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28 Mar 2022

Spotlight on – The Bundjil’s Nest Project, Balnarring, Victoria

At the end of February 2022, the Bundjil’s Nest Project presented its annual 2022 Conference; Reconciliation Takes Action – Embedding First Peoples perspectives in Education settings.

Established in 2015 on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, the Bundjil’s Nest Project is a collaboration between Balnarring Pre-School, Balnarring Primary School and Balnarring Early Learning Centre, and more recently St Joseph’s School Crib Point. The conference is a great example of unity among the local community and attracts teachers and educators from right across the region.

Karen Anderson, Educational leader of Balnarring Pre-School, winner of the 2021 Narragunnawali Awards early learning category, said the Conference has been a great opportunity to work with other schools and services on their own reconciliation journeys.

Ms Anderson and the conference team ran several Narragunnawali Professional Learning activities at the conference, including the Yarn and Connect Activity, Head Heart Hand Activity and RAP Framework activities.

“Participants openly shared their thoughts during the activities, they asked lots of questions and were keen to begin their RAP journeys,” Ms Anderson said.

“There was a shared commitment to creating culturally safe services. Personal stories were shared. They were interested in hearing examples of what we as the presenters had achieved and are continuing to work on.”

When asked how winning the 2021 Narragunnawali Awards strengthened their reconciliation journey, Ms Anderson recalled the positive reinforcement of the work they continue to do in the space.

“It shows our work is valued which gives us the strength to keep growing and looking for other ways to bring the community into our learning,” Ms Anderson said.

“It has supported us to continue to be leaders in the field in the area of reconciliation. It has provided the committee of management evidence that their support is crucial in us developing our Reconciliation Action Plan.”

Bundjil (Boon Wurrung language) is the Wedge-tailed Eagle and creator spirit. One of the programs worked on by the Bundjil Nest Team involved placing a sculpture of Bundjil's Nest into a local park that was designed by the children and teachers. They worked on a sustainability project that involved collecting soft plastics which were made into Waang (Boon Wurrung word for crow) sculptures by Indigenous artist Emma Davis, emphasising the importance of Caring for Country. Waang protects the waterways

Discover more about the Bundjil’s Nest Project and the community who are involved in it.

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