In celebration of National Youth Week in 2016 and 2017, SBS teamed up with the Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) and the Department of Social Services (DSS) to give young people the chance to share their story on national television. Young people (aged 15 to 24 years) from across the country were invited to submit a video entry about their unique identity. After several rounds of judging, five winners were chosen to attend a week-long filmmaking and storytelling workshop in Melbourne. By the end of the workshop, each winner had produced a short film about their story.
One of the 2017 film competition winners is Aliko Nomoa, a then15-year-old student from the Torres Strait island of Mabuiag Island. Home isn’t just where Aliko’s heart is – it’s where his soul and spirit are too. Through his Youth Week film, Aliko is seeking to give the world beyond Mabuiag Island a glimpse of what connects him to his culture.
In the previous year, Taz Clay, a young Indigenous ‘brotherboy’ (trans man) shared his difficult journey to affirming his gender and the importance of speaking out about gender identity. Taz was one of the 2016 finalists, and provides a number of aspects of his identity that make him unique as a young Indigenous Australian.
This activity encourages students to engage with the SBS Learn resources that have been shaped around Aliko and Taz's films, and to engage in safe and stimulating discussions around questions of personal and cultural identities across Australia.
Image: SBS
*Advice: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the resources may contain images, names and voices of people who have since passed away.