• 2013 KARI Aboriginal Resources Inc. and NSW Police Force Aboriginal Girls Debutante Ball
• Homework Centre
• Indigenous Art
• Vacation Care
• Education Camp
• 2013 KARI Aboriginal Resources Inc. and NSW Police Force Aboriginal Girls Debutante Ball
• Education Camp 2013
• Banton Brothers Music Production Program
• Fathers and Sons Camp 2013
• Community Unity Day 2013
• Vacation Care 2013
• 2013 KARI School Scholarship Applications
• BCA Graduation 2012
• KARI Gala Dinner Dance 2012
• South West Sydney Aboriginal Student Achievement Awards 2012
• Indigenous Art Program – November 2012
• Mothers and Children's Camp 2012
• Vacation Care Sep/Oct 2012
• KARI School Holiday Tutoring Program - September 2012
• Mt Druitt Indigenous Jobs Market 2012
• Banton Brothers Entertainment Music Program
• Good Kids Camp
• Koori Cup and Girls Koori Tag Competition 2012
• Banton Brothers Entertainment Music Program
• Racing to the Top
• Indigenous Art Program Update
• The 2012 KARI/NSW Police Aboriginal Debutante Ball Update
• Vacation Care July Update
• Community Unity Day 2012
• Young Parents Program
• Indigenous Art Program
• Vacation Care July
• The 2012 KARI/NSW Police Aboriginal Debutante Ball
• 2012 KARI Education Camp
• TAFE Certificate 4 in Training and Assessment Completion
• KARI Gala Dinner 2012

2013 KARI Aboriginal Resources Inc. and NSW Police Force Aboriginal Girls Debutante Ball

is currently underway with our Debutante's and their police partners attending regular dance lessons. Our Deb's and their partners will attend dance lessons every Monday until the event which is scheduled to occur on Saturday the 29th June 2013 at Mounties Club.

Homework Centre

KARI has exciting news - We are starting a homework centre with Ashcroft Public School! The centre will be open Thursday afternoons at Ashcroft Public School from 3:20pm to 4:20pm. The centre is an opportunity for Aboriginal students to come in and receive assistance in completing their homework on a weekly basis and practice their English and Mathematics skills. This initiative is hoping to improve the literacy and numeracy results of Aboriginal students in schools in the 2168 area.

Indigenous Art

Another Indigenous Art Program is underway at KARI. Ten (10) members of the community will attend an 8 week community art program under the guidance of artist Danielle Mate. Participants are encouraged to paint to this year's Mil-Pra AECG Art Exhibition theme of 'Stories from the Bush' and enter them into this year's competition.

Vacation Care

Vacation care occurred in the second week of the April School holidays, we did a range of activities from the Urban Jungle tree climb at Sydney Olympic Park to cooking classes at KARI. The cooking classes where a real hit for the children as it taught them how to cook healthy meals at home and all the children were keen to take the recipes home with them to share the yummy food with their families. The children really enjoyed coming out with the KARI staff to all the activities and at the Urban Jungle one child asked can we do this again as they really enjoyed the activity. The children had a wonderful time trying new experiences and learning new skills these school holidays, they also had the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. Stay tuned for the next round of vacation care in July which will bring even more exciting activities for your children to participate in.

Education Camp

The 2013 KARI Education Camp ran from Tuesday the 16th of April to Friday the 19th April 2013 at Vision Valley Conference Centre, Dural. Over the course of the camp participants in Grades 11 and 12 gained access to a range of educational, cultural and recreational opportunities. Education workshops were provided by ACPE Sports College, TAFE, University of Western Sydney (UWS), University of Technology (UTS), University of New South Wales (UNSW), University of Sydney (USYD), Macquarie University and Australian Apprenticeships and Training group. Overall, the participants indicated that they enjoyed the four day camp in terms of socialising with other students, the cultural workshop and the various provider talks. Undoubtedly, one of the highlights from this year's camp was a visit from former NRL player Rhys Wesser who shared his journey with the students followed by a game of touch football.

2013 KARI Aboriginal Resources Inc. and NSW Police Force Aboriginal Girls Debutante Ball

Planning for the 2013 KARI Aboriginal Resources Inc. and NSW Police Force Aboriginal girls Debutante Ball is currently occurring with recruitment of our potential Debutante's well under way. This program is an opportunity for fifteen young, Aboriginal women to present themselves to society accompanied by male Police Officers from the respective local area commands. As part of a ten week program each young lady is expected to attend dance and etiquette lessons weekly in the lead up to the ball and also attend workshops dealing with a range of issues that face young, Aboriginal women today. Applications' are now closed.

Education Camp 2013

The 2013 KARI Education Camp is scheduled to occur from Tuesday the 16th of April to Friday the 19th April 2013 at Vision Valley Conference Centre, Dural. Over the course of the camp participants will have access to a range of educational, cultural and recreational opportunities. Expressions of interest to attend the camp were sent out to Aboriginal students in Grades 11 and 12 across the South West Sydney region and are to be returned to the Community Programs Team by Friday the 22nd March at 5:00PM.

Banton Brothers Music Production Program

The Banton Brothers Music Production program will kick off again for another year on Friday the 22nd March 2013 at Dorchester School, at Reiby Juvenile Justice Centre. Over the course of this ten week program the participants will develop and record an original hip-hop influenced track promoting positive messages through music and allowing participants to express through lyric writing, beat making, and performing. Regular updates will appear on our website during the various stages of the program.

Fathers and Sons Camp 2013

The KARI 2013 Fathers and Sons Camp was held from the 22-24th of February at the Myuna Bay Sport and Recreation Centre. 10 dads and 16 of their boys braved woolly weather to for three days of fun, undertaking a range of activities designed to build stronger relationships between father and son. Cultural activities included sand art, didgeridoo design and Aboriginal dance. While there were also a number of outdoor exercises like flying fox and put put golf that we were able to undertake when the weather was a little friendlier.

Community Unity Day 2013

The 2013 KARI Community Unity Day was held on Sunday the 17th February 2013 at The Whitlam Centre, Liverpool. The free event was all about celebrating KARI, our ongoing commitment to community and coming together by providing a number of service information stalls, a variety of exciting rides, live entertainment and a deluxe BBQ lunch. Talented local performer Gemma Summerhayes gave us yet another fantastic performance, earning some new fans amongst the crowd. A rousing performance from community dance group Dhan Gurramaay got everyone in the crowd involved in their unique display of Aboriginal culture and custom. A big thank-you to Uncle Steve Hall from NSW Rugby League for providing some great football memorabilia in the biggest free raffle we have had to date! Overall, the day was considered a great success with visitor numbers exceeding well over 700!

Images of the day are available in our gallery.

Vacation Care 2013

KARI's Vacation Care program was run again during the January school holidays. KARI had two weeks of exciting programs available to take part in. These school holidays we had a week long surfing program at Cronulla Beach on offer, with many of our surfers hanging ten by the end of the week! The second week of activities that KARI offered was also well attended, with many familiar faces returning for some new and exciting activities. Activities available included: Traditional Indigenous Games and a Picnic day; KARTATAK Go Karting; Circus Arts at Homebush; Grass Karting at Kurrajong; and a trip to the TreeTop Adventure Park at the Plough & Harrow Parklands.

Vacation Care will be on again at KARI during the April school holidays. We have a week of activities available including; Urban Jungle at Homebush, Movie day at Campbelltown, and two day cooking classes for ages 5-12. KARI will be closed for the ANZAC Public Holiday and no activity will take place. Contact KARI to register your child.
More images are available in our gallery.

2013 KARI School Scholarship Applications

Applications for KARI's 2013 School Scholarship program closed on Friday the 7th December 2012. Over 100 students across 30 High schools in the South West Sydney Region successfully applied to be a part of this year's program. Successful applicants were notified by letter just before Christmas and Community Programs have begun initial visits to all students and their schools. Congratulations to all who were successful, we look forward to a busy and productive year!

BCA Graduation 2012

Recently, staff from across the KARI team celebrated their successful completion of the Diploma in Community Welfare Work. The Diploma was delivered on site at KARI over an eighteen month period and was facilitated in partnership with the BCA National Training Group. Bruce Callaghan & Associates (BCA) is a successful management consultancy with over 20 years' experience that specialises in strategic/business planning, managed change, board recruitment, executive coaching and also training programs. KARI has a firm commitment to the ongoing training and development of all staff members. Having achieved continual success with this program KARI has further invested in providing additional staff members the opportunity to complete their Diploma by again partnering with BCA to deliver the course throughout 2012/13.

KARI Gala Dinner Dance 2012

The 2012 KARI Gala Dinner Dance was held on Saturday the 20th of October at Campbelltown Catholic Club's premier venue 'The Cube'. Almost 500 people attended the event and were treated to a night of entertainment and culture.
Our MC for the evening Roy Ah-See lifted the energy in the room right from the beginning with his opening address, followed by Uncle Ivan Wellington, who gave a stirring Welcome to Country and our special guest the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Honourable Victor Dominello, MP warmly addressed the guests and informed them of all the things that are happening for our community. Guests were treated to a variety of entertainment this year beginning with the KARI Yu-lu Gi dance troupe performing yet another mesmerising routine. The newest edition to our entertainment bill was comedian Sean Choolburra who had the crowd in stitches with his charismatic stage presence and energy filled set. To round off the entertainment and get everyone up on the dance floor performers Sara Bertram and Blake Ralph and band gave us some wonderful renditions of some modern floor fillers and some old favourites. Undoubtedly, one of the most exciting elements to this year's event was the silent auction, in which over 12 fantastic prizes were donated by the NRL, JB Hi-Fi, Captain Cook Cruises, Amalgamated Holdings Limited, Novatel, The Australian Turf Club, Matthew Sheils Virtual Flightdeck Project and local artist Danielle Mate. Thank-You to all of our donators and congratulations to all of our lucky winners! This year's event was something spectacular, the energy in the room confirming the night's success. We look forward to doing it all again in 2013!

South West Sydney Aboriginal Student Achievement Awards 2012

The 2012 South West Sydney Aboriginal Student Achievement Awards were held on November 7th at the University of Western Sydney, Campbelltown. These awards celebrate the hard work of Aboriginal students across the South West Sydney region in the areas of Culture, Courage and Commitment, Literacy, Numeracy, Sporting Achievements, Attendance, Leadership, Citizenship and Community Service, Creative and Performing Arts and Community Acknowledgement. KARI has been a long standing sponsor of the awards and this year created a new award to acknowledge the hard work of students from Kindergarten to Year 12. The KARI All Rounder Initiative award recognises a student's outstanding commitment to school through consistent attendance, an eagerness to learn, school community participation and staying engaged in the school environment. One student from Kindergarten to Year 12 received an award this year along with a book pack (for our Primary aged winners) and a Westfield Gift Card (for our Secondary winners). Congratulations to all of the students who received awards this year and an even bigger congratulations to our 2012 KARI Award winners (from K-12);

• Jai Channel, Ingleburn Public School
• Arthur Hunt, Bonnyrigg Public School
• Jai Allison, Bonnyrigg Public School
• Kyle Shepherd, John Warby Public School
• Raymond King, Appin Public School
• Felicity Sawyer, Curran Public School
• Lyle Frappell, Curran Public School
• Makala Burgan, Bonnyrigg High School
• Christopher Turner, East Hills Boys High School
• Kyle Brown, Airds High School
• Holly Reynolds, East Hills Girls High School
• Karlinda Potts, Sarah Redfern High School
• Carly-Jade Chesterfield, Airds High School

Indigenous Art Program – November 2012

Another Indigenous Art Program has just begun at KARI. Twelve (12) members of the community will attend a 6 week community art program under the guidance of local artist Danielle Mate.

Mothers and Children's Camp 2012

The 2012 KARI Mothers and Children's Camp will occur from Friday the 16th of November to Sunday the 18th November. Families will spend a weekend away at Myuna Bay Sport and Recreation Centre to participate in parenting workshops and recreational activities.

Vacation Care Sep/Oct 2012

The September/October Vacation Care program ran from Tuesday the 25th of September through to Friday the 5th of October 2012 with a variety of activities on offer to the community. The first week of activities included Mini Putt Putt golf at Liverpool Catholic Club, AMF Bowling and Laser Skirmish, a trip to Darling Harbour to visit the all the weird and wonderful creatures at the Aquarium and Wildlife Sydney Zoo and a smashing Friday afternoon was spent at Aqua Golf, Penrith. Week two began with two days of high climbers at Rock Climbing, Villawood. The Aboriginal Heritage Museum allowed us to explore our wonderful past with a tour of the museum, looking at historical moments in time and artefacts. We then spent the afternoon at Balls Head Island, roaming the small bushland and learning about the areas original inhabitants. Our final day was again spent in Darling Harbour, this time at the LG IMAX Theatre viewing 'Sea Rex 3D'. Overall, the two jam packed weeks of activities were enjoyed by all with full attendance to most activities. Vacation Care will be on again in the January 2013 School Holidays.

KARI School Holiday Tutoring Program - September 2012

The students and tutors discussed curriculum set tasks, study techniques and exam preparation in time for the beginning of term 4 and the higher school certificate. The library provided access to a range of relevant text books and study resources, as well as internet and computer access. Overall, the students involved were engaged and felt they had used their time effectively. Thank-You to our tutors for giving us their time and effort to assist our students. Keep your eye out for future school holiday tutoring programs!

Mt Druitt Indigenous Jobs Market 2012

The Mt Druitt Indigenous Jobs Market was held on Tuesday the 21st of August 2012. The KARI Community Programs team accompanied some of our current scholarship holders to take in all there is to offer in terms of Indigenous career and job opportunities. The students talked to many stall holders and walked away with lots of goodies. The KARI recruitment team also had a stall on the day hoping to recruit some new carers and let the community of Western Sydney know what the team at KARI do.

Banton Brothers Entertainment Music Program

Students at Picton High School recently wrapped up the latest instalment of the Banton Brothers Music and Production Program. Over the course of the 10 week program the brothers Josh and Ben, sat with the students and started the lyric writing process with a technique called 'Skin and Bones'. The students worked as a team to write the lyrics, create the beat and develop the melody. Once the lyrics were written, the students moved onto the recording stages of the program. During this time students performed as a group, encouraged by Ben and Josh, and some students were identified as having the potential to perform solo on the track. Following the recording stages the students were shown how to mix the track using and produce it to its final stages. The track 'My Time' by the students of Picton High School debuted on Friday the 24th of August 2012.

Good Kids Camp

The Good Kids camp was held from Monday the 30th of July to Wednesday the 1st of August 2012. Twenty-Five (25) high school aged students from a number of schools in the Liverpool region were taken to Myuna Bay Sport and Recreation Centre by Green Valley Police Local Area Command and KARI staff. These students were selected from a number of applications submitted by their teachers, nominated for displaying the qualities of exceptional students and quality leaders within their school. Over the 3 days the students enjoyed a number of recreational activities including high ropes courses, canoeing, archery and bike riding. A cultural element was added to the experience with Uncle Aaron Taylor attending the camp to tell stories, teach traditional dance and give the students a lesson on how to throw boomerangs and spears. Overall the camp was enjoyed by all in attendance and is a shining example of the quality programs that KARI and Police partnerships produce.

Koori Cup and Girls Koori Tag Competition 2012

The KARI Aboriginal Resources Incorporated (KARI) Koori Cup and Women's Koori-Tag Competition was held recently in Campbelltown in conjunction with NSW Rugby League Western Academy, Wests Tigers and Australian Rugby League development. The event was held to bring together Aboriginal students from all across South West Sydney and encourage active participation in a safe and culturally appropriate way. Across the day 10 boys' teams and 4 girls' teams competed in a round robin rugby league and tag competition. The games were all close and played with exceptional skill with the girls Koori-Tag champions being Granville South High School sealing a win after extra time against Bonnyrigg High School. The final of the boys Koori Cup was played at Campbelltown stadium before the Wests Tigers V Parramatta main Game. The grand finalist teams were Bonnyrigg High School and Airds High School with the game going back and forth with try's from both teams. In the second half Bonnyrigg scored quickly then ran away with the game taking the trophy for 2012. The competition was held during the NSW Rugby League's 'Close the Gap' round to raise awareness and support the NRL's Gap initiatives including the importance of working to improve Indigenous health, life expectancy and education and employment opportunities.

Banton Brothers Entertainment Music Program

The latest instalment of the Banton Brothers Music Program began at Picton High School on Friday the 1st of June 2012. The Banton Brothers specialise in working with teens in hip-hop influenced workshop sessions incorporating a number of different elements of musical development including lyric writing, beat making, production, mixing, and recording. These workshops encourage growth and development, passion and direction in the young people who attend the classes. By the end of the program the students will have written their own piece of music to which they can be proud of. The students will launch their finished track on the final day of the program which is scheduled for Friday the 24th of August 2012.

Racing to the Top

The latest instalment of the Racing to the Top program wrapped up on the 14th of June 2012 at Lomandra School, Campbelltown. This program involved 10 students over a 12 week period, ten weeks of which were spent learning how to build a 2-stroke model racing car and the remaining two weeks learning how to maintain the car. This program was extremely popular with all participants and the school, with 8 students successfully completing the program. Three students who participated in this program will be enrolling in Auto Mechanics courses at TAFE - Well done!

Indigenous Art Program Update

Indigenous Art program workshops have concluded at KARI following a six week workshop run by local artist Danielle Mate. This program was about teaching new skills and techniques, applying knowledge to the canvas and bringing young people and elders together to work on their own piece of original art in a culturally appropriate environment. The pieces that were completed during this program will be entered into the 2012 Mil-pra Art Awards in the hope of raising the profile of Aboriginal artists in our community. Good luck to all of our participants!

The 2012 KARI/NSW Police Aboriginal Debutante Ball Update

The 2012 KARI Aboriginal Resources Incorporated and NSW Police Debutante Ball occurred on Saturday the 30th of June at Mounties Club, Mt Pritchard. Fifteen (15) young women from the Liverpool and Green Valley regions were partnered by police officers from the partnering Liverpool and Green Valley Local Area Commands for a night of formalities and celebration. Just over 200 people were in attendance at the event, made up of KARI staff, families of the Debutantes, esteemed community members and dignitaries from the NSW Police Force. The night was officially opened by Aunty Mae Robinson and led by our master of ceremonies Mr Roy Ah-See. The night was full of praise and joy and an outstanding evening was had by all in attendance. Special thank-you to Maria Wakefield and Mounties Club for ensuring the Debutantes had a magical evening that they will never forget. Congratulations to our Debutantes for 2012; Corrina Clayton, Tamara Saunders, Brooke Stedman, Danica Whitehouse, Kirsten Stedman, Tamara Summers, Jannali Bui-Stanton, Kirra Waind, Sophie Carroll, Madeleine Conlan, Gemma Summerhayes, Rhiannon Dotti, Kylie Phippen, Patrice Allen and Amie Saunders. Applications for the 2013 Debutante Ball will be released in early 2013.

Vacation Care July Update

The July Vacation Care program ran from Monday the 2nd of July through to Friday the 13th of July with a variety of activities on offer to the community. The first week of activities included Ice Skating at Liverpool Catholic Club Sports Centre, a trip to Dumeresq Street Cinema for a viewing of the Disney Pixar film 'Brave' followed by a scrumptious lunch at the Essen Café, Campbelltown and Kartatak Go-Karting at Villawood satisfied our daring speedsters as they raced around the track! Week two began with two days of Mini-Masterchef taking the kitchen by storm in cooking and nutrition classes run by Miller Pathways. The Australian Museum allowed us to explore the depths of the ocean in the 'Deep Oceans' exhibit and learn about our culture in the 'Indigenous Australians' exhibit. Laser Skirmish and Bowling proved popular with our participants and rock climbing allowed them to be mountaineers for the day. Overall, the two jam packed weeks of activities were enjoyed by all with full attendance to most activities. Vacation Care will be on again in the October 2012 School Holidays.

Community Unity Day 2012

The KARI Aboriginal Resources Incorporated Community Unity Day Event was held on Sunday the 27th of May 2012 at The Whitlam Centre, Liverpool. The free event was about uniting the community, coming together and showcasing Aboriginal culture and was officially opened by Aunty May Robinson with a Welcome to Country. Throughout the day visitors had access to a variety of information stalls from services throughout South West Sydney. Rides, a petting zoo, face painting, live entertainment from some talented performers including singers Travis Buxton and Gemma Summerhayes entertained everyone. Visitors participated in cultural workshops run by Aaron Taylor and his dance troupe Yoo-Kul Wung-Hah and were also treated to a free deluxe barbecue lunch, popcorn and fairy floss. The day was considered a great success with visitor numbers exceeding the anticipated 500.

Young Parents Program

Community Programs have been running a Young Parents Program for young people living in the South West Sydney region. Once a week participants have been attending workshops conducted by various community service providers including Centrelink, IMB Banking, Liverpool Women's Health Centre, Medicare, Karitane and Miller Pathways - Mission Australia. This program has been about promoting knowledge and self-reliance and will conclude on Wednesday the 20th June 2012.

Indigenous Art Program

Indigenous Art workshops have been in session at KARI for a number of weeks. Local Aboriginal artist Danielle Mate has been teaching a number of people from the community a variety of techniques to apply to their own works of art. This program is about teaching new skills, applying knowledge to the canvas and bringing young people and elders together to work on their own piece of original art in a culturally appropriate environment. The overall aim of this program is to submit these pieces to the 2012 Mil-pra Art Awards in the hope of raising the profile of Aboriginal artists in our community.

Vacation Care July

The July Vacation Care program will run from Monday the 2nd July to Friday the 13th of July with a number of programs and activities planned. Enquiries can be forwarded to our Community Programs Administration officer, Tammy Osgood on (02) 8782 0300.

The 2012 KARI/NSW Police Aboriginal Debutante Ball

The Debutante Ball is a new partnership program between KARI and the NSW Police Force. This program provides up to 15 young Aboriginal Women aged 16 to 25 the opportunity to engage in an event which time has long forgotten. The premise of the Debutante Ball is that young women are given the chance to learn proper etiquette, dances such as the Pride of Erin and the Viennese Waltz and participate in workshops that teach self-respect and self-appreciation. Each young lady is partnered with an officer from the NSW Police Force (Green Valley and Liverpool LAC's respectively) for the duration of the program. The young ladies hard work is then rewarded when the participants, escorted by NSW Police Officers are formally presented to their families, friends, community and society at an event organised in partnership by KARI and the NSW Police. The 2012 KARI/NSW Police Aboriginal Debutante Ball is scheduled to occur on Saturday the 30th June.

2012 KARI Education Camp

This years' Education Camp ran from Tuesday the 10th of April to Friday the 13th of April at Vision Valley Conference and Recreation Centre, Dural. It provided an opportunity for 22 students from various schools in South West Sydney to socialise and network, share ideas and have fun in a supportive and culturally appropriate environment. Students engaged in a variety of activities including Education Workshops provided by ACPE Sports College, NSW Police, TAFE, The University of Western Sydney (UWS), The University of Technology (UTS) and The University of New South Wales (UNSW). A variety of physical activities were run by the staff at Vision Valley including Ropes Courses, Zip Lines, and Abseiling. KARI staff also ran an Aboriginal Art Workshop and our own 'Amazing Race' Challenge, designed to promote positive team building. Finally an Aboriginal Cultural Workshop was conducted inclusive of language, land and dance presented by Uncle Aaron Taylor. Overall, the camp was a huge success with many of our students returning wide eyed and hopeful about the future.

TAFE Certificate 4 in Training and Assessment Completion

KARI staff were joined by fellow members of the community to complete the Certificate Four in Training and Assessment presented by TAFE. The certificate ran over a number of months and gave the participants the opportunity to learn how to develop and implement a training and assessment package. All participants were engaged and ready to participate on a weekly basis. A big thanks needs to go to Julie McIntosh the bright and bubbly trainer from TAFE who week after week gave participants all the skills and support they needed to get through. Thank-You Julie and congratulations to everyone who completed the course!

KARI Gala Dinner 2012

This years Gala Dinner will be held at The Cube, Campbelltown Catholic Club on Saturday 20th October 2012 from 6:30pm to 11:30pm. Full details are available in the flyer.