Cape York Young Women's Project

Step’n’up and taking personal responsibility to pave new ways forward

The Cape York Young Women's Project is continuing an exciting initiative that is taking small but deliberate steps to reduce welfare dependancy and is working towards providing selfsufficient opportunities for the Young Women of Cape York.

The Cape York Young Women's Project is continuing an exciting initiative that is taking small but deliberate steps to reduce welfare dependancy and is working towards providing self sufficient opportunities for the Young Women of Cape York.

Established in 2001 the project aims to give broader educational and training opportunities to Young Indigenous Women from isolated communities across Cape York Peninsula, while also assisting them in making positive career and life choices. A key factor in the project initiatives, is that the young women themselves have chosen to develop the project in a way that it will one day be self-sufficient, through the ongoing sale of project merchandise.

The Cape York Young Women's Calendar is one of the products in the line-up of merchandise planned, and through its sales is paving new ways forward in breaking the cycle of welfare reliance. The calendar aims to highlight positive images of young indigenous women and in the past this has proved an inspiration for other indigenous people across the country.

Eloise Yunkaporta, has seen these opportunities first-hand and has gone from being on CDEP in the community of Aurukun to having followed her dream and become a student at the National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA) in Sydney. The Cape York Young Women's Project supports and gives young women like Eloise personal support to access broader opportunities, but challenges them to use their own initiative and take that first step. "I have been involved in this project from the beginning. I'm a young Wik woman, proud of my heritage and where I come from. I want to show to the rest of Australia that for any young person today it's all about getting the support you need to achieve your dreams, I have always wanted to be a dancer. That's what the project and calendar is all about. It's about people stepnup... and taking on the challenge together."

The launch of the Cape York Young Women's Project Calendar will be held at CoCa the Centre of Contemporary Arts, Cairns at 4.30pm Wednesday 16th November and will include special guest speakers.

More information about the project and the purchase and availability of the calendar is located at www.stepnup.com.au

Photo opportunities and interviews

The day prior to the event (15th November) at 1.30pm, the Centre of Contemporary Arts, Cairns.

For further information