The objectives of Gudjela are to advance the education, mental and physical health, and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and youth in rural and remote areas of Australia. An inclusive, cultural, trauma-informed and strength-based approach will be used to build capacity in communities. Site-specific programs and strategies will be developed in collaboration and partnership with Elders, local community members, relevant organisations, and other services (Indigenous organisations, local shires/councils and health, education, and sporting services). It will underpin the design and delivery of programs to acknowledge and cater for the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s cultures, needs and contexts. To achieve these objectives Gudjela has designed specialist units. The units include Music, Art, Sport, Mindfulness (through Music/Sound Therapy) and combinations of the primary units. These units can either span the length of a school day/s, week/s or over a term (10 weeks). As a not-for-profit organisation, all funds and sponsorship arrangements will be used to advance the objectives of Gudjela. Program cost is relative to the number of program participants, the length of time in community and the distance from Gudjela’s Operations Office (Mparntwe. NT 0870). Each unit uses a site-specific, trauma & culturally relevant approaches to teaching and learning based on the needs of communities and schools guided by Elders. Gudjela’s pillars (Empathy, Respect, Learning, Compassion, Integrity and Discipline) will inform program practice. Gudjela uses a unique blend of sound therapy, music and sound innovation, Aboriginal art creation and sport, combined with trauma-informed lived experience and Aboriginal learning processes to guide and support the growth and development of students.
The Arrernte people are the traditional owners of Mparntwe, which we know as Alice Springs. They have been here since time began. Arrernte people continue to live in Mparntwe, where they look after the country and teach children the Arrernte language and the importance of culture. According to the traditional owners, this place was shaped by caterpillars, wild dogs, travelling boys and many other ancestral figures. Some of the first Dreaming stories ever recorded were those of the Arrernte people of Central Australia. As a College we acknowledge that we are meeting on the traditional country of the Arrernte people, and we pay respect to Elders past and present. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship with the land, which continue to be important to the Arrernte people living here today.