gili-dhi muru (Lighting the Path) - Youth Empowerment

gili-dhi muru (lighting the path in Darkinyung language) is the Barang Regional Alliance Youth Empowerment Program that embodies the commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people  on Darkinung Country through a range of activities.

These include: youth leadership and development, Empowered Youth Summits, advocacy, employment, engagement and elevation of youth voice to decision-making as directed by the Youth Empowerment Agenda.

Youth Empowerment Agenda

Through the Regional Youth Investment Program, Barang Regional Alliance expanded its youth empowerment activities for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (12-24) in the Darkinung Community.

Activities included the establishment of the guyung minig  youth leadership cohort, expanding youth employment, various youth priority workshops, cultural immersion experiences, youth leadership camps, advocacy opportunities, youth surveys, Empowered Youth Summits, resource dissemination and community engagement.

The Youth Empowerment Agenda is the culmination of these activities, brought together by guyung minig to provide a strategic response to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in this community.

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Empowered Youth Summit

The Empowered Youth Summit is the premier annual event for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people on Darkinung Country. Established in 2019, the event aims to provide an equal platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people from the Central Coast to voice their opinions, needs and desires. These voices are subsequently elevated to community and government through Barang’s Youth Empowerment Agenda to ensure that decision-making, service design and delivery are genuinely inclusive of young people. 

The Summit also allows Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to connect with community, services, culture and Country. All attendees receive a free gift pack which includes a range of clothing, merch, and camping gear.

Watch Our Past Empowered Youth Summits

The Empowered Youth Summit is held annually on Darkinung country.

To see the success of the event and observe the positive change, see the videos and reports below:

2025 Empowered Youth Summit

Check out the 2025 Empowered Youth Summit! 

Another inspiring weekend, connecting with our youth through all different types of cultural activities and so much more. 

So, empowering to see out next generations stepping up and taking the lead at this year’s camp.

We are so proud of all the accomplishments from this years Youth summit. 

Take a look…. Watch the summit recap

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2024 Empowered Youth Summit

Check out the 2024 Empowered Youth Summit! Another inspiring weekend, platforming almost 140 of our next generation through connection and empowerment. Stay tuned for the future success of these young leaders.

Watch the summit recap

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2023 Empowered Youth Summit

Keep the fire burning! Blak, loud and proud! Dive into the inspiring moments from the 2023 Empowered Youth Summit. We look forward to fostering even more connections in 2024!

Watch the summit recap

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A group of young people standing outdoors at the Empowered Youth Summit 2023. The image features a text overlay with the event's name and abstract line designs. Trees are visible in the background, adding a serene touch to Central Coast. The individuals, showcasing Aboriginal youth leadership, appear engaged and attentive.

2022 Empowered Youth Summit

Barang Regional Alliance hosted our 3rd Annual Empower Youth Summit on the 22nd – 23rd of October 2022.

Watch the summit recap

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Two smiling individuals wearing baseball caps, one in black with a red logo and the other in white, stand side by side with their arms around each other. Both dressed in dark shirts, they exude happiness and relaxation as they enjoy the outdoors, representing Aboriginal Youth Leadership Central Coast.

2020 Empowered Youth Summit

The summit was again held at Broken Bay Sport and Recreational Centre on the Hawkesbury River, attracting over 120 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Watch the summit recap

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A young person from the Aboriginal Youth Leadership program is adjusting their helmet strap while wearing a harness. Another person, partially obscured, is holding the helmet. The background features lush greenery on the Central Coast, indicating an outdoor setting, possibly for an adventure or team-building activity.

2019 Empowered Youth Summit

On Darkinung Country, surrounded by stunning and serene water, bush, wildlife and rock, the Empower Youth Summit was held on 23rd of February 2019.

Watch the summit recap

Download Report
A woman with her hair tied up, wearing a brown jacket over a striped shirt, stands in a lush outdoor setting with greenery and trees in the background. She has a microphone clipped to her jacket, representing Aboriginal Youth Leadership Central Coast.

guyung minig (‘Black Fire’) Youth Leadership Cohort

guyung minig translates to ‘black fire’ in Darkinyung language, and symbolises the regenerative nature of youth leadership.

Since the launch of the annual Empowered Youth Summit in 2019, young Aboriginal people (aged 12-24) on the Central Coast have consistently voiced their need for increased opportunities to connect to community, culture, and leadership, as highlighted in Barang’s 2019 Youth Strategy.

guyung minig embodies Barang’s response to this request, by creating a group of  over 20 young leaders that is focusing on culture and continuing the natural cycle of leadership in this community.

To hone their leadership capabilities, develop tangible skills and advocate for young people, guyung minig participate in a range of workshops that focus on inner development, culture, and Country.

Youth leaders are also provided with opportunities to receive mentoring from other young leaders, build personal networks relative to their career aspirations, and engage in culturally immersive experiences.

A group of people sit around a long, white table in a well-lit room at Aboriginal Youth Leadership Central Coast, engaging in a discussion. The table is covered with various drinks, snacks, and laptops. Wall decorations include photographs and posters. A large flat-screen TV is mounted on the wall in the background.
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Acknowledgement

Barang Regional Alliance acknowledges the Darkinjung People as the traditional owners, caretakers and custodians of the lands, seas and waterways of the Central Coast – the land in which we live, work and operate.

Barang Regional Alliance also acknowledges Traditional Owners, Caretakers and Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the significance of continued and ongoing connection to lands, sea, water and culture. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and to our Elders, both past and present. 

Please note that this website may contain images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples that are deceased and acknowledge that this may cause distress for some people. Barang has been granted full permission to utilise all images contained within and we respectfully request that no image, text or information is replicated or used from this website, or any documents contained within, without first seeking full permission from Barang Regional Alliance in writing. Please feel free to contact us should you have any questions in relation to this.