When Marlee Silva, 20, first found out that she would be the first Co-CEO of the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience she cried, screamed and nearly passed out.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
After the news finally sunk in, Miss Silva was met with a wave of determination, realising she would be taking the first major step in becoming the Aboriginal leader she has always wanted to be.
“I’d never been so proud of myself and to be given the opportunity to represent my generation of Indigenous youth really did make me feel a wave of emotions”, Miss Silva said.
Miss Silva has spent Reconciliation Week attending events held by AIME’s corporate partners discussing Reconciliation Action Plans.
Reconciliation Week remains a prominent event for Australia, focusing on reconciling for those mistakes made in the past.
The week offers the opportunity to develop strategies to solve issues still faced by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
‘’Our history is dark and full of ever impacting devastation”, Miss Silva said.
“These are vital moments where we can force the focus of the government and wider society to look at the remaining problems and places of growth that exist in our communities”, Miss Silva explains.
Reconciliation Week however should not be the only time Australia as a nation should reflect on it’s history.
“We cannot accept Reconciliation Week as the only time when we think about Aboriginal Australia and needs of the people who live in it”, Miss Silva said.
“The trauma and horror behind why we need these kinds of weeks and initiatives should not be a major creator of guilt, but needs to be something that insights genuine action”.
Passionate about Indigenous affairs, Miss Silva has worked tirelessly with AIME to help support Indigenous students through high school and into university and employment at the same rate as all Australian students.
In 2015, 93.7 per cent of AIME Year 12 students transitioned into post-school pathway. This was 7.2 per cent higher than the nations non-Indigenous rate and 35.2 per cent higher than the national Indigenous rate.
The Coalition has pledged $5.75 million to AIME to help reach 6000 Indigenous youth across Australia and pave the path to 10,000 each year by 2018. To become involved in AIME visit aimementoring.com.