Social and Community Role

Youth Programs
Young people are crucial to the survival of Aboriginal culture. Metro runs a number programs for Aboriginal youth on our own and with local schools. These have included:

Sydney to Bourke Cultural Program
Metro was involved in a cultural program for young Aboriginal men and boys from Sydney to travel to Bourke. The program offered participants a chance to experience different lifestyles and experiences. For many, the program offered a glimpse at a world far removed from their day to day lives with experiences of traditional practices not available to them in the city such as fishing, camping, bush tucker and ceremonial traditions.

Croc Festival
The ‘Croc Festival’ is an event that showcases schools from across NSW in a performance competition similar to the ‘Rock Eisteddfod’. Metro provided support to a number of schools competing in the ‘Croc Eisteddfod’. The event is the largest gathering of Aboriginal young people in NSW and provides a venue for Aboriginal students to come together and compete in a healthy and educational environment. The ‘Croc Festival’ also educates Aboriginal youth on serious issues such as drugs and alcohol abuse and the benefits of healthy lifestyle choices in a fun environment.

Aboriginal Fishing Clinic
Metro staff volunteered their time to act as mentors on an ‘Aboriginal Fishing Clinic’ trip where boys from local schools traveled to the bush for fishing outings. Traditionally, fishing was a survival skill for Aboriginal people living near water, and part of everyday culture. However, many of the inner-city boys had never been fishing. The trip was also used to promote Aboriginal culture and promote healthy lifestyle choices in a non-school environment