News from the ILF Yawuru Country (Broome), 2022. Photo by Wayne Quilliam Yamandhu marang Friend, Thanks to you we did it. This year we have gifted 116,866 culturally relevant books to remote Communities through Book Supply, supported 90 playgroups through Book Buzz and published 40 books representing 15 First Languages. Your support has made this possible. The positive and joyful feedback we receive from families, children and organisations in remote Communities is a wonderful testament to the value and impact of our programs. “We’re truly grateful, ILF does an amazing job by sourcing such excellent literature to share with Communities. Thank you so much — and thank you to those who support this initiative financially.” - Robyn Kenny, Principal Consultant with the Port Lincoln Partnership. Today we launch our 2022 Festive Appeal with an aim to raise $100,000 to kick start our 2023 programs. The good news is that we have two beautiful new Give the Gift of Reading cards available for donations of $20. Click here for more ways to support us this festive season. I would like to acknowledge our partner Australia Post for their ongoing support in the delivery of Book Supply packs to remote Communities. Since our partnership commenced in 2020, Auspost has delivered an incredible 300,000 books to remote Communities, stocked two ILF titles across 553 Post Offices, raised more than $24,000 funds via online and in store donations and their stores have participated in numerous fundraising events including Great Book Swaps. We truly appreciate Australia Post's support with delivery, fundraising and advocacy. Equally as important as the support we receive from large corporations, is the support given by individuals. Every donation helps, every like, share and comment on social media helps, any referrals or mentions in your communications helps and purchases on ILF published books and merchandise helps. Thank you for being part of our journey. Mandaang guwu, Ben Bowen To celebrate UNESCO's first year of the Decade of Indigenous Languages, each month we encourage readers to learn a new word in either an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language. This month's word is dugong in Tiwi language! Illustration from No Way Yirrikipayi. Indigenous X Workshop This month ILF staff participated in a cultural training workshop hosted by Indigenous X. Luke and Mike from Indigenous X not only shared insights but challenged the team to analyse the meaning and use of words and our actions in the pursuit of reconciliation and truth telling. Teeny Weeny Yikiyikini - Online Shop Exclusive! An exclusive offer to ILF supporters. A limited number of copies of Teeny Weeny Yikiyikini are now available to purchase through our online shop. This book was created by children from Milikapiti School with ILF Ambassador Gregg Dreise and emphasises the importance of family. The book also gives readers the opportunity to learn a few words in Tiwi! Order here. Launch of Muri La Murli La is a stunning new book filled with traditional songs and stories created by the Ngarukuruwala Women's Group in the Tiwi Islands with Dr Genevieve Campbell. Published jointly by ILF and Hardie Grant, the book will have a Community launch in December and will be available for purchase online early next year. ILF Trivia Night After a two year pandemic induced hiatus, we are excited to announce that we are once again holding our Melbourne Trivia Night on 23 November. Hosted by talented writer, comedian and actor, Brian Nankervis, the night promises to be entertaining, enlightening and memorable. Gather your friends and make a booking. More details here. ILF Attending the Early Childhood Australia (ECA) National Conference ILF CEO, Ben Bowen, and Programs Manager, Zoe Cassim delivered a workshop at the ECA National Conference this month highlighting the impact of languages in storytelling, publishing and creation of future opportunities. The team loved sharing the space with so many passionate educators and industry professionals. Jajoo Warrngara It was a pleasure to attend the launch and celebration with our friends at Sharing Stories of their incredible new education platform Jajoo Warrngara. The platform provides resources that support the development of culturally safe classrooms for teachers and students in Australian classrooms. Read more about this important platform here. 2023 Boundless Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship Program Text Publishing and Writing NSW are taking applications for the 2023 Boundless Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship, a program established to discover and nurture new Indigenous voices in Australian literature. The successful applicant will be paired with a senior Indigenous writer for a year-long mentorship. Applications close Monday 12 December. Click here for more information. Launch of The Monsters of McKyus Next month, our team is delighted to be heading up to the Torres Strait Islands, for the Community launch of The Monsters of McKyus! Copies of the book will be gifted to the St Paul's Community on Moa Island, and distributed through schools across the Torres Strait. Learn more and buy your own copy here. Create Initiative At the end of this month, students from Tiwi College are joining ILF Ambassadors Shelley Ware and David Lawrence in Darwin for an intensive three-day workshop to produce a book in collaboration with ILF and Hardie Grant as part of the Create Initiative. And at the end of November, students from Yirrkala will be engaging in another Create Initiative! Watch this space! Boxes and Boxes of Beautiful Books at Kalkarindji Learn about the impact of Book Supply at One Tree, a Community Service in Kalkarindji, NT. At One Tree, the books are used in a range of ways at the Community service. “Their faces light up when they see the books.” Read the blog here. We are looking forward to working with Wotton & Kearney who will be helping to support three core programs; Book Supply, Book Buzz and Community Publishing Projects over the next three years. We welcome Blundstone Australia who have commenced a 3 year partnership with the ILF supporting our programs in remote Communities around Australia. We are thrilled by this partnership opportunity. In 2021, Abco joined the ILF journey as a major supporter, with a commitment to donate a percentage of profits from their Enviroplus range of eco-friendly cleaning products. To date, that commitment has resulted in a donation of just over $96,000. This equates to gifting 9,600 books to children in remote Communities. Thank you Abco for sharing our vision! Brigidine College at St Ives have raised an incredible $30,000 for the ILF through various fundraising stalls including bake sales, sausage sizzles, and their Founders Day. A big thank you to the schools efforts in raising this incredible amount. Thank you to Alphabet Store, a design studio based in Sydney, who are proudly donating $1 to the ILF with each artwork sold. "It is vital to us, as visual communicators, that all people have access to the magic of reading to help them grow, imagine, escape, develop and prosper as individuals". We would like to thank Rainbow Sky Creations who have donated $2 from resources for National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week. In the two years of their support, Rainbow Sky Creations have raised almost $10k for ILF! Thank you to the Menzies family who organised the Waratah Day fundraising event for the ILF this month. Funds were collected from each bunch of Waratah's sold. |