A leading Indigenous Languages researcher has welcomed a major round of funding to support language programs in NSW.
The NSW government is currently offering 1.6 million dollars in funding grants to support the at least 70 languages in the state.
The Aboriginal Languages Revival Program is offering grants ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 to support Aboriginal Community organisations and groups to begin or expand on smaller scale Languages revival projects.
While the Aboriginal Languages Sustainable Funding Program is offering between $25,000 to $60,000 will be going to Aboriginal Community Organisations that have been funded by the program in 2021-2023 to support the continuation of programs.
Ngarigu woman Professor Jakelin Troy is the director of Indigenous research at the University of Sydney.
She says Communities often struggle to run programs without support.
“One of the things we really need are written materials in our languages, but also audio materials, anything in our languages that means people can use them in teaching and training other community members and having fun with language learning and language renewal.”
“I can’t tell you how important the funding is in supporting our languages for kids so it continues into our future.
The future of Aboriginal languages and Torres Strait Islander languages really is in what kind of funding commitments can come from governments.”
Professor Troy says constantly having to juggle grants can be difficult for communities.
“In the future I’d like to see governments support long term grants, even three year grants aren’t really enough.
These short term grants are very difficult for people to manage with you’ve got to keep applying for them every few years or every year in some cases.
I’d like to see more long term commitments financially from governments to various language projects and programs.
And employment of Aboriginal people to be leaders in their communities to coordinate these programs.”
To look into the grants for your community visit the Aboriginal Languages Trust Website.
Applications close on the 7th of April.
Photo by Tarryn Myburgh on Unsplash
