How the ILF turns Tiwi Island schoolgirls into published authors

Tiwi College student, Sandra, will never forget November 2023.

That month, she travelled to Sydney with seven other Year 11 and 12 First Nations schoolgirls as part of the Create program, a five-day writing workshop organised by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF).

The girls study at Tiwi College, a residential school located on Melville Island off the coast of the Northern Territory.

This is the ILF’s ninth Create program to date. Since its launch in 2013, the program has involved six publishing houses and eight selected ILF ambassadors. ILF’s Create 2023 is supported by Australia Post and publishing house, Hachette Australia.

Over the five days, the students are mentored by two ILF ambassadors as they create, write and illustrate a culturally appropriate book on their topic of choice. The book is written in both the English and Tiwi languages.

This year, ILF ambassadors Shelley Ware and David Lawrence, helped the girls produce a collection of stories about two best friends going hunting.

“As a teacher, it's about passing on my skills in a gentle way that empowers them and fills them with the ability to believe in themselves so they can create their own work,” said Shelley, who has previously mentored five Create programs.

Building writing and life skills

“It’s good,” Sandra said on day two of the program. “We get to type on a laptop, learn new writing tips and how to draw. We’re experiencing so many new things.”

“We’re writing a book that shows what life is like on Tiwi so we’re learning to describe the weather, the roads and the animals on the Tiwi Islands.”

Sandra’s older sister was part of Create 2013 and when she brought her published book home, Sandra instantly knew she wanted one of her own. She was thrilled to be handpicked for this year’s program. And she was also prepared for the long days of hard work.

“We create authors from students – that really stands out for me,” said Shelley. “The girls were highly motivated and it was very exciting to be around them. And they left with a real sense of pride and accomplishment.”

Dianne Moore, the ILF Programs Manager and chaperone, who comes from the Tiwi Islands looks forward to the Create program every year.

“Its’ my favourite time of year because I know the transition the girls will make over the week,” said Dianne, who’s more fondly known as Tictac. “I'm very lucky. I get to see their growth during the week and back in their Community when they have a finished book to show their families.”

This year, Shelley and Tictac once again witnessed remarkable transformations in the girls’ writing skills and self-confidence throughout the week. Shelley remembered how quiet the group was when they first arrived in Sydney.

“The girls went from being unsure of themselves to reading aloud work that they were proud of. It was pretty special,” she said. “We watched them flourish and grow.”

“That inner belief they gain from the program is then shared within their Community to create what I believe are pathways to intergenerational change.”

Tictac added that the girls live an adult lifestyle during the week in terms of waking up early and going to work in an office during the whole day.

“They grow up in the program. I like to say they come here as girls and go home as women. They have a little more pride and maturity.”

Tiwi College school teacher Ashlee Healey, who travelled to Sydney with the group, said the first copies of Tiwi Girl Hunters have already been read in classrooms and many younger students asked about the trip and the writing process.

“The trip harnesses their natural strength as storytellers and allows them a space to showcase this whilst building confidence in writing and learning about creating books.”

Nurturing a love for literacy among remote First Nations Communities

The Create program helps nurture a love for literacy among the younger Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community and creates books that reflect their people, culture and languages.

Tanny Mangos, EGM Community, Sustainability & Stakeholder Engagement, Australia Post said, "The ILF’s Create Program supports Australia Post’s Reconciliation Action Plan commitment to celebrate and raise awareness of the UN Decade of Indigenous Languages.

“Together with the team at ILF, Australia Post will continue to support remote First Nations Communities to share their own stories and languages, and to deliver culturally appropriate books to children in these Communities.”

In addition to supporting the Create program, since February 2020, Australia Post has used its network to deliver 388,000 culturally relevant books to 453 remote First Nations Communities in partnership with the ILF’s Book Supply program.