We acknowledge the custodianship and deep care of land, human and non-human beings undertaken by Darug and Gundugurra people for over 60,000 years on the land we grow on. Their sovereignty was never ceded.
Our Growing Together program includes building culturally aware and trauma informed spaces for youth, facilitating nature-based learning programs regenerating soils, taking part in fresh food growing, socio-environmental care, First Nations-led bush regeneration, and discovering ways to practically apply the concept of caring for Country in our every day lives.
This includes:
- an enclosed grow tunnel space on Katoomba High school grounds growing organic vegetables, propagating native plants for onsite bush regeneration, and running an affordable fresh food program for school families.
- a weekly ‘Nature, Craft and Connection’ program at Katoomba High School in partnership with the Student Support Officer to equip young people with a self-care and community-care toolkit of creative nature-based mental health first aid, and providing avenues for positive, restorative action and mutual care
- weekly facilitation assisting and taking part in the ‘Birriban’ bush regeneration project on Katoomba Highschool grounds, to learn about caring for Country, managing watersheds and waterways and bush regeneration. A section of the grow tunnel will be dedicated to learning to grow and propagate native plants for Birriban
- assisting local elder Uncle Lex Dadd in the garden around The Shed where he facilitates hands-on environmental education/bush foods/Caring for Country site in Wentworth Falls for Blue Mountains youth.
Wherever we have set up regenerative food growing areas, we have always been passionate about caring for local surrounding bushland, growing and tending to native plant habitat and food sources for local insects and wildlife. This project will allow us to work alongside aligned local organisations to make a significant impact in the areas of mental health and environmental education for young people.