The Capacity Building and Partnerships Branch, the Department of Local Government, Sport and Recreation, the Mornington Island Council and BUSH TV began to explore ways of developing the Mornington leadership program further. The Council's goal was to build capacity in terms of clearly articulating their vision for the Island to the government during the next round of negotiations, as well as ignite community support for the leaders. 

Initially BUSH TV visited the Island to engage the community by utilising the Indigenous Community Based Social Marketing strategy.  The key question became:  What are the barriers to effective leadership on Mornington Island? 

Research revealed a lack of support for community leaders from within their own community.   

"The community needs to know that we're actually there for them. We're not there for ourselves. We're there for them.  We're there for the future of this place." Bradley Wilson 

Research suggested that the same small group of community people were consistently taking on the leadership roles, including formulating and articulately a vision for the Island and entering complex Negotiating Tables with the government.  This lack of support has lead to frustration towards their own community and the government.  The goal of the overall strategy became identifying support mechanisms for the leaders. 

"We don't have the support mechanisms in place for leaders. We're just basically throwing them into the deep end and expecting them to do a fantastic job.  This is why we've come up with the Driver Program." Susan Sewter  

It's our responsibility 

Leaders decided the way to build capacity and support for their important community development work was to first engage with their own community. 

"It is us people who live in this community.  It's the community's responsibility, not the government's responsibility.  They're here to listen to and support us, but at the end of the day it is our responsibility."  Michelle Cameron 

It was decided the most effective way to reach the community was to produce a DVD clearly expressing the leaders vision for Mornington Island and to talk about the Driver Program. 

"The problems need to be identified by community and the community needs to come up with the solutions for fixing these problems too."  Glenda Duffy 

With the support of BUSH TV, a community meeting was organised to provide a grassroots forum for leaders to discuss with community what their role is, what work they are doing and ways in which the community can better support them to achieve improved outcomes for all of Mornington Island.  They also attended a leadership workshop in Mt Isa. 

"We decided as a group to get off the Island to discuss our vision for the future.  Afterall, what we need on Mornington is effective leaders."  Susan Sewter 

The DVD will be broadcast to Mornington Island residents via the BRACS network, the local radio and TV service. 

A shared vision 

Research identified the need to engage in a more confident and clearly articulated way with government so that the aspirations of Mornington Island residents are realised. The purpose of the DVD was to give leaders the opportunity to formulate and present, in a precise, professional and considered manner, their vision for their community at the next round of government negotiations. 

"I think government finds it hard to come to terms with how you fit in culture, how you fit our values and beliefs, into policy."  Susan Sewter  

Community leaders recognised that not only do they need to present their vision differently, but that government will also be required to listen differently to the community's message.  The DVD will provide the bridge for that communication to occur successfully. 

"There are some changes that need to happen and the changes need to come from the community - not government people coming in and telling us what to do.  We need to do it ourselves because we live in this community."  Bradley Wilson 

The desired outcome for leaders is that capacity is built so that community leaders work with the support of their community, and in partnership with government, to set the agenda for negotiations and occupy a confident, meaningful and legitimate seat at the table.  

Leaders expressed the critical need to challenge negative portrayals of remote Indigenous communities by offering an alternative vision.   It was decided a website will be developed to showcase and promote the successes and achievements that are occurring on the Island, as well as presenting to the broader community the vision and aspirations of the community.  It will be a vision that is articulated by community people using community voices, images and stories. 

We have to fight together to make a change  

"Provided we know our vision; provided we've got a path to that vision; and provided we all know that path and provided we all become committed - it doesn't matter how fast we're moving, provided we are moving."  Susan Sewter 

BUSH TV Senior Consultant Tom Hearn said that the plan devised with the Mornington Island leaders represents what RAIN is all about.  RAIN develops strategies using the ICBSM framework and builds capacity within those communities to engage more effectively with government, other agencies and with the community itself. What emerges is leaders actively engaged in the growth of their community; leaders who confidently articulate a vision to demonstrate the strength, possibility and potential of Mornington Island and her people. 

Future capacity building on Mornington Island will be occurring in April.  Participants will be involved in developing skills and expertise in delivering corporate-level marketing strategies. The focus this time will be on building individual capacity so that human resources on Mornington Island develop alongside community capacity-building.   Look out for this story later in the year!