APAC Issue 7 2018

APAC / Issue 7 2018 11 , Yarn Strong Sista specialise in a range of services, including visits to Early Childhood environments to facilitate storytelling and arts workshops with children, hosting Professional Development training for Educators, facilitating arts activities and face-painting at festivals and events, and providing First Nations designed resources and educational tools on their website. The team work beyond Early Years, customising their programs to meet the curriculum needs of Primary and Secondary students, and work in community contexts supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Yarn Strong Sista’s Aboriginal Early Childhood Education Resources include: artefacts, dolls, children’s music, children’s books, games, felt hand and finger puppets, felt mats for storytelling, puzzles, and teachers resource guides. Yarn Strong Sista: Aboriginal Pedagogy, Social Justice and Self-Determination YarnStrong Sista specialise in a range of services and provide First Nations designed resources and educational tools on theirwebsite. Recently, we profiled the firmand one of the organisations founders, Annette Sax followingYarnStrong Sista’s recent success inAPAC’s Business Excellence where theywere awarded the accolade Leaders in Indigenous Accessories 2018. As for the beginnings of Yarn Strong Sista, whilst Annette was studying an Aboriginal Child Care course at Prahran TAFE in the early 1990s, she was supported by two close friends to take my knowledge of Indigenous culture into the Early Childhood environment and share it with children. Yorta Yorta Academic woman Dr. Sue Lopez-Atkinson, Arakwal Educator Delta Kay and Annette founded Yarn Strong Sister since they all saw the importance of reflecting Aboriginal pedagogies into the curriculum could have on the ways that others understood First Nations cultures, and in the empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Throughout the years, the Cultural Knowledges shared by strong Aboriginal women and men inspired Annette to develop and design toys, as well as resources to reflect Aboriginal Pedagogy. The organisation has 1804AP07 created meaningful relationships with Aboriginal Artists, Authors and Specialists in creating cultural resources, and building a platform to supply these in educational settings and to the public. Moving forward, the team at Yarn Strong Sista will continue to provide their diverse selection of services, as well as building on their recent success. Contact: Robert Williams Company: Yarn Strong Sista, Unit 2, 88-96 Western Avenue, Westmeadows, Vic 3049, Australia Telephone: 03 9338 3492 Web Address: www.yarnstrongsista.com