Language Digital Activism Workshops for Oceania

oceania call for participants

Are you a native or heritage speaker or user of an Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Indigenous, minority, or low-resourced language from Oceania?

Do you have an idea for a project or campaign that uses the internet or digital media to promote your language in digital spaces?

Are you interested in developing a plan to further advance that idea to make an impact for your language community?

If you answered “yes” to all these three questions, then we would like to invite you to apply to take part in a two-week online workshop “Strengthening your language on the internet through digital activism” organized by Rising Voices in partnership with UNESCO and through a special collaboration with First Languages Australia.

Please read through the following information, then apply below at the bottom of this page.

Dates and times:

Session #1 – Thursday, December 2 @ 1-3 pm Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory
Session #2 – Monday, December 6 @ 1-3 pm Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory
Session #3 – Thursday, December 9 @ 1-3 pm Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory
Session #4 – Monday, December 13 @ 1-3 pm Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory

Click here to see the time where you live.

Within the framework of the upcoming International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022–2032, Rising Voices has partnered with UNESCO to develop a digital activism toolkit for languages, designed for speakers of Indigenous, minority, and low-resourced languages who want to make an impact by promoting their languages in digital spaces. Low-resourced languages is a term often used for languages for which fewer online resources or content exist.

The toolkit resource intends to serve as a roadmap for speakers and other users who are currently engaged in or who want to start working to promote and strengthen their language, whether in cyberspace or by using digital media and technologies.

Developed in close collaboration with digital activists from around the world, and allied partners, the resource draws upon years of experience and best practices by these networks of language digital activists eager to share their knowledge with other communities. Organized according to tactics that contribute to the strategic goal of language reclamation and revitalization, the resource provides innovative examples of digital activism along with reflections on how to match activities with intended impact.

Through a partnership between Rising Voices and P2PU, the resource has been adapted into a four-session course to be offered online to language communities in seven different regions around the world.

You should apply if you:

  • Are a native or heritage speaker or user of an Aboriginal, Indigenous, minority, or low-resource language from Oceania
  • Either are already involved with your own digital project or campaign OR you have a strong idea for a digital project or campaign and need help to further develop the idea
  • Can commit to attending all four sessions (see dates and times above), and complete all learning tasks in between sessions
  • Have access to the internet, preferably to use video capabilities to connect with other participants

What to expect:

  • Four virtual sessions on Zoom, including breakout groups and discussion sessions
  • Readings or short tasks to complete before each session
  • Access to and interactions with peer facilitators who will also apply their experiences during the workshop/course
  • The opportunity to meet other like-minded people interested in digital activism from your country or region, and to strengthen ties.

You will learn how to:

  • Better understand how digital activism fits into broader strategies (human rights, language revitalization) and in relation to your unique local context
  • Articulate the intended change or impact you would like to influence
  • Identify strategies and tactics that best fit the change you would like to see
  • Locate ways to develop skills and explore examples that may match your proposed project
  • Create a plan based on a chosen tactic or strategy, identifying concrete steps to expand skills or knowledge.

NOTE: all the sessions in the training will be held in English.

How to apply:

Complete the following application form below. The deadline is November 25, 2021 at 10 pm (your local time).

Selected participants will be notified by November 26, 2021

There is no cost to attend for accepted participants.

Workshop organizers will select up to twenty participants to take part. Please note, we aim to ensure geographic, linguistic, and gender diversity.

Facilitators:

Ebony Joachim started learning her language, Yorta Yorta, in 2013. While still learning her language, she began team teaching Yorta Yorta in a local Primary School. She has continued to create language resources and teach her language where she can, while supporting other language workers around Australia. Since mid-2015, in her role at Living Languages, Ebony provides training in different skills needed to strengthen and revitalise Australian languages. She works with and supports other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples nationally that are striving to strengthen their languages.

Lakota Milera-Weetra is a proud Arabana woman working to document and revive her language. She has been working on her native language for the past four years with the help of her family and the local language centre in South Australia. Lakota has a keen passion for the arts, which she brings into many aspects of her work. Currently, she is developing language learning resources including flashcards and children’s books. She is also working on organic and immersive ways to learn and teach language, while examining ways in which she can incorporate language learning into her everyday life with ease.

Apply here!

Many thanks for your interest, but the call for participants has ended.