Community media organisation Desert Pea Media has announced the release of a new documentary series called Crossroads Reflections writes Phoebe Blogg.
The series follows the story of the Crossroads Project - a group of young Australian Indigenous people based in the New South Wales towns of Moree and Bourke, learning the craft of storytelling, creating impactful change, and building a positive future for their communities.
The documentary features a new generation of grassroots storytellers as they embrace unique opportunities and develop new skills in digital media creation, songwriting, leadership, and valuable employment/life skills.
This personal and professional development process has triggered profound changes in the participants, their families and in the way they are perceived by the wider community.
Desert Pea Media creative director and co-founder, Toby Finlayson said Indigenous communities should be in control of their own stories.
"It's time that communities started taking control of the narrative. Telling their own stories, listening to each other, reflecting on and defining their community story in a self-determined way," he said.
These remote, riverside towns in regional New South Wales – including Moree and Bourke - have been under the spotlight in recent years amidst a so-called youth crime epidemic in the state's west.
A charitable organisation, Desert Pea Media has been running programs with Indigenous young people around the region for more than 20 years, using creative processes and digital storytelling to create conversations around social change, exploring themes of cultural identity, community connection, hope, purpose and wellbeing.
Chief executive officer of Moree-based youth agency Mirray Birray, Darrel Smith said reactive media portraying negative messaging is not helping the community.
"Our communities are continuously misrepresented by the mainstream media – focusing on negative stories that perpetuate racial stereotypes and bias," Mr Smith told the National Indigenous Times.
"Youth crime is undeniably an issue, but the roots of the problem begin below the surface, and this consistently negative, reactive media isn't helping our community."
In Bourke, the Crossroads Projects created pathways to employment. Ex-Desert Pea Meaid Project Participants, B-Town Warriors, are now employed at Bourke High School and as facilitators on Desert Pea Media Projects in neighbouring communities.
Meanwhile in Moree, young artist Mika Tyson has started her own photography business.
"It's changed my life heaps. I've grown as a person. I've learnt heaps. I wanna keep pushing this forward. I wanna fight for something better in this community – continue what they have (started) but in our own hometown."
The Desert Pea Media team is excited about the potential of the Crossroads model, with General Manager, Scott Large saying long-term investment in communities creates various benefits inclusive of both positive social change and improved emotional wellbeing for all involved.
"We now have clear evidence from the Independent Evaluation undertaken that the model works," Mr Large said.
"The personal and social impacts are clear and measurable – long-term investment in communities creates positive social change, helps Indigenous young people feel more connected to their communities and improves social and emotional wellbeing for all involved."
Desert Pea Media is a community-driven media organisation that amplifies the voices of Australia's remote and regional communities.
The organisation has delivered 200 projects in 100 Indigenous communities around the country, with 5.9 million views on Youtube and six National Indigenous Music Awards.
Through innovative arts and digital media initiatives, Desert Pea Media continues to empower individuals to tell their stories and celebrate their unique perspectives.
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