在澳大利亚Garma Festival上，土著和托雷斯海峡岛民青年领导人分享了他们对成功的理解，这与传统的职业和收入衡量标准形成鲜明对比。[1]根据《关闭差距国家协议》，澳大利亚政府的目标是到2031年将15至24岁的土著和托雷斯海峡岛民青年中从事就业、教育或培训的比例提高至67%，而2021年这一比例为58%。[1]
这些青年强调，成功的真正含义在于自我决定和文化延续。Ann-Marie Long表示："成功对我们来说是关乎自我决定、做真实的自我，以及能够庆祝、尊重并将许多社区成员聚集在一起的方式。"[1]20岁的Joshua Yow Yeh认为自己正在获得成功，他将其定义为"学习文化，从长辈那里获得知识"，并指出在Garma和NAISDA参与这些活动体现了这一点。[1]Meriki Moran则表示："成功对我来说就像回家、回到自己的家乡，吸取从长辈那里学到的一切。"[1]教育工作者Sue-Anne Hunter指出："文化是保护因素，使我们的孩子与他们的社区、家人和自己保持联系。"[1]这些观点反映了土著青年一代在追求教育和职业机会的同时，优先维护文化认同和社区纽带的价值取向。
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth leaders gathered at the Garma Festival to articulate a vision of success that extends far beyond traditional employment metrics.[1] Their perspective emphasizes self-determination, cultural continuity, family bonds, and connection to Country as fundamental components of a fulfilling life.
Ann-Marie Long articulated this broader conception, stating that "success for us is about self-determination, being our authentic selves and in a way that we can celebrate, honour and bring many of our community to the table."[1] Joshua Yow Yeh, aged 20, described his own experience of success as "learning culture, getting knowledge from your Elders" through his participation at Garma and NAISDA.[1] Meriki Moran similarly framed success as "moving back home, back to Country, taking in whatever I've learnt from Elders."[1] These testimonies reflect a consistent theme: achievement for this generation encompasses personal growth alongside the strengthening of community ties and cultural knowledge.
The emphasis on cultural anchoring carries particular significance in the context of broader policy objectives. Under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, a target seeks to increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 15 to 24 engaged in employment, education, or training to 67 per cent by 2031, up from 58 per cent in 2021.[1] Sue-Anne Hunter underscored the role of cultural identity in this framework, noting that "culture is the protective factor that keeps our children connected to their communities, to their families and to themselves."[1]