Bianca Bond

Youth worker, community development worker, Kabi Kabi cultural ambassador

Bianca is a young Kabi Kabi woman, in particular a descendant of the Da'la people, a Traditional Custodian of the Sunshine Coast (QLD, Australia and its outer regions. She comes from a long line of strong and proud Aboriginal people. She does consultancy work with all different types of service providers covering all levels such as community, education, government, employment, youth work, language, business etc.

'I am very passionate about Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander education and awareness of our cultures, our languages, our history and ways of life so I am very pro-active in all aspects of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples cultures, issues and rights. I am involved in many initiatives, programs, projects and events in relation to leadership and empowerment through the areas of Identity, Connectedness, a sense of Belonging and cultural Activism'

Bianca has been involved in both the Indigenous Youth Parliament and the QLD Youth Parliament where she sat as Minister for Indigenous Affairs and in the first ever electorate of Kabi Kabi. She has training and qualifications in Youth Work, Government, Community Welfare Work, Entrepreneurship, linguistics and other both personal and professional development training.

Some of her work and achievements include:

• Chairperson of the Sunshine Coast Indigenous Network Group (SCING) this is a collation of Indigenous service providers or other mainstream services that have a service to offer the Indigenous Communities.
• Received the Young Citizen of the Year award, by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council (2010)
• Chosen as an Oxfam International Action Partner (2010) - one of 300 young people from 100 countries around the world, who were selected because of their dedication and commitment to social justice and equality to attend an International gathering in India.
• Secretary of Mimburi Upper Mary Aboriginal Association, whose objective is to support the local Indigenous community and to create greater cultural awareness in the broader community.
• Director of Bee Inspired, her own business around program, project and activity development, facilitation and management and youth advocacy. Bee Inspired also offers Inspirational guest speaking, event coordination & Consultancy work and provides many services and support offering a holistic approach.
• Founder & coordinator of MOTIVATE - Our Place, Our Culture, Our People. 'This youth event was first held in 2010 and is about community collaborating, supporting, inspiring and empowering our young ones towards positive pathways and options through arts, culture, service providers, workshops, music and life stories of journeying and overcoming obstacles and challenges and rising to the opportunity this gives us as people.'
• Currently sits on the Australian Indigenous Youth Academy Board and has been a member of the Noosa Biosphere Cultural Board.
• Work with the Department of Education for the North Coast Region Indigenous Education Unit; developed and facilitated a leadership program across the region from Pine Rivers to Bundaberg
• Work with John Pearson Consulting developing a Future Indigenous Leaders Program for the South East QLD Region, and is heavily involved in local and state government policy development and strategic planning.
• Helped develop the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2011. This was endorsed into the Corporate Plan, being the first local government in Queensland to adopt and endorse a RAP and one of few from around the country who have also done so. The RAP is a document that must be followed in all levels of local government, to ensure appropriate consultation with Traditional Custodians and local Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities. It is designed to help embed symbolism, visibility, cultural perspective and awareness in all areas of community and local government.

"If you are thinking a year ahead, sow a seed. If you are thinking ten years ahead, plant a tree. If you are thinking one hundred years ahead, educate the people."

-Chinese Poet, 500 BC