“It’s scary to get up and tell your story, but it's those times when you're the most vulnerable and you challenge yourself that you have the most opportunity for growth.”—Tim Schneider, General Manager, Thin Green Line.
Key points
- In March 2024, eight female Indigenous rangers participated in Thin Green Line’s Desert Women’s Leadership program, which was supported by the Australian Unity Foundation.
- The training helps the women become more confident and better public speakers, spreading the word about the important conservation work they do.
- Back within their communities, they become role models to encourage more Indigenous women to follow in their footsteps.
In Australia’s remote desert communities, employment opportunities for Indigenous women are extremely limited.
The Desert Women’s Leadership program, established by Australian Unity Foundation partner Thin Green Line in 2023, aims to help female Indigenous rangers build confidence and spread the word about the incredibly important work they do.
By sharing their stories, Thin Green Line is paving the way for more Indigenous women to find meaningful work and a sense of purpose in conserving our unique and precious wilderness.
There’s no growth in your comfort zone
In March 2024, eight female Indigenous rangers from around Australia travelled to Melbourne to take part in the Desert Women’s Leadership program, run in collaboration with the Indigenous Desert Alliance and with the support of the Australian Unity Foundation.
The program involved 10 days of professional development activities, including a rather grueling public-speaking schedule.
“I can do this, not to be frightened, so it made me feel good.”
— Roberta, Nyangumarta Ranger,
Australian Unity
“The women have done several presentations over the week to a combined audience of more than 550 people,” says Tim Schneider, General Manager of Thin Green Line. “Everyone from other Indigenous rangers up in Alexandra in northern Victoria, to school kids, and Parks Victoria rangers.”
One of the fundamental aims of the trip, Tim explains, is to invest in these desert women rangers as individuals, and to essentially use public speaking as a way to build their confidence.
“It’s scary to get up and tell your story,” he says. “But it's those times when you're the most vulnerable and you challenge yourself that you have the most opportunity for growth.”
At the end of the week, the women’s new-found confidence and leadership skills filter back via the interactions they have within their communities, turning them into role models and helping to create a buzz around what they do.
“Forging the way for other women. That’s what I am thinking and was thinking before coming.”
—Caitlin, Goldfields Aboriginal Community Services Ranger,
Australian Unity
“There’s a whole lot of other people watching and listening and waiting to hear back from these women about what this week was all about, and it creates a real enthusiasm,” says Tim.
“There’s a lot of agency that comes from creating a coalition of people that are feeling good about stepping out of their comfort zone off Country to tell their story. And that's something that we feel pretty passionate about, given our role supporting rangers globally.”
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An opportunity to shine
Indigenous rangers work tirelessly to protect their natural lands from threats such as exploitation, wildfires and invasive species. A typical workday could include anything from monitoring wildlife, to conducting controlled burns, or educating their communities and businesses about sustainable practices.
For these women, this much more than just a job—it’s a connection to their culture, and to the knowledge and wisdom of their people.
“I guess when it comes to the challenges for a desert woman ranger, it’s not so much going out and doing the job,” says Tim. “They know how to do that, they're naturals at that, and they've got a lot of guidance from the elders and people around them that are operating in those environments.
“Of course, it can be challenging—it's very remote, and there's vast areas that they have to cover. One of the groups here has got 2.8 million hectares that they’re looking after, and that includes sea and land areas.
“It's really vast, the landscapes they operate within. But they’re good at it. They know what they're doing, these women are very good at their jobs.”
What is potentially much more challenging for them, he explains, and what they don't often get a chance to do, is to tell their stories—to explain what they do to the rest of us.
“I reckon, they [other rangers] should consider it cause it’s an eye opening and confidence building and meeting everyone.”
—Pricilla, Goldfields Aboriginal Community Services Ranger,
Australian Unity
“That's pretty much what this week's all about: giving them that opportunity to come off Country and to tell their story to people that are completely amazed by it,” says Tim. “And they can't believe just how much people don't know about what it is they do.
“It’s surprising and quite energising for them to realise that they've got something worth hearing, and this is an opportunity for them to come out and shine. And the passion that they have for what they're doing, and the beautiful stories that they share, it's a really important thing, I feel, for anybody to hear.”
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Supporting our community
Without the support of the Australian Unity Foundation—which invests a percentage of Australian Unity’s annual profits into initiatives that boost the wellbeing of individuals and their communities—Tim’s not sure this year’s Desert Women’s Leadership program could have taken place.
“The Australian Unity grant enabled us to run the trip this week—without it, it probably wouldn't have gone ahead,” he says. “So we're incredibly grateful for that support, and the fact that Australian Unity really understood what it was we were trying to activate here with these desert women rangers.
“There’s so many outcomes from this program that align, I think, with Australian Unity’s vision too, as it’s largely about keeping people healthy on Country.”
Disclaimer:
Information provided in this article is of a general nature. Australian Unity accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any of the opinions, advice, representations or information contained in this publication. Readers should rely on their own advice and enquiries in making decisions affecting their own health, wellbeing or interest. Interviewee names and titles were accurate at the time of writing.
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