App Profile: LearningPathways YolŋuBalanda

Yolŋu or Yolngu are First Nations Australian people from North-East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia; Balanda are non-Indigenous people. The LearningPathways YolŋuBalanda app supports Yolŋu to understand Balanda education systems and Balanda to recognise and respect Yolŋu education systems.

The app includes four sections:

- a dictionary of English terms that Yolŋu wanted explained in Djambarrpuyŋu (a Yolŋu language);
- a Yolŋu child’s developmental pathway including ways that family monitor and support children’s development;
- explanations of the Australian education pathway (relevant to the Northern Territory) and services for children and families at Galiwin’ku; and
- videos to support Balanda to recognise Yolŋu education processes within ceremonial contexts.

These resources were co-created through a collaborative research project in the remote Yolŋu community of Galiwin’ku. The project - Dharaŋanamirr dhukarr guŋgayunaraw djamarrkuḻiw' ga gurruṯumirriw marŋgikunharaw ḏälkunharaw gakalwun dhiyakun märrmaw'nha romgun - Understanding pathways to support Yolŋu children and families to achieve strong learning in two systems: A Participatory Action Research Project - was funded by an AIATSIS Research Exchange Grant from 2020-23.