By Leigh O’Connor.
Say yes to every opportunity presented to you because you never know where it could lead you.
That’s the philosophy behind Victorian restaurant Dumu Balcony Café’s indigenous training programme to help NT youth into the workforce.
Based in Bright, since the inception of the programme Dumu has helped eight students find employment in hospitality and 23 more in other industries. As a result of their training, youths have returned to their Wadeye community to run a small café in the community centre.
Nourishing hearts, bodies and minds, the Ireland Street café has a strong focus on sharing Aboriginal culture, values and food. Dumu, meaning ‘black duck’ in the local language, helps develop future leaders and promote reconciliation with every coffee served; providing young people with the opportunity to develop skills for their lifetime.
This ‘for purpose’ training café was founded by two friends who love to cook, eat, drink and share great times around the table. Dumu provides a supportive space where young people can learn skills to enhance their lives and make choices for their future.
Now majority-owned by a Marri Amu woman from the NT, Dumu has a strong focus on culture, values, sustainable practices and consciously-made food with the local community.
"Through a partnership with Thamurrurr Youth Indigenous Corporation, based in the NT, we help students develop work-ready skills so they can gain meaningful employment in their community,” says Ann Nguyen Orchiston.
Participants in the programme travel from the remote community of Wadeye to learn life and work-readiness skills, including the kitchen, customer service, financial literacy, food safety, health and hygiene, healthy eating and sustainability.
"Through our partnership, a training manager is employed to co-ordinate all aspects of training including residential support,” Ann explains.
"Not only has this training provided employment opportunities, the former participants are role models to other young people in the community, helping to break the shackles of intergenerational welfare dependency.”
Ann says students feel proud to be able to live independently away from their home and culture, also enjoying the interactions and connections they make at work with regular customers and trainers.
Part of the café’s practice and philosophy is to use rescue and seasonal produce in a rotating menu which changes weekly, mainly offering salads, pastries and coffee with bush ingredients added to each dish.
"One of our favourite and popular bush ingredients we use is lemon myrtle. It’s such a versatile herb and can be added to savoury dishes such as roast chicken or even cordial.
"Our lemon myrtle and strawberry gum cordial is a popular drink, we have even bottled it so our customers can buy it to take home with them.”
Dumu also wild harvests local mountain pepper leaf with permission from the local Dhudhuroa First Nations group. This spicy food is high in antioxidants and a hero in the café’s kangaroo chilli along with spicing up their turmeric lattes.
"We love Warrigal greens as they are such a versatile vegetable and can be used in any cuisine like Asian stir-fries, curries or in an omelette. These greens can be found all-year-round and we also grow them on our beautiful balcony.”
Ann says Dumu plans to continue its training progamme in the future as it gives young people in the Wadeye the opportunity to travel and work in another state.
"We believe it is important for both students and the local community here in Bright to learn more about each other.”
AGFG acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, to the Elders past, present and emerging.
