A safe space

Jessie felt overwhelmed and anxious at school, but since joining NASCA she has flourished, her confidence has soared, her well-being has dramatically improved and she’s able to take comfort and draw strength from the safe space NASCA provides her.

Sitting on the banks of the Barwon River, 800 kilometers inland from the east coast, on Ngemba Country in northwest NSW lies the small and unassuming town of Brewarrina. Just over 1,100 people call this place home, as does one of Australia’s most important Aboriginal sites and oldest human-made structures on the planet – the 40,000-year-old fish traps – known locally as Baiame’s Ngunnhu.

The complex network of stones is arranged to form ponds and channels to catch fish as they travel downstream. In the Dreamtime, Baiame (the ancestral creator) came up with the design by throwing his net over the river and, with the help of his two sons Booma-ooma-nowi and Ghinda-inda-mui, built the fish traps in their current shape. These intricate and ingenious structures have been a place of gathering, sharing, and trading ever since.

There is no doubt Brewarrina is a special place. History, and Culture run deep here, just like the river. But like most rural towns, a lack of opportunities and services can leave people – especially young people – feeling isolated.

“Before NASCA school was very boring,” says 16-year-old Jessie.

“We had Clontarf, which is only for boys, so there weren’t a lot of opportunities for the girls to do things. So when NASCA came here I was keen to join.”

Jessie has been a part of the NASCA Academy at Brewarrina Central School for close to a year now. In that time she has flourished, her confidence has soared and her well-being has dramatically improved, as has her school attendance. 

“I went from having below forty percent attendance to this year where I haven’t even mised one day of school,” says Jessie.

But school wasn’t always such a positive experience for her.

“I would get stressed out easily, so I was always trying to find a place to run away to. I used to fake sick a lot and stay at home, sleep all day, not even leave my room sometimes. I was feeling anxious and depressed.

“But a lot has changed for me personally because of NASCA, once they came here it was much better because I wanted to attend things and participate and engage more in activities, now it’s more comfortable for me, I’m a lot better than I used to be,” says Jessie.

NASCA Team Leader Marcia Bill agrees.

“There has been a lot of growth in Jess and I am extremely proud of her. She has gone from this really shy girl not wanting to engage, to now where she has so much more confidence and willingness to do things and have a go.”

Alongside the opportunities and activities, what Jessie appreciates most about NASCA is the safe space and connections it gives her.

“It’s been a lot better having that safe space at NASCA, it’s better for my mental health and anxiety. Being able to hang out with people I am comfortable with, sit down, and talk about things, it helps me. Any time I’m feeling stressed I know I can go down there and calm down. Marcia makes it feel really safe,” says Jessie.

Today, Jessie is a leader in NASCA’s Brewarrina Academy, and she’s putting her newfound leadership skills to good use, advocating for others.