Sunshine Coast woman connects with thought leaders at OECD World Forum
Published:06 June 2018
Global Voices scholar April Cunningham pictured (top) at the OECD World Forum and (below) with the former Prime Minister of Finland and current Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD Mari Kiviniemi.
April Cunningham may have rubbed shoulders with the elite but she returned from her recent trip to the OECD World Forum with a research focus on bridging the divide between healthcare systems and the homeless sector.
The Caloundra-based Indigenous student represented CQUniversity at the Paris forum, where she shook hands with French President Emmanuel Macron and was inspired to hear from former Finish Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi, who is now Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD.
“Housing provides a medicine for homelessness and HIV rates drop dramatically when people are provided with effective, stable housing,” April said, after attending an OECD session on homelessness.
“People experiencing homelessness face more than just uneasy access to the healthcare systems; they experience prejudices against them too.”
April was particularly inspired by listening to Virginia Eubanks, the author of ‘Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor’.
“Virginia leads a grassroots anti-poverty and welfare rights organisation and spoke about how low socio-economic groups are tracked and oppressed by governments,” she says.
“I got to meet Virginia; she was amazing and passionate in fighting for the rights of the poor.”
April has made an ongoing connection with Australia’s Chris McDonald, a policy analyst from the OECD Regional Development Policy Division.
“Chris has so much knowledge and has already been incredibly inspirational for my research, and now I can email him with my ideas about a computer app promoting Indigenous languages and using digital technology to promote the sustainability of our land.
“Through Chris’ guidance about matchmaking software I am also developing another idea for Indigenous people to grow and promote the use of Aussie bush tucker foods in restaurants.
“I’ve learnt you can’t just throw money at Indigenous communities but instead have to use relationships and partnerships and build understanding through the lens of respect.”
April secured a Global Voices scholarship through CQU Global Outbound to represent Australia at the OECD World Forum in Paris from 27 May to 1 June.
The Sunshine Coast student is part-way through a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) with CQUniversity, where she is also the Indigenous representative on the Student Representative Council.
She recently attended an awards ceremony for a Pearl Duncan Teaching Scholarship*, valued at $10 000 over two years, which sets her up for employment in a rural or remote school after graduation.
On top of that, she reached the semi-finals of the 2018 Queensland Young Achiever Awards.
“I applied for the Global Voices OECD opportunity because I have so much passion for my voice to be heard,” April says.
“I was shocked and overjoyed to be selected and to be able to present my research project focused on using digital technology to promote the sustainability of our land.”
April is a proud descendant of the Noonuccal people of the Quandamooka nation from North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah), who was born in Brisbane.
She is also working with another CQUniversity student and gaining permissions from Indigenous elders to develop a computer app promoting Indigenous languages.
Meanwhile, her ongoing ‘Bush and Beach’ program at Pelican Waters Golden Beach Kindergarten, and related consultancy work, helps pre-schoolers use sensory play and nature play to connect to ‘mother earth’ through an Indigenous perspective.
April is very passionate about sharing and educating about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Her vision is for justice and equality in humanity.
She has previously travelled globally with an Indigenous performing company, teaching children about these two rich cultures through song and dance.
She has been embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and reaching out to early childhood services across South-East Queensland through an Action Research Project focused on ‘Standing up for a Natural Childhood’.
As a collective member of the Australian Education and Care Workforce professional body (ECW), April facilitates ongoing workshops and provides a voice for Indigenous people in relation to the early childhood sector.
She has also assisted through a Remote Indigenous Professional Development (RIPD) program with the State Government, mentoring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to unpack the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) to help better equip them and understand this further.
April is also part of CQUniversity's Reconciliation Action Plan committee.
* The scholarship is named in honour of Dr Pearl Duncan, Queensland's first Aboriginal educator who has dedicated her life to improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in education.
** Global Voices identifies and develops the next generation of Australian leaders by providing practical experience in foreign policy and international relations.
*** The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) enables countries with market economies to promote economic growth, prosperity, and sustainable development.