CEO message: May
Reconciliation Week has begun, held annually from 27 May to 3 June. This week marks two significant dates in Australia’s reconciliation journey – the anniversary of the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision.
This year’s theme is All In, urging all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day. The theme aligns strongly with CMY’s Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan which calls on each of us to move beyond intention to sustained, collective action. For CMY, this means embedding reconciliation into our everyday practice through culturally responsive programs, genuine partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and a shared organisational responsibility to learn, reflect and act.
All In underscores that reconciliation is not the work of a few, nor the burden of First Nations peoples alone, but requires all of us to step up, listen deeply, challenge inequities, and contribute to systemic change. As a for-purpose organisation working alongside young people and communities, CMY is committed to showing up with accountability and purpose, ensuring that reconciliation is lived, visible and impactful every day.
To learn more, visit the Reconciliation Australia website. There are events happening throughout the week and resources translated into 13 languages here.
National Volunteer Week: 18-24 May
Last week, CMY marked National Volunteer Week with a special event at the Multicultural Hub to acknowledge and celebrate the significant contribution volunteers make across many areas of our work. The event provided an opportunity to recognise the commitment, generosity and care that volunteers bring to supporting multicultural young people and communities.
What stood out to me most was seeing such a diverse group of people gathered together, both young and old, and from many different cultural backgrounds. The gathering reflected the diversity and intergenerational strength of CMY’s community, bringing together people who share a commitment to inclusion, participation and community connection.
I want to acknowledge just how important our volunteers are to CMY’s work. Time and time again, our volunteers show up with generosity, care and commitment, often outside standard hours and in ways that can go unseen. Our volunteers are crucial to the work we do and the impact we can have across communities.
Read more about the event or check out CMY’s latest volunteering opportunities.
Carmel Guerra OAM
CMY CEO