MAJOR ACTIVITIES
Media Program | Youth and sport | Visual and performing arts and arts heritage | Professions and science and technology | Indonesian language and culture studies | Australian culture and English language studies | Civil Society Program
YOUTH AND SPORT
The Institute aims to build groups of young and potentially influential people in both Australia and Indonesia, who have an understanding and knowledge of the two countries. It also aims to encourage relations between Australian and Indonesian sports people and organisations.
Australia Indonesia Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP)
Each year the Australia-Indonesia Institute funds a youth exchange program (Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program - AIYEP) under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education and Culture in Jakarta. The program involves family and work placements in an urban and a rural setting in each country. Following the placement of the Indonesian students in a selected Australian State both groups come together for a briefing and familiarisation program in and around Canberra. Both groups then participate in a ten-week placement in an Indonesian province. The program includes the coordination of a program of cultural activities for both Indonesian and Australian students to maximise the overall benefits of the exchange.
Australia Indonesia Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP) participants in Canberra, December 1998.
- The 1995-96 program was located in West Sumatra with the urban program centred in Padang and the rural program in the villages of Siamang Bunyi and Taratak, four hours by road to the north of Padang. The Australian program was hosted in the State of Tasmania with the site locations in Hobart and Launceston.
- The 1996-97 program was located in Maluku Province with the urban program conducted in Ambon and the rural program in the village of Tawiri. The Australian site locations were Bathurst and Newcastle in New South Wales.
- The 1997-98 program took place in the town of Bengkulu and the village of Cibubur in South Sumatra. The Australian program was centred in Mt Gambier and Adelaide in South Australia.
- The 1998-99 Indonesian program was focused around the town of Palangkaraya and the village of Bangkal in Central Kalimantan. The Australian program was held in Darwin and Canberra with a side trip for participants to Alice Springs.
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AIYEP has proved to be unique amongst exchange programs, with practical outcomes impacting on all the communities involved. It has established lasting linkages and relationships in both countries. Australian participants have praised the program for developing deep understanding and respect for the Indonesian people and their culture and developing an insight into the inherent differences present in both societies across socio-economic groupings. An AIYEP alumni database was funded in 1997-98 to recognise the importance to the work of the Institute of having well-placed alumni in Indonesia. A number of alumni have obtained Indonesia-related employment in the fields of diplomacy, journalism, business and higher education. |
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Australia Indonesia Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP) participants at Uluru, Central Australia, December 1998. |
Sports development in Indonesia
Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Sports Cooperation between Australia and Indonesia in July 1995, sporting activities under the Australia Indonesia Sports Program expanded over the following four years. From 1992, when the bilateral relationship in sport commenced, to 1999 a total of 31 Institute funded sports activity projects were conducted by the Australian Sports Commission directly involving at least 1100 people.
Responding to a request from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport in Jakarta the Institute funded a 1996 sports management consultancy by Dr Allan Coles to investigate the development of sport in Indonesia. The six-month consultancy produced a report, A Plan for the Development of Sport in Indonesia, which made recommendations to strengthen the capability of Indonesian sporting bodies, government and the higher education sector to develop and service the sports industry.
During the succeeding three years sports cooperation programs sponsored by the Institute and delivered by the Australian Sports Commission included:
- facilitation of annual coordination meetings
- national junior sport initiatives across a broad range of sports
- strategic planning at ministerial level
- a national talent identification program in sports science
- development of a sport education system.
A particular focus was institutional strengthening at Institut Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan (IKIP) in Surabaya, facilitating teacher education for sport and physical education, the establishment of sports science and sports medicine and a professional development program to foster the delivery of support services and systems. The program assisted with the establishment of a centre of sporting excellence in IKIP Surabaya and a sport-training network of thirteen teacher training institutes throughout Indonesia. A national talent identification program and an elementary sport education system was included as part of the overall program.