NAIDOC Week is the largest national celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
From Sunday, July 6 to Sunday, July 13, people across Australia will take part in events, conversations and community-led activities that honour the past and look to the future.
Now in its 50th year, NAIDOC Week honours the history, achievements, and strength of First Nations peoples, and gives us a chance to reflect on what it means to walk together towards a more inclusive and respectful future. During NAIDOC Week, everyone is encouraged to listen to First Nations voices, learn from their stories, and support the next generation of leaders to help shape a more inclusive and respectful Australia.
NAIDOC Week is more than celebration; it’s an opportunity to learn about the world’s oldest, continuous living culture and to show up in meaningful ways for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy
This year’s theme, ‘The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy’ encourages us to uplift and listen to the future leaders, storytellers, carers, and changemakers – young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
It also reminds us to acknowledge the Elders and advocates who came before them.
As we celebrate five decades of NAIDOC Week, we look to the future with hope and responsibility; recognising that legacy isn’t just something we inherit, but something we actively build.
What NAIDOC means to JCTS
Education and training are powerful tools for creating stronger, more inclusive communities.
At Joint Colleges Training Services (JCTS), we help train GPs and GP registrars to create environments where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples feel seen, heard, and supported. We embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways in GP training, which is helping us build strong communities and healthy futures for the next generation.
We work closely with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services to help GP registrars train in these critical facilities, so they can gain important knowledge and experience with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
In 2024, we gave scholarships to 18 Indigenous GP registrars to attend the Pacific Region Indigenous Doctors Congress (PRIDoC), as part of our commitment to ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors are nurtured and have opportunities to grow. JCTS also provides professional development opportunities for practice managers and cultural mentors – key roles that support GP registrars to experience a high-quality training placement.
At JCTS, we honour the past, celebrate the present, and support the next generation with strength, vision, and legacy.