With nearly 40 years of experience in design and communications, much of it while running his own businesses in Far North Queensland (FNQ), Leigh has built a large client base and a reputation for integrity. A good proportion of his work has been designing Reconciliation Action Plans for corporate clients, and it was this work which formed the economic base for a new social enterprise, Indigenous Design Labs (IDL). 

Leigh argues that design skills and tech literacy are fundamental to professional and economic success in contemporary Australia, and that First Nations youth are too often excluded from these economic and employment opportunities. He has watched his young nieces and nephews, and their friends, denied the chances so many other Australians take for granted. 

‘An entry into this industry was next to impossible for these kids in Cairns,’ said Leigh. ‘And it would still be that way if nothing was done.’ 

So, Leigh’s company, Ingeous Studios teamed up with Red Ochre Republic, another Indigenous creative agency headed up by Sharee Jacobs and Tarquin Singleton to establish Indigenous Design Labs (IDL), a real-time creative agency where young people could pick up tech and design skills and gain real life experience. 

However, Leigh argues that technical skills are only part of the proficiencies that young First Nations designers need. 

‘Ensuring that our designs are culturally sound is the most important thing that we teach young people. So much work is being done that is not inclusive of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. We ensure that our creatives are a true representation of both, and the diversity of our cultures.’ 

Having spent more than a decade designing close to 50 RAP documents, Leigh was happy to pass on this part of his business to IDL. These contracts would give the students real-world practical experience of working in a creative agency. Client liaison, tendering, marketing, and other essentials for a successful small enterprise are all part of the real-life experience for IDL participants. 

Red Ochre Republic’s Sheree Jacobs has now been a mentor with IDL for three years. ‘We understand that it’s difficult to access these sorts of opportunities and build a portfolio, so we aim to support people in their creative journey,’ said Sheree. ‘As young people they have tremendous ideas and their access to social media means they can create really imaginative and vibrant designs for the projects that they work on.’ 

The young people range from 13 to 18 years old, and Sheree reports that even the youngest participants provide new design perspectives. 

‘They have great creative zest and think outside the box, sometimes in ways that surprise us adults,’ she said. ‘Their perspectives are particularly useful for projects that target youth; we use young people to design for young people and as a result our work is unique.’ 

IDL has a growing client base including Queensland Health and Australian Defence Apparel, as well as its RAP clients which include Mecca Cosmetics, the Cairns City Council and FNQ not-for-profit, Vocational Training Group. 

‘We do “journey RAPs”, in that we do designs that will evolve over time with their own RAP journey,’ Sheree said. ‘In this way the kids initially learn how to do a RAP design but also how an organisation’s RAP develops over time and what they are trying to achieve.’ 

Sheree argues that First Nations ownership and management of IDL is a key reason for its success. ‘Young people can see other people who are like them, from their own community, succeeding in their work. We say, “to be it, you gotta see it”.’ 

These young people see their work at IDL as “having fun”, and seeing their joy in what they are doing reminds us to try and make our own work as joyful as possible.’ 

Sheree pays tribute to Leigh Harris for his role in assisting young First Nations people. ‘I think he’s given opportunities to other young designers, and helped people across the creative spectrum, whether in art practice, photography, design or coding.’ 

One of those young designers whose participation in IDL opened opportunities in the creative industries is Lalawa Donigi-Bedford, an 18-year-old Torres Strait Islander woman now studying filmmaking at the South Australia Institute of Business and Technology. 

‘It’s really challenging finding something like the IDL in Far North Queensland,’ said Lalawa. ‘Young people don’t often know how to pick up skills and experience in design and technology. 

‘IDL works so well; it is really community based and like a family. It is enjoyable to learn from someone that you are culturally comfortable with; someone who has both the technical knowledge but also the cultural knowledge to make us feel at home.’ 

She has a passion for creative arts and film and told Reconciliation News that her work with IDL made it possible to do the film production course. 

‘I always dreamt about working in film and the access to cameras and editing software programs I had during my time at IDL has been so important to my success. 

‘My time there also taught me how to push myself, to say what I need to say, in a respectful way. IDL built my confidence.’ 

Lalawa is impatient to get into the industry and ‘start telling our stories, particularly stories from the Torres Straits.’ 

She wants to move away from the deficit views of First Nations peoples, so often the default position of non-Indigenous journalists and filmmakers. 

‘I might make a romcom,’ she said. ‘But with First Nations peoples and lives because at the moment the stereotyping of our people is just so bad.’ 

‘I need to get to work as soon as I can,’ she declared with the impatience of a young woman on a mission!