RUGBY league legend Preston Campbell will headline a workshop designed to encourage greater community awareness of Australia's South Sea Islander history while igniting inspiration and connection in local youth on the Tweed from Friday.

Running over three days at South Tweed Community Centre, the Bold, Leadership, Awareness, Cultural Knowledge (BLACK) workshop is aimed at 17-30 year-olds from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds.

Event organiser and Australian South Sea Islanders (Port Jackson) president Emelda Davis said the workshops would include sessions on leadership, Australian South Sea Islander and broader community culture, storytelling, panel discussions and live performances.

"The event will share diverse insights into education, training and wellness, including creating and sustaining a strong sense of community,” she said.

"It will also be beneficial in confronting common challenges, developing leadership skills and promoting social enterprise.”

Ms Davis said participants would glean inspiration and broader cultural understandings from the wealth of knowledge and repertoire of speakers.

"Amongst the line-up, we are extremely privileged to have speakers and artists such as league legend Preston Campbell, influential rapper Izzy from Izzy N The Profit, and facilitators from Sydney, including Vanuatu anthropologist Kirk Huffman, Zac Wone and Shola Diop,” she said.

"These speakers will combine with local voices and community leaders from the Northern Rivers region such as Anita Summers, Mleeka Hart, Dr. Bilyana Bromeley, Josh Apanui, Louise Togo, Kristal Brown, Alicia Morgan and many more.

"We are encouraging all community members to join us for this event, which also includes complimentary catering and a wonderful networking opportunities.”

Ms Davis said South Sea Islander's rich history in Australia was largely unknown despite sacrifices and accomplishments made in the sugar cane industry in Queensland.

"More than 62,000 individual South Sea Islanders, 95 per cent men, were kidnapped, tricked and coerced from Vanuatu, the Solomon's and 80 surrounding islands starting in NSW in 1847, with the majority entering Queensland between 1860 and 1908,” she said.

"Today, there are more than 50,000 descendants living in Australia, many residing on the Tweed, and theirs is a story vital for all Australians to understand and recognise.”

The event is the first significant youth workshop funded by the NSW State Government for an Australian South Sea Islander organisation.

Registrations essential. Visit www.assipj.com.au, South Sea Islanders Port Jackson on Facebook or @assi.pjofficial on Instagram for times, dates and updates.

Events calendar:

• What: Fundraiser: Wantok Kai Kai - Tweed Community Dinner. October 28
• When: Friday, October 28 at 6pm (RSVP essential for catering).
• Where: South Tweed Community Centre. Cnr. Heffron Street and Minjungbal Drive, South Tweed
• Tickets: $10 p/h Q&A with Kirk Huffman and screening of 'Forgotten People' or 'Tanna'. Contact: assi.pj@gmail.com, or 0416300946, 0423618015　

Workshops:

• When: October 29 and 30
• Where: South Tweed Community Centre
• Times: 10am-5pm each day.
• Contact: assi.pj@gmail.com, or 0416300946, 0423618015