NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy Making it real: Working with Aboriginal Communities to achieve outcomes through partnership Low SES Forum Tuesday 22 June 2010 Louise Bye, Assistant Director, Aboriginal Education and Training Directorate

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy Why? Policy What? Strategy How ? Community

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy CAEPR 2007 Complexity and diversity of Aboriginal communities. Relationships between school and community is influenced by “settings” in which both operate and that adaptations are required. School processes may have little relevance or be inconsistent with community processes. A new form of relationship needs to develop between the school and the community if an enduring educational partnership is to be achieved.

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy Catalysts for positive change Leaders Thinkers Connectors Doers Problems solvers Empowerers People who want to make a difference

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy Community engagement Engagement: school to family and community; teacher to parent/caregiver/extended family; AEO to parents and community, ACLO to parents and community Complexity and diversity Informal and formal Social and learning School business and community business Deliberate and planned ConversationsRelationshipsPartnerships

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy Strategies to lead, engage and keep people engaged Who are the partners? Parents, teachers, community members, executive, principal, Aboriginal staff, regional staff, wider community, Aboriginal organisations, agencies, regional office, state office. How to engage? Focus on end point Individually and collectively Clear communication and consistent message Focus on what works

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy Engaging community Understanding the past and present Aboriginal community. Knowing who is in your Aboriginal community Knowing how people are connected- parents and caregivers, extended family, kinship relationships Welcome to/Acknowledgement of Country, welcome signs in local Aboriginal Language, Aboriginal flag Working with school and district Aboriginal staff. Community assets mapping process How does the community respond to things? What is the community’s vision? What do they want from a partnership? What forms of communication work best? Working with community governance and community peak bodies, interagency. Taking the school to the community. Staff/community interaction. School/community projects. Champion for the school

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy Engaging parents Welcoming all parents, extended family, Elders and community members Personal communication, relationship, invitation Working with school and district Aboriginal staff Front office Knowing and working with whole family Acknowledging and celebrating community events within the school Creating opportunities for parents to share knowledge, skills and understandings in and out of the classroom Celebrate and communicate student success and achievement to parents If there is a problem, consult and act Work with parents to find solutions

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy Engagement through students Sense of belonging Who are your Aboriginal students What are their gifts, talents, dreams, aspirations Respect, knowledge and understanding of Aboriginality Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs) Positive talk about real improvements Recognition of circumstances and situations Opportunities for leadership, gifted and talented Early intervention and support What is the data telling us?

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy Your turn, your task Two strategies that you already do that work Two new strategies One off the wall, low cost strategy Engaging community Engaging parents Engagement through students

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy Your turn, your task Two strategies that you already do that work Two new strategies One off the wall, low cost strategy Engaging teachers Engaging non- Aboriginal community Engaging agencies, organisations, business and other partners

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy Communication to build trust Language Body language Experiences and attitudes Power Stereotypes Roles and responsibilities Expectations Situations

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy Mortar Sand Cement Water

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy You are the guide, not the expert. Focus on the end point, the vision for parents, community, teachers and students. Focus on what works. Engage students in the process. It’s about them. There will be resistance, racism and recidivism. This is a new way of working and peoples’ expectations will need to be managed. Communicate to all groups consistently and coherently. It’s about addressing and changing the status quo, digging up the hard ground and having the hard conversations. The process and the outcomes will be flawed if Aboriginal people are not included, respected and valued as equal partners. We will work with evidence but some of this evidence will be peoples’ experiences. We need to work with data. Don’t tell me what you have done, tell me what you have achieved.

NSW Department of Education & Training Aboriginal Education and Training Policy Lastly…. Communicate and share with others Take on board advice and criticism Support each other Plan for and celebrate success Challenge the status quo Believe in the vision and what you are trying to achieve