DARE TO LEAD NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2008 Pathways to Training and Employment for Indigenous Students

Early Connections What connections does your school have to early childhood providers such as preschools and child/maternal health? Do you have any connection with parents before students commence in the first year of your school? What steps do you take when students first start to make connections with parents and include them in their child’s school beginning and early years?

School Attendance Relevance of School Family support and understanding A pattern of poor school attendance starts early and good attendance is a key start to an effective pathway Poor attendees in year nine are not different students to the poor attendees in year 1, the same students simply have more absences

Early Transitions Ideally there is a connection between family, postnatal care, community, preschool and early schooling Preschool is a vital connection and starting point which many families miss A family connection with school is difficult to achieve if not commenced in Preschool/ Primary School This connection is one of the key determinants of retention in education Literacy is important lifelong, but early milestones are crucial Introducing ideas about future employment and how to get there must start at the Primary level eg. CrocFest DVD ‘Get a Job’.

Transition to Secondary What transition program occurs as students move from Primary to Secondary in your area. What contact occurs between schools? Is there a mentoring support program for students at later primary level? Does your school have a process to track and support the transition of students at high risk?

Later Transitions Introducing ideas about future employment and how to get there must start at the Primary level eg. CrocFest DVD ‘Get a Job’. Many students drop out at or soon after the transition to secondary schooling An effective transition program Passing on the information Connection between school cultures Attention to the individual student Indigenous student transition programs Highly at risk students The role of other agencies and community groups

Mentoring The student’s immediate family and the effect of close role models may be a positive factor for retention, or experiences of later training and employment may be absent or negative A range of possible mentors in the school Teachers Indigenous and non-indigenous support staff Community members Various Agency support staff

Mentoring in your school Discuss the mentoring approaches, including informal opportunities, to engage and retain students at your secondary school View the ‘Makin Choices’ DVD Fill out and discuss the worksheets on recognising and utilizing elders and mentors in your community What further resources could you use in your school community?

Ganbina – ‘Ladders to Success Program’ Shepparton Victoria Indigenous community organisation built credibility with local businesses through developing a respected consultancy Works very closely with the school leadership and staff Provides information sessions for groups of families in a supportive way; BBQ’s, informal meetings, focus groups Meets regularly with the family Assists family to understand ‘what it takes’ to keep students on the pathway Provides funding and other assistance Connects with local businesses for ‘real’ work experiences over longer periods Work experiences for students in the first three years of secondary college as well as later Assists significant numbers of students (eg. 38 at Mooroopna Secondary College) to build a ‘critical mass’ for success

Academies Sports academies in and connected with secondary schools eg. Yule Brook College Perth Can retain students and attract back to schooling Incentives for academic progress eg. poor school attendance leads to dropping from the team Mentoring connected with the sports field and the classroom eg. ex AFL Winston Abrahams working in the academic sphere at Balga High School Perth Connection between the Academy and the School must be close and dynamic Cultural/Arts academies eg. Northland Secondary College Melbourne bring students back to schooling and can lead to careers in the arts, advertising, media etc.

Managed Individual Pathways Progress through later secondary schooling dependant on individual plans Support funding eg. DEST Tutoring in and after school Mentoring. Eg. all teachers at Wanganui S.C. Shepparton support an individual student Assistance from Indigenous community organisations eg. Shepparton Victoria; ‘Rumbalara Coop.’ and ‘Ganbina’ Inclusion of training certificates, especially industry training into the secondary school pathway – ideally a coalition of school, training authority, workplaces and tertiary institutions. Very difficult coalition to create and sustain Tertiary certificates are not effective ‘for their own sake’ for indigenous students. Allowances and qualifications which lead nowhere are counterproductive.

Your success stories Do you have ex-students employed in your community? Do you have any process to track the pathways of students who complete secondary schooling? Do successful students return to provide role models and mentoring? Do you have a link with further education? Discuss the possibilities for your school.

Some strategies to consider Individual Learning Plans Corporate Partnerships Performance and Development Culture - multiple forms of feedback