1. I ACKNOWLEDGE AND PAY MY RESPECTS TO THE TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS OF THIS LAND WHO LONG BEFORE US LIVED, LOVED, EXPLORED, PROTECTED, RAISED AND EDUCATED THEIR CHILDREN ON THIS LAND WE COME TOGETHER TODAY TO CREATE, TO LEARN, TO LAUGH, TO SHARE

2. WHO AM I ?

3. THIS IS YOUR LIFE

4. DOES HE KNOW WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT ?

5. I have over 20 years experience at the coalface in Aboriginal Education and employment as ?.

6. Aboriginal Employment Officer Aboriginal Youth Access Officer Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Trainer Aboriginal Education Field Officer Developer and manager of Commonwealth Employment service ( CES ) best practice vocational training unit State Coordinator of Aboriginal Education

7. My credentials I value far more than any little bits of paper ?

8. Father of 3 Grandfather of 9 1/2 + Uncle to 100 Unofficial Uncle to 1000’s + Uncle to many Unofficial Uncle to 100’s Colleague to many and a Slave to 1

9. WHY DO A THESIS ABOUT ABORIGINAL EDUCATION WORKERS ( AEWs) ?

11. The research question ?

12. “Do Aboriginal Education Workers (AEWs) contribute to improving Aboriginal educational outcomes?

13. The researcher’s 3 biggest issues

14. The focus of the research for this thesis is in the main on the Aboriginal Education Workers (AEWs) who are employed in NSW Systemic Catholic schools. In 2010 there were 140 AEWs working across 575 NSW Catholic Systemic schools.

15. Survey Form Type No. of responden ts % of respondents AEW3811% Other Stakeholder4413% Parent216% Parent Caregiver10% Principal4212% Student7923% Teacher11433% Unknown51% Total Respondents344100%

16. 10 LIKERT QUESTIONS

17. Q1: In a school with Aboriginal students I would prefer to have an Aboriginal Education Worker. Q2: I believe that Aboriginal Education Workers play a role in Aboriginal students’ enjoyment of learning. Q3: I believe that Aboriginal Education Workers play a role in helping Aboriginal students achieve the schools expected outcomes. Q4: I believe that Aboriginal Education Workers play a role in helping to develop the motivation, self esteem and aspirations of Aboriginal students. Q5: I believe that having an Aboriginal Education Worker on staff demonstrates my school respects and values Aboriginal culture.

18. Q6: I believe that Aboriginal Education Workers play a role in helping to reinforce the identity of Aboriginal students. Q7: I believe that Aboriginal Education Workers play a role in helping to get Aboriginal students to attend school. Q8: I believe that having an Aboriginal Education Worker assist me in class plays a role in Aboriginal students performing better in class. Q9: I believe that Aboriginal Education Workers play a role in Aboriginal students completing school. Q10: I believe that if Aboriginal Education Workers were removed from schools the educational outcomes of Aboriginal students would decline

19. THE RESULTS

20. Q1: In a school with Aboriginal students I would prefer to have an Aboriginal Education Worker. 97% Agree- 3% Undecided 0% Disagree Q2: I believe that Aboriginal Education Workers play a role in Aboriginal student’s enjoyment of learning 93% Agree- 6% Undecided 1% Disagree Q3: I believe that Aboriginal Education Workers play a role in helping Aboriginal students achieve the schools expected outcomes. 92% Agree- 6% Undecided 2% Disagree

21. Q4: I believe that Aboriginal Education Workers play a role in helping to develop the motivation, self-esteem and aspirations of Aboriginal students 94% Agree- 5% Undecided 1% Disagree Q5: I believe that having an Aboriginal Education Worker on staff demonstrates my school respects and values Aboriginal culture. 91% Agree- 6% Undecided 3% Disagree Q6: I believe that Aboriginal Education Workers play a role in helping to reinforce the identity of Aboriginal student’s. 94% Agree- 5% Undecided 1% Disagree

22. OUTSTANDING RESULTS BUT?

23. Q7: I believe that Aboriginal Education Workers play a role in helping to get Aboriginal students to attend school. 78% Agree-15%Undecided-7% Disagree 8. I believe Aboriginal students work better in the classroom when an Aboriginal Education Worker is assisting them. 80% Agree-17% Undecided-3% Disagree

24. Q9: I believe that Aboriginal Education Workers play a role in Aboriginal students completing school. 75% Agree-20% Undecided-5% Disagree Q10: I believe that if Aboriginal Education Workers were removed from schools the educational outcomes of Aboriginal students would decline. 77% Agree-17% Undecided-6% Disagree

25. Doesn’t fit the pattern Q3: I believe that Aboriginal Education Workers play a role in helping Aboriginal students achieve the schools expected outcomes. 92% Agree- 6% Undecided 2% Disagree

26. 5 QUALITATIVE QUESTIONS

27. 1. What role do Aboriginal Education Workers play in assisting Aboriginal students with their learning? 2. What could Aboriginal Education Workers do better to assist individual Aboriginal students with their learning? 3. How do Aboriginal Education Workers involve the Aboriginal community in the schools where they assist students? 4. How can Aboriginal Education Workers best assist you with the learning of Aboriginal students? 5. Are there any suggestions you would make that may assist all Aboriginal Education Workers to better support Aboriginal students in completing school?

28. How the five qualitative Likert survey questions were analysed ?

29. Main qualitative responses from all respondents were:

30. MY FAVOURITE SURVEY REPLY Thank you for sending me this servay I aplesheate it. I’do all I can to help yous out. 8 Year old primary student

31. HOW AEWS SEE THEIR ROLE

32. How other stakeholders see the AEW role

33. How Parents see AEW role

34. How Principals view AEW role ‘They must also be prepared to wear two hats and juggle the responsibility of being a school employee and a community member and that is not always easy”

35. How students view AEWs

36. Teacher responses related to

37. On the negative side comments made more than three times relate to

38. “It is not good role modelling for an AEW to tell students how important attendance and punctuality is and then not following their own advice”

39. “My AEW is often absent from class due to outside school commitments. When in class she sometimes does the work I set, however she likes to choose what or who she will work with”

40. FINAL RESULTS

41. Further research is needed into ?

42. A FEW SHORT REFLECTIONS

43. Aboriginal Advisor 2010 I have AEWs, In Class Tutors and, PSPI In Class Tutors all ringing me wanting to know what is happening with their jobs next year. I hate this Frank!!!! It is so unfair that we have wonderful people, with kids, not knowing if they need to look for another job or not. What do we tell them??? I am so frustrated!!! I know you must be copping the same thing!!!! SORRY

45. WHO YOU GONNA CALL ?

46. A teacher upsets Aboriginal students by saying Aboriginal parents don't insist that their kids go to school. An Aboriginal student is painfully self- conscious about not knowing her Cultural story. An Aboriginal boy does not want to be the one always asked by a teacher to explain what it means "to be Indigenous" and to give the school's Acknowledgment of Country.

47. An Aboriginal student stays home for weeks on 'Sorry Business’. An Aboriginal student is embarrassed because his parents are too poor to send him on a paid sporting trip or excursion. The new Principal has never worked in an Aboriginal school and needs to meet community leaders. A teacher thinks an Aboriginal student is sullen and inattentive, but the truth is he has major hearing loss from otitis media.

48. The Aboriginal students want to do something special to celebrate their Culture and show the school who they are. The school librarian wants advice on the purchase of Indigenous themed readers. Sorry Day is approaching and no appropriate school assembly has been arranged.

49. An Aboriginal child has a sudden drop in school attendance. The behavioural issues of another Aboriginal child need investigation, with possible links to a negative change in the home environment. The school has to report on what it is doing to improve Aboriginal outcomes. An Aboriginal funding submission has to be filled out.

50. A student from another disadvantaged group is very distressed and just needs a friend to confide in Teachers and parents are interested in learning about the story of the local Aboriginal community. A teacher wishes to engage with the local Aboriginal community. What's the difference between a Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country and who should do which?

51. A teacher wishes to broaden their knowledge of appropriate and inappropriate language in relation to Aboriginal students and community. Your school is being asked to explain why the Yr. 5 Aboriginal students NAPLAN results have dropped since they sat the test in Yr. 3. You have an Aboriginal parent who wishes to enrol their child but is unable to pay the fees. A young Aboriginal boy has an altercation with another student but refuses to explain why.

52. Your schools retention of Aboriginal students is low. Some of your Aboriginal students need some additional classroom assistance. A teacher needs direction in adding an Aboriginal perspective to their lessons. An Aboriginal student becomes ill and you can’t locate the parents. An Aboriginal student because of financial circumstance has no lunch.

53. You need someone to negotiate with local Aboriginal organisations. You need someone to help you advocate to government agencies on Aboriginal issues. A young Aboriginal boy who is normally well behaved is starting to act out and refuses to talk about it.

54. “Who you gonna call ?” To use a catchphrase from a popular 1980s movie –

56. In many schools the answer to each question is the Aboriginal Education Worker ( AEW, AEO, AEA, KE, KEDO, ASLO, ACLO, AEIO, AEYSO etc. ).

57. Their reward for all this?

58. Under paid Under appreciated Little recognition Many additional duties that are not in the role description, Job insecurity, Low expectations of school staff, Racism, Stereotyped by staff In some cases considered a tall poppy by their own community.

59. SO WHY DO THEY DO IT ?

60. For The Kids, their families and their Communities

61. EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU CAN HELP TO MAKE AUSTRALIA THE LUCKY COUNTRY FOR ABORIGINAL CHILDREN AND COMMUNITIES TOO WILL YOU ?