CREATING COHESIVE COMMUNITIES

YULE BROOK COLLEGEWORKING WITH COMMUNITY

NATIONAL CONFERENCE - MARCH 2008

MAJOR THEMES OF TODAY’S SESSION

EXPLORE THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY IDENTIFY IMPORTANT ELEMENTS TO CREATE OR

IMPROVE COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT TO THE YULE

BROOK COMMUNITY AGREEMENT EXAMINE THE YULE BROOK APPROACH, 2001 -

2007 CONSIDER ASPECTS OF THE YULE BROOK

EXPERIENCE THAT MAY HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR ‘YOUR’ SCHOOL COMMUNITY’

EXPLORE ‘AREAS’ FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE TRADITIONAL ABORIGINAL

CUSTODIANS

WHY IS ACKNOWLEDGING COUNTRY IMPORTANT?

IT IS ABOUT RECOGNISING YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY!

IMPORTANCE OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT

CONNECTIONS TO: LAND FAMILY CULTURE (cross-cultural) RESPECT ACCEPTANCE - RECOGNITION HISTORY

* GAINING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE LOCAL PEOPLE IS AN IMPORTANT PHASE OF DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS.

Dr PHILIP PAIOFF

TEACHER - HEAD OF DEPT (25+ years)

INITIATED - IMPLEMENTED ABORIGINAL STUDIES IN THE GOLDFIELDS (1980s)

FORMER DIRECTOR OF INDIGENOUS MARKETING AND CONSULTING

WHAT WORKS & DARE TO LEAD 2004 – 08

PROJECT OFFICER PD - SSTUWA (Mt Lawley SHS)

ONE WAY TO ENGAGE YOUR COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY ATTITUDES

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE TO BE THE PERCEPTION(S) OF YOUR STAFF AND THE NON-ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY TO THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT?

EDUCATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO INDIGENOUS

FAMILIES!

CULTURE & COMMUNITY

DARE TO LEAD CULTURAL TOURS

wa goldfields

Aboriginal Health Service in Kalg’

Kids in Cosmo Bearing Gifts

Tjarkarli Remote Community School

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST IN

THE PROPOSED CULTURAL

TOUR TO THE GOLDFIELDS

(AUGUST 2008) ARE BEING

TAKEN.

TRADITIONAL WELCOME

NAME PLACE OF BIRTH MOTHER’S MAIDEN NAME MOTHER’S BIRTHPLACE FATHER’S NAME & BIRTHPLACE CURRENT PLACE OF RESIDENCE

Good relationships provide the foundation for any agreement.

WHY ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY?

1. MCEETYA – Australian Directions in Indigenous Education 2005 – 2008:

Domain 2: “Engage the local community in the future of Indigenous education based on cross-cultural respect”.

2. DAETWA – Operational Plan 2005 - 2008

Priority 6: “Increase the involvement of parent/community members in decision making”.

ISSUES CONFRONTING ABORIGINAL STUDENTS

HEALTH

JUSTICE

EMPLOYMENT

EDUCATION

A Very Young Aboriginal Population

• Over half the population is under 20.

• The majority of Aboriginal people are in or heading towards school.

• By 2020, 20% of our school population will be Aboriginal.

• Major implications for the Education system.• How do we respond? “Your community will

become a more important resource?”

CATALYST FOR DEVELOPING AN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY

AGREEMENT

IDENTIFY MAJOR EDUCATIONAL ISSUES AFFECTING ABORIGINAL STUDENTS IN YOUR SCHOOL (i.e. areas that may require attention)?

STATE SOME TYPICAL EXAMPLES … ?

Commonly Identified Issues in Aboriginal

Education ? Literacy & Numeracy Attendance and Engagement Retention / Completion Cultural awareness Student welfare & Behaviour Aboriginal employment Curriculum ‘Community involvement’

* Reference to these issues and your school review data may assist in providing the catalyst for developing or reviewing your school community agreement. CHOOSE ONE (1)

EVIDENCE TO CONFIRM YOUR PERCEPTIONS?

1. DEFINING YOUR ISSUE (refer to example chosen)

- WHAT IS THE ISSUE?- WHAT EVIDENCE DO WE HAVE?- WHAT OTHER DATA DO WE HAVE?- WHAT FURTHER DATA DO WE NEED TO DEFINE

THE ISSUE?- WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW?- WHAT ARE SOME ‘OTHER - SIMPLER’ RESPONSES

OR STRATEGIES THAT YOU MAY EMPLOY?- ARE THERE MORE PRESSING/SERIOUS ISSUES?

WHY ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY?

Schools alone, do not have the capacity to address all the issues relating to maximising the educational attainment of Aboriginal students.

CASE STUDY

YULE BROOK COLLEGE:SCHOOL COMMUNITY AGREEMENT (2000) 2001 - 2008• BACKGROUND• PROCESS• OUTCOMES• SHOW DVD …

Signing the Community Agreement (annually)

Norm – AIEO & Parent at Yule Brook

Football Academy Agreement

OUTCOMES ATTAINED BY YULE BROOK COLLEGE OVER THE PAST SEVEN (7) YEARS?

DAILY ATTENDANCE

6264666870727476788082

2001 2007

Attendance

GRADUATION NUMBERS

02468

101214161820

2001 2002 2003 2006 2007 2008?

ABORIGINAL STUDENTS

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2001 2008

COMMUNITY STATUSRE: PROGRAMS OR INITIATIVES IN YOUR SCHOOLS

WHAT ARE YOUR current LINKS WITh THE aboriginal

COMMUNITY IN your SCHOOL OR DISTRICT?

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

• SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO DEVELOP A FORMAL COMMUNITY AGREEMENT – ENSURE THE COMMUNITY IS GENUINELY INVOLVED!

• ESTABLISH MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

• SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE VIA DTL – INCLUDING ACCESS TO THE DVD

• Q & A