A NEW program is helping Aboriginal kids get the most out of their education.
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And it all starts with family, according Gomeroi man Marc Sutherland who has been mentoring Peel High students during this program.
“To be able to see young people realise that they can create their own worth is special,” Mr Sutherland told The Leader.
“I’ve been encouraging young people to start to have conversations art home and amongst their family about where their family have come from and who’s important to them.”
The program, ‘Marama Li Yarranduul’, runs workshops for indigenous students during school hours, to help them “find more success in an educational setting”.
The first term looked at the extended support networks available within the family tree.
It culminated with each student crafting a visual representation their family means on a personalised canvas featuring quotes and photos.
“Our aim for this is to be able to recreate our own identity, especially supporting young people to understand that they are in control of who they are,” Mr Sutherland said.
“Once we know where we come from and what we stand for, we start to look at where we want to move to.”
Before it gets to chasing down employment and tertiary opportunities, Mr Sutherland said it was about building a foundation of identity, values and putting them to practice.
Year 10 student Susan Mundine has been taking part in the new program and valued being able to learn more about culture.
She has her heart set on a career in health after school.
“I like working with old people,” she said.
“Talking to old people at home, [they] said how it would be nice for another young, Aboriginal lady to be working in nursing.
“It really inspired me to do it.”
Peel High Aboriginal education officer William Stanton hopes the program becomes permanent.
“It’s got to be ongoing,” he said.
“The kids, they see it now and then they don’t see it for another 12 months, it doesn’t mean nothing.
It has also been improving school attendance rates.
“It’s just a good motivator, they say on Monday mornings I want to be at school because I want to do this program,” Mr Stanton said