The Indigenous Education program at St Joseph’s commenced in 2006 and initially worked with local Indigenous families. The program was further developed in 2010 with the enrolment of former students from Worawa Aboriginal College, Healesville and students from remote Northern Territory communities. The Indigenous student population now consists of local families and students residing in homestay arrangements.
St Joseph’s is a Catholic school in the tradition of the Salesians of Don Bosco and a member of the Dare to Lead coalition of Australian schools. As such, it strives to facilitate the educational, cultural, social and spiritual development of all students and actively supports the ethos, goals and social justice targets set by its associative partners. In relation to the Dare to Lead coalition, St Joseph’s has pledged support for reconciliation and improved educational opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
St Joseph’s endeavours to provide appropriate and culturally sensitive and respectful educational programs, as well as to provide support for Indigenous students in order to facilitate improved educational outcomes. St Joseph’s aims to provide literacy, numeracy and pathways development without disconnecting Indigenous students from their community and culture. Cultural support and mentoring are integral to the process. Support for Indigenous students, and their families, is within the domains of education, culture and wellbeing. The Indigenous Education program at St Joseph’s College also connects with a range of Indigenous and non-Indigenous community groups, health and wellbeing organisations and educational agencies in order to facilitate student engagement, achievement, cultural development and health and wellbeing.
Staff with specific responsibility within the Indigenous Education Program include the Learning Enhancement Coordinator (Program co-ordinator), Indigenous Education teacher, Koorie Education Worker and Homestay Co-ordinator (Homestay families). On-going communication and consultation with Indigenous students, families and communities is essential to the Program’s success.
Indigenous education targets
As a member of the Dare to Lead coalition, recipient of Federal Government Indigenous education grants through the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria and educator of Indigenous students, St Joseph’s College is expected to work towards the achievement of the following targets.
“The Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV) needs to address the Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) targets and corresponding funding arrangements (2009 – 2012) for closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in the following areas:
- To halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy achievements for Indigenous children within a decade.
- To halve the gap for Indigenous students in Year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment rates by 2020.” (CECV, 2009)
The achievement of such targets will require intensive and structured learning programs (numeracy and literacy), appropriate staffing (teaching and support staff) and resources that are within the students’ ability levels and engaging. Resources will need to accommodate a multi-sensory approach to learning.”
The achievement of such targets will have significant implications for the individual student’s opportunities, life outcomes and wellbeing. Higher levels of education are linked with vocational outcomes, health, wellbeing, relationships, employability, etc.