High School Program

The High School Program is an intensive student-centered support program focused on academic improvements through a cultural lens. It is the only program of its kind that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their families to access educational, wellbeing and cultural opportunities so they realise their academic potential and achieve their aspirations. 

We support students over a six-year period – from the end of Year 7 when students are recruited to the first year out of high school. We connect students, families and schools to Elders and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mentors through regular and intensive engagement activities.  

Our Model

Our model steps away from the perspective that program staff are the experts on student needs. It encourages students and families to take the lead in determining their needs, take control over identifying resources and service providers to address those needs, and view the community and school as a resource to success.

Who is it for?

Our program supports students from Year 8 who are attending a partner school. A student’s suitability to join the High School Program is determined in consultation with the schools and families using the following selection criteria:

  • Identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
  • Is committed to their learning, education and completion of Year 12
  • Has a strong interest in strengthening their cultural identity
  • Is committed to attending the academic and cultural enrichment activities
  • We do not recruit students based on a minimum grade.

Who delivers the program?

Elders

We have strong working relationships with Elders and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, who we engage to support the design and delivery of our Program and share knowledge with students. The Elders we work with have deep connections to the communities in which we operate and have experience working with students, families and the wider community in the areas of education and youth and community services.  

Elders spend time with students passing on their knowledge and learnings at our Aurora engagements. We deliver lessons and activities that bring together culture and education providing opportunities for connection. 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mentors

All mentors engaged in the High School Program identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Our community of mentors closely reflects the diverse lived and educational experiences of students. Our mentors are all trained in a range of key skills to ensure a trauma-informed and impactful session with students. This includes mental health first aid training, as well as facilitation and public speaking skills. Mentors engage students by sharing their own experiences of school and education and the successes and challenges along the way. 

Program team

We ensure that our team reflects the communities in which we operate and the lived experiences and educational journeys of students and their families. The teams who have regular face-to-face contact with students and their families are all Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, with strong connections to the communities in which they live and operate.

How are we different?

Our program is one of its kind through our long term focus on supporting students, the embedding of culture of everything that we do and our outcome focus.

Long-term focus through our curriculum

We use project-based learning underpinned by cultural values and processes to explore themes that align with the student’s journey to becoming a young adult. For example, Year 8 students explore themes of relationship, journey and challenge, Year 9 students discuss themes of agency, conflict and power, and Year 10 students consider themes around integrity, change and potential.

Deep cultural embedding and sensitivity

With culture at the centre of everything we do, our Program creates an environment where students, families, communities, schools, and our staff feel connected, engaged and supported to do their best work and support the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders.

Our Cultural Protocols set out the standards of behaviour expected of staff and the ways of working and communicating in recognition of the regional nuances and broader cultural diversity. The protocols include elements around people, culture, and Country.

Outcome focus through our evidenced based approach

Our model is built around evidence showing that interventions must be intensive and ongoing over years to be impactful. It involves student-centred, intensive engagement at the intersection of academic achievement, health and wellbeing, and cultural strength. An independent evaluation has shown that students in the HSP have doubled year 12 completion, tripled ATAR attainment and doubled transition to university compared to Indigenous students Australia-wide.

Our stories

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