RISE: Redefining Indigenous Success in Education
RISE is Aurora’s major new initiative to redefine Indigenous success in education.
Over the next five years, Aurora will deliver and evaluate programs that enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students to define and pursue their version of success with academic, cultural and wellbeing support.
Insights from 800 students will contribute to Australia-first insights about what works in Indigenous education, creating a platform for Indigenous-led advocacy, reform and self-determination.
RISE will help to shape a new narrative of high expectations and possibilities with the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders. We know that if Indigenous students see themselves in the design of the education system, they will be more likely to resonate with it, engage with it, take ownership of it and succeed within it. RISE is an important step in making this a reality.
RISE Project
Over the next five years, the Indigenous-led RISE team will work closely with approximately 800 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students to understand the best ways to encourage each student’s own version of success through academic, cultural and wellbeing support.
The extensive data that results from RISE will establish a clear link between specific types of support and Indigenous student outcomes. This will be fundamental to improving educational outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, building a pipeline of Indigenous leaders, and creating a platform for Indigenous-led advocacy and reform.
Why This Matters
Despite significant investment, Australia’s education system has failed to meet the needs of Indigenous students, as demonstrated by significant disparities in education outcomes. Indigenous perspectives, values and aspirations have also not been taken into consideration in the design of education policies and institutions.
We know that if Indigenous students see themselves in the design of the education system, they will be more likely to resonate with it, engage with it, take ownership of it and succeed within it. RISE is one step towards making this a reality.
Indigenous Data Sovereignty
Indigenous Data Sovereignty refers to the right of Indigenous peoples to exercise ownership over Indigenous data. Indigenous Data Sovereignty may be given effect at an organisational level through Indigenous Data Governance, defined by Maiam nayri Wingara as the right of Indigenous peoples to decide what, how and why Indigenous data are collected, accessed and used.
Implementation of Indigenous Data Governance within the education space has been limited to date. To address this, RISE will be co-designed with Indigenous Data Governance and advocacy experts, as well as Indigenous communities and key members of Aurora’s team. This will ensure that the initiative is grounded in Indigenous concepts of success in education, and demonstrate how Indigenous-led data can be used as a tool to promote Indigenous self-determination.
Read Aurora’s Indigenous Data Governance Statement here.
Partnerships
The Paul Ramsay Foundation has committed a multi-million dollar, multi-year investment to help Aurora deliver RISE. This significant commitment is a testament to the potential of RISE, and the ways in which it can improve educational outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and create a pipeline of Indigenous leaders.
Aurora’s programs are made possible through the support of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, the National Indigenous Australians Agency and other partners.
Aurora is proud to partner with The ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods on RISE.
Got a question?
Press and Media Enquiries
Please contact Naomi Brooker on naomi@suada.com.au