Haileybury Rendall School Reconciliation Action Plan 2024/25

Reconciliation Action Plan

Vision for Reconciliation

Our school sits on Larrakia Land, and our aim for our reconciliation journey is to celebrate the diverse identities and cultural heritage of staff and students who have come to our school from over 30 different communities across Australia. We envision the reconciliation journey to be one where diversity is valued, and self-determination is promoted and supported.

We aim to meaningfully embed practices and strategies which fully value the cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; to respectfully acknowledge and identify social inequities; and to celebrate success, in order to foster a welcoming environment.

Through a journey of reconciliation, we will create a culturally safe and respectful world class school.

Acknowledgement of Country

The community of Haileybury Rendall School acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which it is based, the Larrakia People, and pays respect to the Elders – past and present.

We pay due courtesy to the Traditional Custodians of the Lands of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and commit unwaveringly to our shared journey of improved understanding and trust whilst providing equity and excellence in Indigenous education.

We acknowledge the deep sense of responsibility we have as a School community to promote and build a more reconciled nation through education.

About Us

Haileybury

Haileybury opened its doors in 1892 with five staff and 17 students. In over 125 years of history, the School has changed dramatically to become one of the leading private schools in Australia. What started as a small school has developed into a large global school with campuses in Keysborough, Brighton, Berwick, Melbourne (City), Darwin and Beijing (China).

Haileybury was named Australian School of the Year at the 2018 Australian Education Awards and ranked by the Australian as the number one primary school for boys and girls in Victoria and the number two secondary school based on national academic testing results.

We believe that graduating students should have strong core academic skills, a broad analytical thinking ability and be capable of operating in a rapidly changing world. Haileybury offers a wide range of international engagement opportunities for students from Melbourne including spending time at the Haileybury International School, Tianjin (China) or visiting partner schools in Timor-Leste, The Philippines, Japan, France, the UK and the USA.

Our academic programs are enhanced by Haileybury’s commitment to a strong social education program that includes fulfilling potential, supporting individual resilience and the development of personal character values.

Haileybury is one of the most entrepreneurial and enterprising schools in Australia. The development of Melbourne’s first vertical school, extensive operations in China and the opening of Haileybury Rendall School Darwin are all examples of this. To be a Haileybury student is to be immersed in an enterprising institution.

Haileybury Rendall School

We pride ourselves in drawing on Haileybury’s past successes as we establish our own vision for the future. Our strong ties provide many opportunities for the community to join a broad range of activities.

Developing and maintaining a strong academic culture at Haileybury Rendall School is a top priority. This academic focus utilises the highly successful Explicit Model of teaching in the primary years and the VCE in the senior years.

Haileybury Rendall School’s program is also enhanced by a strong commitment to develop in our students the life skills that are essential for living and working successfully as adults. Our School inherits a proud history of Aboriginal boarding over many years, which continues to be a high priority as we hope to grow our students’ academic achievements. Our academic and pastoral programs feature skills such as resilience, creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking.

We expect all our students to leave School excited by and prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.

Message from Haileybury Rendall School

Haileybury Rendall School sits on Larrakia Country. We respect and pay due courtesy to the Traditional Owners of this land, and respect the wisdom held by Larrakia Elders. We thank the Larrakia people for their genuine and ongoing relationship with our School and their support of our Reconciliation Action Plan. We look forward to deepening this relationship with the passing of time.

Our Indigenous students and staff are the carriers of an ancient knowledge which has been passed down over millennia. The Haileybury Rendall School community understands the gravity of the decision made by Indigenous families from remote communities to send their children to our school. Our School Board is committed to providing quality education for Indigenous Students and has embarked on a strategic and aspirational plan to become a Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Education. With approximately 15% of Indigenous students from ELC to Year 12 across day students and boarding, our Reconciliation Action Plan is an important element in our journey.

As the School grows beyond 1000 students, our Reconciliation Action Plans will navigate us toward becoming a culturally competent organisation. Our Plans thus far, have ensured our staff have a better understanding of the implications our beliefs and everyday practices have upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We are excited by the opportunities this year holds, as the Principal’s Indigenous Advisory Committee continues to meet throughout the year to provide a cultural lens for the leadership of the School. A review of our curriculum will have us beginning to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, cultures and true histories within our learning areas for students of all ages. We will strive to more deeply listen to, and involve, all student voices and understandings in our future actions around reconciliation.

We are creating a vibrant educational experience at Haileybury Rendall School, where cultural diversity is valued, supported and celebrated. We look forward to the learning experiences that this journey brings and welcome the guidance and involvement from our wider community along the way.

Message from the Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation

On behalf of Larrakia Nation, it gives me great pleasure to endorse the latest Haileybury Rendell School Reconciliation Action Plan.

I believe in the importance of reconciliation and understanding at school age is the ideal time to be learning about our history and how we as a united community can work towards a future that meets the needs of all people who call Darwin their home.

Meaningful and tangible actions towards reconciliation are the key to positive change, which can be achieved by empowering children’s voices through Haileybury Rendell School initiatives such as the establishment of a Student Reconciliation and Community Advisory Council.

Additionally, I am delighted to see Haileybury Rendell School commit to

implementing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures studies into the curriculum from the Early Learning Centre through to Year 10. This demonstrates a proactive approach towards acknowledging and celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Australia’s First Nations peoples.

In closing, I congratulate Haileybury Rendell School for their leadership and dedication to reconciliation efforts through its continued partnership and collaboration with Larrakia Nation.

Jerome Cubillo

Chairman Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation

Message from the RAP Working Group

At Haileybury Rendall School, our objective is to ensure the fulfillment of our measurable targets and to actively engage with Reconciliation Australia’s five reconciliation dimensions of Historical Acceptance, Race Relations, Equality and Equity, Institutional Integrity and Unity to effect meaningful change. This commitment underscores our pursuit of transformational leadership.

This year, our focus is on assembling a RAP Group committee composed of dedicated, motivated, and authentically positioned members. The primary goal is to embed our deliverables seamlessly into our school’s overarching pedagogical approach. The committee’s structure encompasses Governance, Leadership, Culture(s), Indigenous and nonIndigenous Staff and Students, engagement in teaching and learning, and the establishment of sub-committees to monitor the progress of our broader goals. We aim to instill strong moral values in our students, empowering them to advocate for positive change.

At Haileybury Rendall School, our focus remains steadfast on fostering strong, two-way relationships with our RAP Group, student sub-committee, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school communities, via a “Community Advisory.” Our RAP is informed by other reconciliation commitments, such as the Uluru Statement from the Heart and recommendations from the State of Reconciliation Australia Report and Reconciliation Australia’s Policy and Research.

Establishing a student sub-committee and Community Advisory will enable diverse perspectives and storytelling, fostering deeper connections and cultural relationships among our students. This platform will offer educational opportunities to cultivate a mutual understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures. Our commitment to reconciliation is further demonstrated through our curriculum priorities. We are dedicated to embedding Indigenous perspectives into the classroom experience and have formed a sub-committee to monitor and enhance progress in this regard.

To combat racism and promote cultural safety, we are developing a strategic policy that aligns with Haileybury’s Well Being framework. Additionally, a language policy is underway to offer inclusive learning experiences by engaging willing Indigenous participants to share and teach elements of their language.

The Principal’s Advisory Committee remains instrumental in providing crucial Indigenous perspectives to the School principal. We have also initiated a RAP Leadership Team, Chaired by Jacinta Rutkowski and consisting of Ian Smith, Natasha O’Keefe, Anthony Barker, Alisa Ogilvie, and Daniella de Koster-Hill, this committee, alongside our RAP Working Group, ensures a diverse array of viewpoints are considered as we forge ahead with our commitment to a shared future at Haileybury Rendall School.

Jacinta Rutkowski Chair RAP Working Group

Our Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group

Working Group 2023

Andrew McGregor Principal

Jacinta Rutkowski Chair Teaching Representative

Bilawara Lee

Senior Larrakia Elder

Community Member & Cultural Advisor

Felicity Pearson Deputy Principal

Our Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group continues to consist of a broad mix of people, representing all areas of the School; our Early Learning Centre, Junior School, Middle School, Senior School and our Boarding Precinct.

The Working Group has a significant representation of leaders, having seven members of the School’s Executive Team in the Group, including the Principal, Andrew McGregor and Deputy Principal, Felicity Pearson. Six other

Michelle Shaw

Executive Member Head of Early Learning Centre

Harry Hildebrand

Executive Member Director of Boarding

Daniella de Koster-Hill Head of Indigenous Education Teaching Representative

Ian Smith

Executive Member Director of Community Relations

Emily Fryer

Head of Indigenous Well-Being Teaching Representative

Jason Elsegood

Jingili Man

Community Member & Cultural Advisor

Lisa Doyle

Executive Member Head of Junior School

Nick Eddy

Year 9 Coordinator Teaching Representative

enrichen our relationships with remote Community members. Students and families will provide invaluable feedback and clarity for the Group’s direction throughout the year.

We are excited to play our collective role in developing the culture of Haileybury Rendall School, as it continues to grow. As our vision states, our intention is to be a culturally safe and respectful world class school.

Rosemary Hicks

Head of Physical Education

Teaching Representative

Minyi Gu

Teaching Representative

Daniel Nicholson

Early Learning Centre

ELC Educator

Teaching Representative

Tim Medlyn

Transition – Year 3 Coordinator

Teaching Representative

Allison Harding

Early Learning Centre

ELC Educator

Teaching Representative

Alisia OIgivie

Teaching Representative

Natasha O’Keefe

Gudanji Woman

Madjirra Boarding Coordinator

Non-Teaching Representative

Jacinta McFee

Teaching Representative

Rebecca Thomas

Teaching Representative

Anthony Barker

Teaching Representative

Amanda Mu

Teaching Representative

Tom Wang

Teaching Representative

Narragunnawali Reconciliation in Education

Reconciliation Australia’s Narragunnawali program supports all schools and early learning services in Australia to foster a higher level of knowledge and pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island histories, cultures and contributions.

Narragunnawali (pronounced narra-gunna-wally) is a word from the language of the Ngunnawal people that means alive, wellbeing, coming together and peace.

Narragunnawali’s online platform is free to access and provides practical ways to introduce meaningful reconciliation initiatives in the classroom, around the school and with the community.

Reconciliation Action Plans

A Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is a formal statement of commitment to promoting reconciliation between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

A RAP demonstrates to the community that a school or early learning centre service is forward thinking about reconciliation and committed to making positive change. Narragunnawali provides an online tool to guide teachers, educators and community members through the development and implementation of a RAP. The process is flexible and can be tailored to meet the needs of the school or early learning service, and the local community.

Source: Reconciliation.org.au/narragunnawali

RAP Actions Relationships

Relationships in the Classroom

Action Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in the Classroom

Commitment We are committed to welcoming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into our classrooms as guests to work alongside our students and children in learning activities.

Goal We will welcome Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into our School to provide authentic learning experiences.

Assigned to Ian Smith, Daniella de Koster-Hill, Jacinta Rutkowski

Action Early Learning Framework – Early Learning Specific

Commitment We commit to seeking out meaningful connections between our vision and plans for reconciliation and the principles, practices, and outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework.

Goal We will continue to broaden the connection between our vision for reconciliation and the Early Years Framework.

Assigned to Michelle Shaw, Allison Harding, Daniel Nicholson

Action Opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students and Children

Commitment We will provide opportunities for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to celebrate their cultural identities. We will help create shared pride for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, contributions, identities, and histories in the wider school community.

Goal The environments and scope of opportunities in which students are able to share their stories and cultures will be broadened.

Assigned to Daniella de Koster-Hill, Anthony Barker, Nick Eddy, Harry Hildebrand, Tim Medlyn, Felicity Pearson

Relationships Around the School

Action Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Representation on Committees

Commitment

We commit to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives inform decision-making processes by respecting the experiences and knowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can bring to our committees.

Goal The School will increase the opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff members and community members to be part of decisionmaking committees within the School.

Assigned to Tash O’Keefe, Andrew McGregor

Action Elders and Traditional Owners Share Histories and Cultures

Commitment

We will forge ongoing relationships with our local Elders and Traditional Owners, so that they will feel safe, and confident, to share their historical and cultural knowledge with our staff, students, and children.

Goal We will deepen our relationship with the Larrakia and other Traditional Owners, by providing opportunities to work with staff and students.

Assigned to Tash O’Keefe, Michelle Shaw

Action Cultural Responsiveness for Staff

Commitment

We will reflect on our current level of cultural responsiveness and provide staff with a range of opportunities to build and extend their knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Goal To deepen the level of knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures by enacting our Cultural Awareness Program.

Assigned to Ian Smith

Relationships with the Community

Action Welcome to Country

Commitment

Our school will commence significant events with a Welcome to Country, recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Custodians of their Land.

Goal We will pay our ongoing respect to the Larrakia people through appropriate Welcome to Country ceremonies.

Assigned to Ian Smith

Action Celebrate National Reconciliation Week

Commitment

Our school community will celebrate National Reconciliation by teaching about reconciliation in the classroom and around the school and celebrating with the community.

Goal The Haileybury Rendall School community will promote understanding and celebrate NRW through a range of age-appropriate activities through academic and extra-curricular activities.

Assigned to Ian Smith, Jacinta Rutkowski

Action Create Stakeholder

Commitment

List

We will develop and maintain a stakeholder list that reflects our current and future working relationships with members of the community who are committed to working collaboratively to drive reconciliation initiatives.

Goal We will establish strong partnerships with Community-led organisations to support initiatives in the School’s journey towards reconciliation.

Assigned to Ian Smith, Emily Fryer, Jacinta Rutkowski

Action Build Relationships with Community

Commitment We commit to building relationships with our local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community that are built on mutual respect, trust, and inclusiveness.

Goal We will continue to assist staff to foster and deepen relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Assigned to Jacinta Rutkowski, Daniella de Koster-Hill, Felicity Pearson, Ian Smith

Action

Commitment

Cultural

Responsiveness for Students and Children

We will provide children and students with explicit opportunities to build their knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, within and beyond the classroom.

Goal We will broaden the opportunities for students to develop their understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, and histories.

Assigned to Ian Smith

RAP Actions Respect

Respect in the Classroom

Action Teach About Reconciliation

Commitment Our school community is committed to learning about reconciliation in Australia. Having an understanding of the concept, history and progress of reconciliation is an important part of continuing the reconciliation journey.

Goal We will continue to improve our School community’s understanding of the importance of reconciliation throughout Australia.

Assigned to Daniella de Koster-Hill, Anthony Barker

Action Teach About Days of National Significance

Commitment We commit to incorporating nationally significant days for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and reconciliation into our curriculum to increase knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, contributions, and contemporary issues.

Goal A Haileybury Rendall School calendar will be distributed to staff and students which will improve awareness of significant dates and promote learning opportunities.

Assigned to Daniella de Koster-Hil

Action Explore Current Affairs and Issues

Commitment We are committed to raising awareness of current affairs and issues in the public domain that are of particular significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the process of reconciliation.

Goal Current affairs and issues that are discussed in the news, social media, and out of student interest will be explored through guest speakers and in class.

Assigned to Daniella de Koster-Hill, Felicity Pearson, Harry Hildebrand, Felicity Pearson

Respect Around the School

Action Acknowledgement of Country

Commitment All staff and students will have the opportunity to show respect to Traditional Owners and Custodians by regularly conducting an Acknowledgement of Country at meetings and events throughout the year.

Goal We will pay our ongoing respect to the Larrakia people via an Acknowledgement of Country at appropriate meetings and assemblies.

Assigned to Andrew McGregor, Nick Eddy, Ian Smith

Action Visibly Demonstrate Respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

Commitment

We will make our our respect visible in the learning environment through the incorporation of meaningful, relevant, and culturally appropriate art, artefacts and symbolism reinforces our work toward reconciliation.

Goal We will respect and celebrate the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, via a variety of symbolic and visible means around the school, boarding and classrooms.

Assigned to Emily Fryer, Ian Smith

Action Care for Country

Commitment

Goal

We commit to actively connecting with, and caring for, the Country/place on which our school stands.

We will provide opportunities for staff and students to improve their connections to and understandings of Larrakia Country.

Assigned to Ian Smith

Respect with the Community

Action Celebrate Days of National Significance

Commitment We commit to organising and participating in events to celebrate or commemorate days/weeks of national significance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the reconciliation movement.

Goal We will commemorate days of significance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Assigned to Daniella de Koster-Hill, Andrew McGregor

Action Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flags

Commitment Our school flies and displays the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags as a demonstration of our pride and respect for the histories, cultures, and contributions of Australia’s First Peoples.

Goal We will continue to display our respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures by proudly flying these flags in prominent places around the school.

Assigned to Ian Smith, Harry Hildebrand

Action Physical Acknowledgment of Country

Commitment

Our school displays several physical Acknowledgements of Country as a way of showing awareness of, and respect for, the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which our school is located.

Goal Additional permanent Acknowledgements of Country will be visible throughout the School.

Assigned to Ian Smith

Action Take Action Against Racism

Commitment We commit to building awareness of what racism is, the impacts of racism and how to respond effectively when it occurs.

Goal We will improve the level of understanding of racism and its harmful effects throughout the School community.

Assigned to Felicity Pearson

RAP Actions Opportunities

Opportunities in the Classroom

Action Embed Cross-Curriculum Priority – School Specific

Commitment

Academic staff from across the School are supported to understand and embed the Australian Curriculum cross-curriculum priority, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures in the curriculum.

Goal We will establish ways of integrating the cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures in our Years 1-10 curriculum framework.

Assigned to Daniella de Koster-Hill, Felicity Pearson

Action Curriculum Planning

Commitment

Our curriculum documents will be audited to identify the extent to which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions are already embedded, and to identify opportunities for strengthening the representation of this content in the curriculum.

Goal We will establish ways of integrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures in our Years 1-10 curriculum framework.

Assigned to Daniella de Koster-Hill, Felicity Pearson

Action Australian Professional Standards for Teachers – School Specific

Commitment

Academic staff are supported to understand and engage with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, specifically Focus Area 2.4: ‘Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians’.

Goal More professional development sessions will be created for all staff to understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

Assigned to Ian Smith, Daniella de Koster-Hill

Opportunities Around the School

Action Inclusive Policies

Commitment Our internal policies will be amended to ensure they are also inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and increase knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures in Australia.

Goal Our policies will be inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and help shape an understanding of their histories and cultures.

Assigned to Felicity Pearson

Action Staff Engagement with RAP

Commitment All staff will be involved in the ongoing development and implementation of our RAP through a more diverse range of opportunities facilitated by the RAP Working Group.

Goal We will improve the collective understanding of our Reconciliation Action Plan and promote opportunities for staff involvement.

Assigned to Jacinta Rutkowski

Action RAP Budget Allocation

Commitment We have set aside dedicated funds from within our budget to procure relevant goods and services that strengthen the sustainability of our RAP Actions.

Goal Dedicated budgets will be allocated to ensure the Actions of our Reconciliation Action Plan are met successfully.

Assigned to Andrew McGregor

Action

National Quality Standard – Early Learning Specific

Commitment We commit to ensuring that our engagement with the National Quality Standard involves the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions in our daily practice and programming, as well as authentic and meaningful engagement with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Goal Our engagement with the Quality Standard will reflect inclusive practices in regard to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

Assigned to Michelle Shaw, Allison Harding, Daniel Nicholson

Opportunities with the Community

Action Local Sites, Events and Excursions

Commitment We commit to learning more about the about the events of historical and cultural significance and visit appropriate sites of the Larrakia People.

Goal The number of excursions and incursions which incorporate the learning of Larrakia histories and cultures, will be increased.

Assigned to Ian Smith, Nick Eddy

Action Employment Strategy

Commitment

We commit to the development and implementation of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment strategy. This will assist in attracting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates to vacancies, as well as supporting current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees.

Goal An Implementation Plan will be developed to meet the Actions of the Indigenous Employment Strategy.

Assigned to Andrew McGregor

Action Celebrate RAP progress

Commitment

We will commit to tracking and reflecting on the progress of our RAP, and its ability to build a sense of shared purpose and pride throughout the School. We will celebrate our achievements, and create new ideas to sustain our RAP into the future.

Goal We will inform our wider School community of the progress of our Reconciliation Action Plan and publicly celebrate major achievements.

Assigned to Jacinta Rutkowski

Action

Commitment

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages

We commit to providing students and children with a deeper knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and identities by learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages.

Goal We will promote and celebrate the diversity of the Indigenous Languages of the Northern Territory, by providing professional development opportunities for staff and learning activities for all students.

Assigned to Felicity Pearson, Jacinta Rutkowski

Stars Foundation exists to improve health, education and employment outcomes for First Nations girls and young women across Australia. Stars supports and mentors

3,500+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and young women in 60+ primary and secondary schools nationally.

Stars Foundation has been working in partnership with Haileybury Rendall School since the doors opened in 2018, providing full-time, in-school support for Aboriginal girls and young women.

Stars was established in 2015 to provide a holistic mentoring program that supports First Nations girls and young women to identify their goals and reach their full potential and reduce the gender gap in engagement programs across Australia.

The Stars Foundation focuses on four pillars designed to improve health and education outcomes. All Stars activities are planned within this framework, including:

> Education, Training and Employment - encourages active engagement in education and the development of positive plans for a successful transition into full time employment or further study.

> Healthy Lifestyles - addresses healthy habits for life including nutrition, self-care and personal hygiene, sport, and fitness.

> Wellbeing - focuses on personal wellbeing and mental health.

> Community, Culture and Leadershipcelebrates First Nations culture and encourages activity within communities which develops confidence and pride.

The key to the success of Stars is our full-time, onsite mentors who work closely with the teaching and student services teams to provide intensive support to First Nations female students, helping them succeed at school.

The support for students does not end when they graduate from school. Stars Transitions Coordinators continue to provide support and mentoring to graduates to help them onto their next steps, whether that be further education or employment.

The Clontarf Foundation

The Clontarf Foundation exists to improve the education, discipline, life skills, self-esteem and employment prospects of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and by doing so equips them to participate more meaningfully in society.

Full-time, locally based Clontarf staff mentor and counsel students on a range of behavioural and lifestyle issues while the school caters for their education needs. Every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male enrolled at the school is eligible to participate in the Clontarf programme.

Through the use of supportive relationships and environment, the boys develop improved self-esteem and confidence which enables them to participate in education, employment and society in a more positive way and become the best versions of themselves.

Academy activities are planned within the focus areas of education, leadership, employment, well-being, life skills and sport.

The goal is to ensure that every student in the program successfully completes Year 12 and transitions into either full-time employment or further studies, whether that means enrolling into a TAFE course or gaining admission to a university.

Our Artists

Title: Damibilia (Barramundi)

Materials: Oil on Canvas

Naomy Briston

Title: Doedilira

My name is Naomy Briston, I am a Larrakia woman; my mother and my father were both born in Darwin. My father grew up on the Tiwi Islands, my mother was from stolen generation and taken to Croker Island as a young girl, they made a film about her called Croker Exodus in 2017. My mother’s father was from Larrakia and my mother’s Mum was from Woodycupaldiya, Mudathial. I have many family relations across the Top End – the Tiwi Islands, Daly River through to Wadeye. My family have an outstation at Woodycupildia and we go there regularly to hunt and fish.

I was born in Darwin and have ten siblings and 2 children of my own and family connections right across the Territory, mainly across the Top End. When we were young many other families and children would come and stay with us and they all called my mum their mother and still do today. We would all go hunting and gathering together through the mangroves and creeks catching fish and crabs and eating long bums and periwinkles, then cook them on the fire at the beach.

My artwork mainly represents Larakia Country. My siblings and I were very poor and we lived off the land by hunting in the mangroves on the Howard river and other waterways and creeks around Darwin. We grew up on the rivers and beaches surrounded by vast untouched bushlands and I knew my totem was the Sea Eagle. I paint this with much respect and I enjoy printing and designing many of my art work in turtles, fish and sea creatures I grew up with as part of our life connection to our country.

My designs are my own. A lot of my designs come to me in dreams and then are hand drawn by me –these include our Australian native animals, in their natural environment. I use a number of techniques including sketching, drawing, carvings, sewing, screen printing, designing dresses and dilly bags, to painting or screening canvases, painting on natural resources like Cannon ball nuts, paperbark, different types of papers, utilising lots of vibrant colours from my rich culture and apply my storytelling on the painting, drawing or designs on material, clothing, or on a natural resource.

I have painted and screen printed these designs on dilly bags, which have been well sought out by politicians to give to all Australians as a gesture of good will and belonging.

Sharni Ryan

I am a Gurindji and Djungay woman from Maningrida Community which sits on Kunibidji Country, Western Arnhem Land. I speak Burarra, Kunwinjku and Kriol.

Shannice Campbell

I designed and printed the white frangipani flower as there are so many frangipani trees in Maningrida and I see them across the Top End. Their bright colours are pretty and they smell beautiful –the flowers make me happy inside.

Materials: Medium Lino Print on Paper

I am a Bilinara woman from Nitjpurru (Pigeon Hole). My language is Bilinara and my Dreaming is Barramundi.

In my painting I represented the shining white moon in the middle and then painted darker colours to the outside. I wanted the moon to look smooth and dry. I then painted the jellyfish and used the colours to make the jellyfish shine and look good. The bubbles were made by adding water to the paint and then splashing the canvas with it, to make the water in the painting look deep.

Caitlyn Mawson

I am a Garrwa and Gudinju woman from Borroloola, which sits on Yanuwa Country. I consider myself half fresh-water and half salt-water because I belong to a fresh-water clan and a salt-water clan. I watched my Nanna paint when I was little and was told I was good at dot painting. I love painting – it helps me stay patient and I think of all the details I should use.

This painting is my Uncle’s story. When he was younger he didn’t care about his health properly. He felt sick – but still did not do anything about it. He got kidney disease and was taken to Darwin for treatment. The white symbols around the kidneys represent the doctors and nurses who cared for him. In the four corners, I have represented the four clans of my people. The fours circles of people represent the Elders of the clans, sitting around campfires, educating younger people about respect to themselves and other people and how to be good.

The white tracks show my Uncle moving on after he was healed and in good health.

Danielle Shannon

Anika King

I am a Mudburra woman from Dagaragu and Kalkarindji. I speak Gurindji and Kriol. My Dreaming is Scrub Bull.

I painted the Jurlaka in the colours of fire, as it is so important to our people. There are four stars which are always seen in Gurindji Country – they remind me of home and the way to get there. The blue of the painting represents the waters of the Victoria River an the purple band represents a rare flower which is found during the Wet Season.

Title: Jurlaka

Materials: Oil Painting on Canvas

I am an Alyawarre and Warumungu woman from Mungkarta, south of Tennant Creek. My Dreamings are Dingo and Black Headed Python.

Title: Sharing Culture Materials: Oil on Canvas

This art symbolises how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have learned to share and connect with one’s Culture, the same as sharing tucka with each other and living along side one another.

Sometimes sharing your knowledge to someone you don’t know is like teaching them how things work in Indigenous ways as much as laws.

Title: Sunshine to Midnight Materials: Oil on Canvas

At night the mob would lay down on the red dirt and stare up at the sky and talk amongst themselves about how each star represented a meaning and the same with every cloud that goes by as the cold wind blows.

In the day time people would go hunting and fishing, sharing and caring for each other. They would go swimming in the fresh water creeks and the river that branches into smaller streams.

Our NT Communities