Homeland Students Get Secondary Ed
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
A newsletter about Territory Aboriginal child and family wellbeing services HomelandHomeland Issue 2 April 2005 studentsstudents getget secondarsecondaryy eded Secondary Education has finally come to the Laynhapuy Homelands, 120 km south of Nhulunbuy. “We have had 100% attendance both this year and last year!” said teacher Tracey Lanesbury. Djalinda Ulamari visiting teacher with secondary school students The Yirrkala Homelands School piloted an accredited workshops for Homelands students exclusively. face-to-face secondary program in 2004 that is being Stage 1 subjects in English, Maths, Computers and continued into 2005 due to overwhelming community the Arts are all covered each time. support. The curriculum is in English and comes from the NT Open Education Centre. “The kids’ enthusiasm has carried the program through to this year,” said Tracey. “They are learning The seventeen students are aged 11 to 17. They fly in and enjoying from 8–4 pm and playing computer from various Laynha homelands to Garrthalala games and DVDs after hours. Hopefully this program community each fortnight for intensive three-day will get bigger and better.” Story continues page 16 Strong Leadership – Strong School Mirrngatja Homelands School has 100% student attendance year in year out, no discipline issues and students eager to learn. Inside The small Mirrngatja homeland is east of the Arafura Swamp in NE Arnhem. Being remote, school resources are very limited. The older students hope that one day they will have access to internet and distance learning. After school the students usually North go hunting or fishing. It is a healthy East Jonah – lifestyle. future student Arnhem Mirrngatja The elders at Mirrngatja say that living Homeland School on custodial lands is the key for strong special leadership which, in turn, reflects in the fit, healthy children and extremely high & school attendance. They have a visiting teacher, usually Early once a week from the Elcho Island, and one local assistant teacher, Michelle Childhood Nyumulula. Services Contact: Mangay Guyula J.Greatorex 8946 6983 Marion Scrymgour MLA NT Minister for Family and Community Services launches Kids Tracks at the Second FACSAC meeting at the Wagaman Primary School 3 Nov 2004 L-R Back: Jayme Cigobia Jazna Yep, Gabrielle Fry Kyra Kerrin, Somenah Dooley, Stephanie Yunupingu, Dale Williams, Kybyn Baird. Middle: Michelle Kerrin Carloss Campuso, Kathleen Brown, Danica Cigobia, April Camposo Front: Levi Wauchope Marion Scrymgour MLA Hakon Dyrting Next issue Editorial Kids Tracks The first issue of Kids Tracks came out last November. It had great feedback, but quite a few people said they didn’t get to see a copy – copies just disappeared. We goes must be doing something right! Cross Border Kids Tracks is for the people who do the jobs promoting Aboriginal child and Our next issue will family wellbeing. It is sent free to primary schools, childcare services, clinics, focus on our tri-state women’s centres, community councils and others, but each site only gets a few region: the NT copies. Maybe keep it on the work lunch table? communities of Imampa, Apatula, This issue has two focus areas. We look quite closely at issues relating to child and Mutitjulu, Docker. family wellbeing in NE Arnhem Land. We also feature some of the early childhood services, NT wide, which support the development of children in We also look forward to getting ready for school – the mobiles, fun buses, JET creches and Innovative talking with communities from childcare services. across the border in Now don’t get annoyed if we don’t talk about your zone in this issue. You can Anangu Pitjatjantjara send us an article for our next issue, ring in and tell us your story, or just wait a lands and in the Ngaanyatjarra lands. while until we get around to your place. Our editorial rules are noted on the back cover of this issue. Other contributions are welcome from across Many thanks to our contributors, including the many photographers, and to those the whole NT. who have provided background advice and support for this issue, especially Harvey Creswell, Helen Crawford, Helen Walls and Ros Moye. Deadline next issue 11 July 2005. Enjoy and keep circulating! Anthony Burton, Director Policy and Partnership Branch Manager: Anthony Burton, Director Policy and Partnership Branch, DHCS Newsletter editor: Rosie Elliott, Community Services Policy Unit Editing, writing, layout: Rosie Elliott, Community Services Policy Unit ISSN 1832-4754 Support staff: Ros Moye and staff of the Office of Children and Families, Policy and Partnership Branch Artwork: Logo by Lindy Brodie (Julalikari Arts & Crafts) Address: NT Department of Health & Community Services, PO Box 40596 Casuarina NT 0811 Ph: (08) 8999 2702; Fax: (08) 8999 2833; Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.nt.gov.au/comm_svs/policy_partner/office_children_families/kids_tracks.shtml Articles in Kids Tracks do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or DHCS. Editorial policy is noted on the back cover. Kids Tracks aims to promote development of a NT network of service providers and policy makers in Aboriginal child and family wellbeing, with emphasis on community initiatives directed to giving kids a good start, strengthening families and communities and creating better ways of working with each other. 2 Kids Tracks Issue 2 April 2005 Over the years, children’s The children’s services services have grown from referred to in this issue of Kids private childcare arrange- All Tracks differ from mainstream ments in people’s own childcare services. homes into a strong • Mobile playgroups are for service network. about parents and young children in Today about 22% of all NT children isolated areas to spend time aged 0–5 years and 14% aged remote together for play, socialisation 6–12 years use formal childcare. and educational activities. More than 11% of Aboriginal • JET creches are informal and children use these services, and childcare flexible childcare services in that’s not counting those children remote Aboriginal communi- attending the 26 JET creches and ties, funded by the Australian flexible services. services Government. These creches provide childcare to assist NT children’s services are a recipients of Centrelink benefits growing community sector. There are currently about to participate in the workforce or in training. JET creches 8500 formal childcare places (childcare centres, Family have not been licensed so far. All the new Innovative Day Care and Outside School Hours Care) with around childcare services began as JET creches. 1300 workers. • Innovative childcare services are funded at a higher We estimate that in addition to this there are about level than the JET creches. Four of these services 300 Aboriginal people working in services such as operate in the Top End and are now licensed under the JET creches, MACS centres, OSHC services and Community Welfare Act 1983. Seven in Central Australia playgroups. This doesn’t include all those working are working towards licensing or are under construction. with children in other services, like early childhood and New remote Aboriginal services are now using the primary teachers, child protection workers and child Innovative model rather than the older MACS model. health nurses. That’s a lot of people! • MACS (Multifunctional Aboriginal Children’s Good services and programs for little kids can have Services) are licensed childcare centres for Aboriginal long-lasting effects. One study followed children from children. They have a capacity for providing other types an early childhood program (Perry pre-school) from of care, such as OSHC. The NT has three MACS. when they were three years old until they were 40. • OSHC (Outside School Hours Care) is childcare for The study found those who had attended the school aged children, usually 5–12 years of age. Some preschool program had higher levels of schooling, programs offer after-school care only, others vacation were more likely to be employed and have a higher care only and some a combination of both. More OSHC income and were less likely to have been arrested. services exist than any other type of service in remote NT. When families, community people and staff work Children’s services in the Territory have come a long together to create a great place for children it can lift way over the last 30 years. We look forward to seeing the spirits of all who have contact with the service. It them grow from strength to strength, and to working can be a source of energy for identifying and solving with all the wonderful people who help support local problems and worries about children and children, families and communities. families. Children’s services are a real force to be By Agnes McGrath and Helen Crawford reckoned with! Early years child care? Ask Agnes or Helen. Left: Agnes McGrath manages the Children’s Services Unit in the NT Department of Health & Community Services (DHCS). This unit licenses child care centres and supports people to plan and operate new services for children from birth to twelve years. Right: Helen Crawford manages the Office of Children and Families in DHCS. The Office includes the Children’s Services Unit and programs to support parents and communities in raising children. Contact: 8999 2779 [email protected] / [email protected] Kids Tracks Issue 2 April 2005 3 Kathy Long Winning Project Lajamanu L-R: Alexandra Walker KWHB nutritionist, Kathy Long KWHB community nutritionist, and Lynette Tasmin store committee Last September, Kathy Long, Lajamanu nutrition worker and Alexandra Walker from Katherine West Health Board received the Kellogg Heart Foundation Local Government NT award for a project by a community organisation. The project title was Lajamanu Healthy Takeaway. They also received a high commendation from the national judges. Kathy Long writes the following about her experiences: In the Lajamanu Store I get along very well with Jim At the Women’s Centre we showed a video about Butler, the Store Manager, and if I need help he is healthy eating and how to look after babies, oldies always there for me.