Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic secondary students gathered with local Aboriginal Elders, community members, employers and tertiary institutions at the Pavilion last week to take part in the Bangawarra Engagement and Pathways Program.

Bangawarra is a new local initiative that aims to close the gap that currently stands between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal education outcomes and school completion rates, by encouraging cultural pride and highlighting diverse career options.

Students from schools across the Diocese of Wollongong in years 10, 11 and 12 celebrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture with a welcome to country and smoking ceremony followed by yarning circles with Elders.

They watched the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference dancers and heard from special guests before students were made aware of a range of educational and career pathway options.

Education Officer, Kelli Gross, says they are not only trying to culturally enrich the students but also engage them in learning so they will stay in school to complete their HSC.

“Our numbers to get through to the HSC for Aboriginal students is a lot lower than our non-Aboriginal students,” she says.

“There are a lot of different things in closing the gap, but our focus is to engage the students and get them to look at different pathways they might become interested in and stay in school to achieve those outcomes.”

In the Dharawal language, Bangawarra interprets to ‘achieving cycle’ and Aboriginal Elder Uncle Kev says the program “gives the students something to look forward to, to inspire them to go on to bigger and better things once they leave high school”.

John Therry Catholic College student, Lleyton Turner (above), says he used to be part of Aime where students got to connect with other Aboriginal people.

“It was a good experience but since COVID we haven’t been able to have these opportunities. Now they are starting to bring it back so it’s really good and today was a great experience,” Lleyton says.

His favourite part of the program is being able to learn how other people view and interpret their culture.

“We’re all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander but we all come from different backgrounds. Some people know more about the culture and some people don’t.

“It’s good to communicate with others and get to learn from each other.”

A Bangawarra program will be held in August for primary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.