A bumper 230 Indigenous students will visit the Oorala Aboriginal Centre and the University of New England (UNE) this month to explore student life.
Events such as a UNE Experience Day for high school students, the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) program day and the University’s Open Day attracted students from near and far.
A Senior Girls Youth Leadership Camp is also set to take place this week.
Director of Oorala, Mr Greg Davison, said Uni Experience Days helps prospective Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students work out what university courses might be suitable for them.
“In this way they are clear about their post-school options before high school finishes and University begins,” Mr Davison said.
Approximately 20 high school students attended the May Experience Day, which focused on study options in Environmental Science and Chemistry.
“Together UNE, Oorala and AIME support our kids to be proud of who they are and to explore every opportunity presented to them such as these unique UNE Indigenous learning experiences. We are very proud of what we have achieved this month,” Mr Davison said.
AIME Program Coordinator, Nathaniel Dennison, said the first AIME program day at UNE was an amazing success with 161 Aboriginal students from nine schools from the Armidale district in attendance.
He described the program day’s magic moments as seeing senior students actively engage in leadership roles, and other students showcasing their skills and pride in who they are.
”The AIME and Oorala partnership is giving our kids in the community opportunities for success that they would otherwise not have, and our combined efforts are closing the gap on Indigenous education,” Mr Dennison said.
Open Day saw over 20 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students talk to the Oorala Student Support and Youth Program staff about their post-school options. Two students, Hayley Swan and Amelia Turner, (pictured) also had opportunity to meet with Oorala project officer, Lynda Lynch, about the upcoming Oorala Senior Girls Youth Leadership Camp. They were so impressed with what they heard that they completed their applications and are now looking forward to returning to campus later this month for the camp.
The Oorala Senior Girls Youth leadership Camp will host 45 students from Years 11 and 12 for a three-day camp from 22-24 May. The girls, from 15 different schools in the UNE catchment area, will experience an immersive introduction to university life and learn about personal development and a range of life skills, including health, wellbeing and Aboriginal cultural awareness and pride.
The camps are designed to provide an opportunity for students to develop important values and skills such as communication, leadership, mindfulness, and respect and to enhance success and develop pathways beyond High School.
Contact Oorala on 1800 622 384 or by email oorala@une.edu.au to learn more about their pathways to tertiary education and available support initiatives.
