Yass High School Students attend UNSW Inaugural Youth Leadership Program during NAIDOC Week.
During the school holidays, Yass High School students Hayley Williams, Zahrah Bell, and Taysha Bell attended the University of New South Wales Nura Gili inaugural Youth Leaders Program. The students spent one week on campus, where they experienced multiple disciplines across six faculties, as well as a cultural day and a visit from Uncle Vic Simms. 21 Year 10 and 11 students attended the program at the Sydney Campus from across Australia, including other regional towns and cities from New South Wales and Western Australia.
“[I am] so proud of these students spending their school holidays in such a productive and exciting way,” said Yass High School teacher and Indigenous program coordinator Ms Kate Vale.
Nura Gili, Centre for Indigenous Programs, is a University of New South Wales initiative and has become Australia’s leading Indigenous Higher Education centre, providing an overarching direction and framework for Indigenous education, employment and research. The university explains that Nura Gili takes a holistic approach to Indigenous education, research, engagement and advocacy, striving to create a university environment where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples thrive and are empowered.
Yass High School is currently running an intensive Indigenous program within the school organised by Ms Vale.
Yass High School principal Mrs Linda Langton said, “We work with different organisations within the community to come into the school and work with the children around culture.”
The Indigenous program will also include a project to renew Indigenous murals on brick walls around the school quadrangle, which the school has received community input on.
Image at the top is of Yass High students Taysha Bell left Hayley Williams, right.
Southerly Jones
