Aboriginal Education Strategy

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (15:31): I am very pleased to have the opportunity to update the house further on some of the important work the Marshall Liberal government is undertaking in supporting achievement by Aboriginal students in our education system through a range of activities—and I have mentioned this several times—and through our Aboriginal Education Strategy, an ambitious 10-year strategy with a very heavy work plan in three-year increments.

Indeed, one of the pieces of work we are undertaking has been the introduction of the Clontarf Foundation into the South Australian education system. For many years, across Australia, the Clontarf Foundation has worked with education systems and schools to encourage Aboriginal boys to turn up to school and to participate in school life. It has used sport, particularly Australian Rules football, and in some states rugby as well, as an entry point, and its great outcomes in employment for Aboriginal learners and indeed attendance before that—attendance and then employment—have been remarkable.

For many years, the former government expressed no interest in engaging with Clontarf. I was really pleased soon upon coming to government when the Premier and I were able to join with the Clontarf Foundation at a lunch hosted by Ish Davies from The Advertiser and, indeed, their organisation. The member for Hurtle Vale came along and indicated that the opposition would be supportive of that. I was very pleased with that. For the entire time we have been in government, we have been seeking to roll out this program. I welcome the recent conversion from the Labor Party to also support this program.

The Clontarf Foundation is a charitable not-for-profit organisation. It operates mentoring and behaviour change programs to attract and retain disengaged, at-risk Aboriginal young people to school while promoting more disciplined, purposeful and healthy lifestyles. In 2019, we entered into a three-year agreement through the Department for Education for a pilot program with Clontarf. As part of that pilot program, Clontarf agreed to establish four academies at six of our Department for Education sites.

It is an investment over three years of $2.8 million by the state government, significant philanthropic contributions to match that and the federal government also matching that. This is an investment in these young people, in getting their attendance at school, in getting their engagement at school and in getting their outcomes to be positive and employment focused.

I am really pleased to announce that, following a scoping exercise undertaken by Clontarf and my department, three additional schools have now been identified as suitable for inclusion in the pilot program from this year. These are Salisbury High School, Paralowie R-12 School, which is scheduled to commence in term 2, within a couple of months, and Coober Pedy Area School, which will commence their program in term 3, in the second half of this year. Maurice Saah, the principal at Coober Pedy Area School, has told me how excited he and the school community are at this news. I am looking forward to catching up with him later this week, when he is down in Adelaide for leaders day on Thursday, to talk more about it and the great work they are doing.

While the pilot program has yet to be concluded and evaluated, there have been some great outcomes already in improved attendance and greater interest in programs and pathways after completing school as a result of what has already been done by Clontarf in our schools. The programs and activities have strengthened the connections between the students, their families, the community, the school and teachers. That is illustrated, for example, by recent events in Whyalla where Clontarf was able to play an integral role in supporting the students and the community in the face of a deeply saddening incident.

Clontarf has been able to provide support to the students and families after hours, bridging the gap between home and school. Also, pride in connection with local communities has been seen, for example, at Ocean View College. Students at the Ocean View Clontarf academy have assisted in rejuvenating the North Haven dunes through partnering with the Port Adelaide Enfield Council and the Friends of the Taperoo Dunes. Their work on beautifying and rejuvenating the dunes will benefit the wildlife and the local community now and into the future.

The partnership with the council supports students to visualise post-school pathways, such as careers in horticulture or town planning. In partnership with the school-based programs, the Aboriginal Education Directorate, the South Australian Aboriginal Secondary Training Academy (SAASTA) WorkAbout and their private partners, Clontarf has also endeavoured to support goal 3 of my department’s Aboriginal Education Strategy to have Aboriginal and young people on pathways to success.

Indeed, I have spoken to all the academies at various times about employment pathways. Just recently at Port Lincoln I heard that Clontarf and its business partners have helped connect some Aboriginal young learners to some outstanding employment outcomes. Indeed, I am really pleased that Clontarf itself has employed a number of its graduates. The program currently employs seven local Aboriginal males and is looking to expand that number as it expands in 2021 and beyond as a result of Clontarf graduates.

I am looking forward to the finalisation of that pilot program. I thank everybody in that body of work and congratulate all the young people who are attending school more and who are really excited about their own futures and taking ownership of their own futures with our help and the help of Clontarf.

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