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Initiatives for:
Recommendation 16
Recommendation 17
Recommendation 18
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Initiatives targeting Recommendation 18

Northern Territory

Aboriginal and Islander Tertiary Aspiration Program (AITAP)

The Aboriginal and Islander Tertiary Aspiration Program (AITAP) is a school and community based support program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who hope to complete Year 12 studies and enter higher education courses. It encourages, supports and assists them during their secondary school years to improve their academic attainment and achieve their career aspirations.

Target group: Indigenous students in urban secondary schools

Coverage: Urban secondary schools in the NT

Timeframe: 2001 - 2004

Responsible agency: Department of Employment, Education and Training

Website: www.education.nt.gov.au

Partnerships and Communications (proposed)

The Partnership initiative focuses on strategies to engage schools and communities in the implementation of the Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET) Indigenous Education Strategic Plan, Element 6 - Indigenous parents and communities share responsibility with government for educational outcomes. Within this program the Partnerships and Communications Unit is responsible for providing feedback to parents, Indigenous communities, other government departments and DEET. Feedback could include promoting best practice models, encouraging student attendance and fostering community involvement in decision making. This initiative endeavours to engage Indigenous people in the development and implementation of strategies to improve employment, education and training opportunities.

Target group: Whole Community

Coverage: Territory wide

Timeframe: 2002 - 2004

Responsible agency: Department Employment, Education and Training

Website: www.education.nt.gov.au

AITAP Extension (proposed)

Extension of The Aboriginal and Islander Tertiary Aspiration Program (AITAP) to include Indigenous secondary students attending remote community schools and Indigenous students in urban secondary schools aged 12 years and upwards.

The program will focus on student progression to tertiary education and employment; transition from primary to secondary schooling; retention of students through to Year 12; personal development for 'at risk' Indigenous students such as building sound study skills.

Target group: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

Coverage: Urban high schools and remote community schools

Timeframe: 2002 - 2004

Responsible agency: Department of Employment, Education and Training

Website: www.education.nt.gov.au

Proposed Initiative name: Partnerships

1. Local Education Advisory Boards (LEABS)

LEABs will be established in communities to support the full engagement of Indigenous people in improving educational outcomes of Indigenous students in the Northern Territory. Four pilot communities will be selected in 2002.

The aim of the pilots will be to establish educational advisory boards with appropriate community leadership. The pilots could be established in community schools or cluster schools within linguistically and culturally affiliated regions.

LEAB's, with departmental support, will develop community education plans to aid in the implementation of the Department of Employment, Education and Training Indigenous Education 5-Year Strategic Plan, NIELNS and IESIP Agreements.

2. Self Managed Schools

Provision to be made for community control over education decision-making processes, while establishing clear benchmarks for expected improvements.

It is envisioned that the Local Education Advisory Board will be the management group for a self managed school.

This initiative seeks to achieve:

  • Local responsibility for the maintenance and development of community well being and human resources
  • Community capacity to embrace educational and social change
  • Efficient and effective consultation and reporting processes
  • Flexible and creative community direction to the school principal for delivery and resourcing of school programs.

3. Ongoing partnership development

Partnerships will foster collaboration from all stakeholders in achieving common goals in education. They will seek to improve Indigenous student outcomes through:

  • Engagement and involvement of key local leaders in the development and maintenance of the partnerships
  • Building relationships and linkages between relevant stakeholders, activities and programs at the local and regional level.
  • Collaborative utilisation of human, material and financial resources.
  • Encouragement and support of improved communication through networking between key stakeholders at the community and regional level
  • Harnessing expertise, building knowledge, and encouraging and assisting relevant data gathering and research
  • Activities such as collaborative planning and development, consultation, two way communication and the gathering of information integral to the successful implementation of the local and regional plans.
  • Sharing information and ideas (networking) between organisations and communities across the NT
  • Organisational and community based workshops and services aimed at supporting the development and implementation of the strategic plans
  • Contact with Commonwealth and Territory officers to foster shared knowledge of government processes and identify and create linkages with broad organisational and community processes.

Target group: Whole Community

Coverage: Territory Wide

Timeframe: 2002 - 2004

Responsible agency: Department Employment, Education and Training.

Website: www.education.nt.gov.au

NT Police Juvenile Pre-Court Diversion Scheme

The Scheme incorporates widespread consultation with relevant stakeholders within the community, particularly Aboriginal people, and encourages groups and organisations to develop suitable programs for juveniles at risk. Programs available in communities for the referral of offending juveniles are registered. These include providing assistance at the council, school or health centre, special projects occurring at the time of referral or assistance with the elderly, including tribal elders. Further holistic programs are developed in the communities that will alleviate youth boredom, give a sense of purpose and develop life skills that will prevent offending and assist the youth to become responsible members of their community. Programs must provide a range of interventions such as education, sport, recreation, job training, life skills, counselling, mentoring, substance abuse education, adventure, employment and community service activities. A primary focus of these programs will be providing life skills and education activities that will enhance the juvenile's opportunities to reintegrate into the education system or to find employment.

All Northern Territory Police school based constables have been trained in both victim offender conferencing and the diversion of juveniles from the formal justice system. Juveniles in schools identified at risk who have committed offences can be referred by police to appropriate programs in the community. Victim offender conferences are also recognised as an effective alternative in many cases to the suspension of at risk youth from the schools. These can be conducted by school based constables or teachers trained conferencing facilitation.

Target group: Juveniles who commit a minor offence.

Coverage: All urban centres, and communities.

Timeframe: Ongoing

Responsible agency: Northern Territory Police

Website: www.nt.gov.au/pfes/

Out of school hours activities (proposed)

Target group: Young people 10 - 15 years

Coverage: Nightcliff and Borroloola pilots

Timeframe: Funding 2002/3 - 2004/5

Responsible agency: Department of Health and Community Services

Website: www.nt.gov.au/health/