People places and pathways in NSW Aboriginal education: the impact of Aboriginal community on education provision in NSW

The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact that Aboriginal community people have had on education provision in NSW. I believe that it will be valuable to seek the opinions and thoughts of Aboriginal people through a recognised Aboriginal organisation, the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group [AECG]. Although many members of this organisation operate in multiple professional roles, Aboriginality isn’t an external overcoat that can be taken off or put on at will. Responses to survey questions will be given from a cultural base inclusive of personal histories and professional experiences. A benefit to individual participants is the opportunity to express their perspectives and make comment based on their experience in Aboriginal Education. There is potential benefit to learners, through reporting data gleaned from surveys and interviews, to influence positive change to policy guidelines which deal with the delivery of Aboriginal education. The 2004 NSW Aboriginal Education Review has shown that average measures of performance between Aboriginal students and non-Aboriginal students have identified a “gap” which does not appear to be closing. An Australian education review undertaken by the Council of Education Research focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education outcomes and found that “serious gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous outcomes remain ...” Corrigan & Mellor: 2004. This investigation will serve two purposes. First to explore whether Aboriginal community participation has affected change on Educational Policy and Practices through Aboriginal community engagement with education providers and secondly if Aboriginal AECG members feel they have developed a skills base which can be utilised in the education environment. Nineteen NSW AECG Regions have been canvassed to complete surveys through their particular Management Committee structure. Consideration is given to geographic location and accessibility to education institutions when analysing qualitative responses. A comparative analysis of Regional survey questionnaire completions will be placed in four categories; Metropolitan: Metropolitan South West, Metropolitan West, Metropolitan North, Metropolitan East. Country: Lower South Coast, Upper South Coast, Central Coast, Hunter, Manning, Lower North Coast, Upper North Coast. Rural: Riverina 1, Western 1, North West 2, North West 1. Isolated: Riverina 2, Riverina 3, Western 3, Western 2. The purpose of this strategy is to compare reflective attitudes between members of the four geographic areas in terms of Aboriginal Education priorities, self assessment of members’ skills base and identified positive outcomes. A brief description of two Regions [Hunter and Metropolitan South West] will provide some examples of Aboriginal community participation in activities which have resulted in positive modelling for other Regions. Recorded interviews from NSW AECG Life Members will highlight changes to the NSW AECG and the influence individuals have had on the provision of Education in NSW and in particular Aboriginal Education. Storytelling is recognised as a valuable tool of communication for thousands of years by many cultures throughout the world. Oral histories have been incorporated throughout the dissertation as reflective text. In Chapters 2, 4, 5 and 6 individual anecdotes report personal memories and experiences of Aboriginal people involved in Aboriginal Affairs. Access to social services for Aboriginal people will be discussed by making reference to some of the political activity undertaken in the past and how vital health, housing, employment and education services are interlocked. Aboriginal social disadvantage has been publicised in the media leading up to the current debate in Federal Parliament [Feb. 2013], whether Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people should be recognised as Australia’s first people in the Australian Constitution. A Bill was supported by all political parties to design a referendum in order to gain the support of the Australian voting population. It is intended to hold the referendum by the end of 2015 regardless of which party is in Government.