First Nations Report 

It’s hard to believe that the end of Term 3 is already upon us! The weather is finally starting to fine up, and we are looking forward to enjoying the warmer days and everything that Term 4 has in store. As well as making use of our Yarning Circle for our Friday sessions. 

This term, our students have continued their participation in the Nallei Jerring Leadership Program with the Western Bulldogs. It has been fantastic to see our students getting involved, building connections and developing their leadership skills throughout the program. 

One of the highlights this term was a very exciting trip to Whitten Oval, where students had the opportunity to tour the Western Bulldogs’ state-of-the-art training and administration centre. They also enjoyed getting out onto their training facility and having a kick of the footy – a great experience for our budding footballers and Bulldogs supporters! 

Students have also been getting creative, decorating their ownclap sticks as part of the cultural elements of the program. These activities have provided opportunities for students to connect with culture while learning new skills and spending time together. 

With only two sessions remaining, the program is quickly coming to an end for 2026.

However, the excitement doesn’t stop there! During the Term 3 holidays, our students will have the opportunity to attend a Nallei Jerring camp alongside students from schools across Victoriawho participate in the program. This will be a fantastic opportunity for our students to meet new people, build friendships, strengthen their cultural connections and enjoy an unforgettable shared experience. 

Term 4 will then see the program finish with a special graduation ceremony, where students will be recognised for their participation and achievements and presented with their very own Western Bulldogs football hoodie. 

We are incredibly proud of the way our students have embraced the Nallei Jerring program this year and look forward to celebrating their achievements at graduation!  

For those members of our First Nations Mob who haven’t been involved in the Nallei Jerring program, we have still had a busy and meaningful term. This term, we have been exploring racism and its impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the ABC’s You Can’t Ask That program. We then came up with questions ourselves and made our own little segment which was a lot of fun and got students out of their comfort zones and also showed them that speaking up is ok. This has provided students with opportunities to listen, reflect and have open and respectful conversations about racism, stereotypes and the experiences of First Nations peoples. 

Our older students have also been developing some very important future pathway and employmentskills, working on their resumes, cover letters and job applications. These are practical skills that students can put to use right now as they look for part-time employment, while also building valuable skills for their future careers and pathways beyond school. 

It has been wonderful to see our First Nations students developing their confidence, having important conversations and building skills that will support them both now and into the future. I look forward to continuing this work with our Mob in Term 4!