Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) Report

O’Connor’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support and programs are well underway for 2022. Our ATSI Team has started the year with a new addition. We are excited to have  Anaiwan/Gumbaynggirr/Dunghutti man Steven Ford commence work as an Aboriginal Education assistant. Steven grew up in Armidale and has strong connections with the local community. He has an infectious enthusiasm and has done a great job of building relationships with all students at O’Connor.

During weeks four and five we commenced our PRIDE Program and we have run sessions with students in Year 7-11. The Year 7-9 students enjoyed a fun focused introduction to the program and we discussed the goals and focus of the PRIDE program. We also played some games that helped students to get to know each other and work on developing teamwork. Finally, students spent time reflecting on and discussing their experiences at school so far this term in yarning circles before enjoying some morning tea.

For the session with students in Year 10 and 11 we were very fortunate to have a guest speaker join us. Vanessa Sewell is a Worimi woman and she is completing her PHD in at UNE. She spoke to the students about her journey towards discovering her Aboriginal identity and developing her understanding of culture and connection. We also had some excellent discussion around career paths, studying at university and finding balance in your life. It was a fantastic session that students really benefited from.