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Education programs across Australia

Commonwealth Government

Parent and community involvement

• Aboriginal Student Support and Parent Awareness (ASSPA) Committees
• Journey of Healing
• Living in Harmony Initiative
• National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week
• National Harmony Day
• National Literacy and Numeracy Week
• National Reconciliation Week
• Tracks to Reconciliation

Aboriginal Student Support and Parent Awareness (ASSPA) Committees

These school-based parent committees receive per capita funding to conduct a variety of activities to enhance the educational opportunities of Indigenous students at preschool, primary and secondary schools. The Committees provide a way for Indigenous community members to participate in the schooling of Indigenous students, encourage a culturally supportive schooling environment and often manage Homework Centres or run education information projects for Indigenous students.

Journey of Healing

The Journey of Healing was initiated in 1999 by the National Sorry Day Committee to encourage initiatives that contribute to the healing process for people who suffered as a result of past practices which removed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. The Journey includes initiatives such as Sorry Day on May 26th.

Living in Harmony Initiative

Living in Harmony is a Commonwealth Government initiative, administered by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. It aims to promote and celebrate Australia's culturally diverse and harmonious society. The campaign's slogan - YOU/ME/aUStralian - is intended to highlight the fact that, whatever our backgrounds and beliefs, we are united as Australians and want to live in a country that is free of racial intolerance.

The Living in Harmony initiative is designed to challenge all Australians to:

• take a stand against racism and intolerance
• help build a peaceful and productive future for our children and set an example of how to live in harmony, making the most of our racial, cultural, social and religious diversity
• put into practice the best of traditional Australian values - justice, equality, fairness and friendship.

Under this initiative, the Australian Government has committed substantial funding to help various community organisations around the country develop projects to promote community harmony and reduce racism and intolerance.

National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week

NAIDOC Week celebrations encourage better understanding and relations between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other groups and promote the positive aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and societies. More information can be found at: http://www.atsic.gov.au/Events/NAIDOC/

National Harmony Day

March 21 is National Harmony Day and also marks the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Announced as part of the Living in Harmony initiative by the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, the Hon Philip Ruddock MP, National Harmony Day represents a day for all Australians to reflect on and celebrate our success as a diverse and harmonious nation. This includes individuals, families, community groups, the business sector and governments. For more information on how to be involved in promoting National Harmony Day, visit http://www.immi.gov.au/harmony or phone 1800 33 1100.

National Literacy and Numeracy Week

National Literacy and Numeracy Week is a special week to celebrate the efforts of Australian schools in raising the literacy and numeracy levels of all Australian students. It highlights the importance of all Australian students developing effective literacy and numeracy skills. Schools and their communities are acknowledged for the outstanding and innovative work they are undertaking to improve students’ literacy and numeracy skills through the National Literacy and Numeracy Week Awards. More information can be found at: http://www.dest.gov.au/literacyandnumeracyweek

National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week is an annual event which began after the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation was established in 1991. The council was replaced in 2001 with a new body, Reconciliation Australia, which is continuing the important work begunby the council. For more information on Reconciliation Australi, visit www.reconciliation.org.au

Reconciliation Week, 27 May-3 June, provides an opportunity for schools and their communities to celebrate their own achievements in relation to Reconciliation and to make further progress in the Reconciliation process.

Tracks to Reconciliation

Tracks to Reconciliation is a quaterly newsletter published by Reconciliation Australia which aims to promote Reconciliation and provide a communication network for the people's reconciliation movement in Australia. It also aims to take up where the previous Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation's popular magazine, Walking Together, left off.