Education programs across Australia |
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New South Wales
Student support and development
Cooling Conflicts
The Cooling Conflicts program is an approach to empowering students to manage their conflicts and become leaders in conflict management in their schools and in their communities. Cooling Conflicts combines two key approaches, educational drama techniques and peer teaching, in a structured sequence that begins with a senior drama class and progresses through non-drama junior secondary classes to classes in feeder primary schools.
Multicultural Calendar
Each year, the Department of Education and Training produces a multicultural
calendar to promote the cultural and linguistic diversity of New South Wales
government schools. The calendar identifies days of significance celebrated in
New South Wales and Australia as well as a range of national and international
days important to various sectors of our diverse community. The calendar
features artwork developed by students in primary and secondary schools and is
accompanied by a teacher's handbook.
Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition
The Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition targets Years
3/4 and 5/6 students enrolled in government schools. This competition promotes the positive values of cultural diversity and social justice. The competition has been run for seven years attracting over 1,500 entrants each year. More than 800 students participate in district finals.
Nyum Nyar - Aboriginal Student Mentor Program
Nyum Nyar (watching over and guiding youth from the Bundjalung language) is a
mentor program for Aboriginal students in high schools and central schools. The
program provides the Aboriginal students with the personal support of someone
who can act as a confidante and can guide and assist them to develop their
skills and confidence. There is a one day training program for mentors which
incorporates a half day session with Aboriginal students and a session on
Aboriginal cultural awareness. During the program the mentor and student or
small group of students meet regularly at school with the approval and support
of the principal.
The aim is to promote school as a place where Aboriginal students feel a
sense of belonging and assist in increasing the retention rates of Aboriginal
students.
Reconciliation
Each year in Reconciliation Week an exhibition of art work exploring the
theme of Reconciliation is shown in the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The
works are selected from entries from school students from across the state in
Kindergarten to Year 12.
School Leadership is for Koori Kids (SLIKK)
The SLIKK program develops leadership skills for Aboriginal high school students through strategies to encourage students to become leaders in their schools and participate in their school Student Representative Council (SRC).
Student Representative Councils (SRCs)
All New South Wales government secondary schools and the majority of primary schools have a Student Representative Council (SRC). School SRCs encourage students to develop projects on student welfare issues that are important to students, encourage participation by all students in the school, participate in school decision making and take on student leadership roles.
The NSW Students' Representative Council (NSW SRC) is a consultative and
decision-making group of 22 elected student leaders including two Aboriginal
student leaders. Students are elected annually to represent their district. The
role of the NSW SRC is to liaise with and be consulted by government, non-government and community agencies to implement recommendations of the annual State SRC
Conference and to address goals developed by the members.
The State SRC Conference Working Party consists of another 20 elected student
leaders whose task is to plan and operate the annual State SRC Conference held
in August. Each year the Conference has a specific theme. In 1998 the theme was
A Fair Go for All, dealing with anti-discrimination including anti-racism. In 1999 the theme was Youth Matters! which also had a strong focus on anti-discrimination. Since 1998 a major thrust of both state groups has been concerned with anti-discrimination activities and projects at district and school SRC forums. Ten Aboriginal student leaders participate at the State SRC Conference each year. In 2000, the theme was Participate. It’s Great! which had a strong emphasis on encouraging the participation of Aboriginal students, students with a disability, students from non-English speaking backgrounds and those from low socio-economic or rural and remote areas. In 2001, the theme was School Spirit - Building Pride which focused on the need for SRCs to be agents of change in encouraging projects which promote positive school spirit.
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