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Education programs across Australia

Victoria

Parent and community involvement

• Harmony Week
• Interpreting and Translating Services
• National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week
• Parent Drug Education
• Reconciliation Week
• Regional Koorie Education Committees (RKECs)
• Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated (VAEAI)

Harmony Week

All Victorian Government schools are encouraged to join in the national celebration of Harmony Day each year. This national event is scheduled on March 21, which coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It provides an opportunity for all Australians to celebrate Australia's achievements as a harmonious, culturally diverse nation.

In 2002, schools were also invited, for the first time, to extend the concept by celebrating the week of March 18-22 as Harmony Week. This week-long focus intended to allow greater flexibility for schools arranging classroom, whole school and community activities. The Victorian Office of Multicultural Affairs (VOMA) also adopted this concept and encouraged all Government Departments to promote the organisaton of appropriate activities during that week as an adjunct to the community information campaign about the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act.

In support of Harmony Day and Week, SBS Radio, the Department of Education & Training and VOMA co-operated in the organisation of a poster competition for secondary school students, based on the Harmony Day theme of YOU + ME = US.

Interpreting and Translating Services

It is Government policy to provide qualified/accredited interpreters and translators to help Victorians from language backgrounds other than English deal with government departments and agencies.

The Department of Education & Training (DE&T) provides schools with access to interpreting and translating services through a contract with an interpreting and translating agency. Schools are able to access both on-site and telephone interpreting for parent-teacher interviews, information sessions and for individual student assessment and counselling sessions. Translations can be requested for key notices in newsletters and for communicating with parents.

DE&T is also represented on the Language Services Working Group, and the Information Provision Working Group established by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) in February 1999 to develop strategies to address issues identified in the Victorian Settlement Planning Committee (VSPC) community consultations held in October 1998.

In addition, DE&T has a policy on the translation of publications for parents from language backgrounds other than English. In this context, a number of key DE&T documents are made available to schools in a range of languages.

National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week

NAIDOC Week falls in the second week of the Term 2 school holidays. NAIDOC celebrations vary from school to school, with involvement from schools, students, Koorie Educators, Koorie Education Development Officers, parents and the local community.

Parent Drug Education

Bilingual Parent Drug Education facilitators run In First Language, parent drug education programs for parents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Programs are available to government and non-government schools who have completed an Individual School Drug Education strategy (ISDES). The program aims to:

• provide a supportive school environment that involves parents and the wider school community in drug related curriculum and welfare issues
• strengthen partnerships with communities inclusive of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Creating Conversations is a school based program that involves students facilitating parent evenings about drug issues. This program aims to:

• enhance communication between parents and adolescents about drug issues
• provide opportunities for students to develop a range of skills that build resilience and connectedness
• strengthen partnerships within communities to address local issues about drug related well being
• contribute to the ongoing health and well being of young people.

Some Creating Conversations activities have been facilitated by students in Arabic, Somali and Vietnamese as a part of parent drug education sessions. All parent drug education programs recognise that Victoria is culturally diverse and reflect awareness and respect for the special needs that may arise for communities from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Reconciliation Week

The Department supports Teaching for Reconciliation Awards that recognise the work of teachers/educators involved in supporting the Reconciliation process. Regional Koorie Education Committees are also allocated $2000 each to fund local and regional activities that support the Reconciliation process, including the celebration of National Reconciliation Week. In addition, the Reconciliation process, including National Reconciliation Week, is promoted through Teacher Support Materials, web sites and various Department publications.

Regional Koorie Education Committees (RKECs)

Eight RKECs are located across Victoria and comprise representation from Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Groups (LAECGs) and the Department of Education & Training DE&T. The committees have responsibility for decision making about funding and resourcing of Koorie Education Programs. They also assist schools in determining and locating professional support and allocate Koorie Education Workers to schools.

A number of local and regional projects are currently being funded by RKECs. At a local level, LAECGS provide advice to schools regarding Koorie education matters. A Statewide RKEC Forum that brings together RKECs to review progress and identify future directions is held annually.

Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated (VAEAI)

The VAEAI is the statewide community organisation that provides policy advice to the Department of Education & Training (DE&T) on Koorie education. The VAEAI was established in 1976 and holds the status of an Industry Training Board. Twenty-eight Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Groups (LAECGs) located across Victoria form VAEAI's Committee of Management. LAECGs advise local education providers on Koorie education and further the process of Koorie involvement in educational decision making. The VAEAI boundaries form the eight Koorie 2000 regions.