Experts argue community engagement critical for Indigenous students’ success at school

Olivia Patten knows all too well the challenges many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students can face in school.

A proud Bundjalung and Wiradjuri woman, Ms Patten’s personal experiences as a student inspired her to pursue a career as an Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer (ACLO).

In her role with the NSW Department of Education, Ms Patten is part of a team that works with more than 250 public schools in Sydney to help them build relationships with Indigenous parents and students and foster cultural understanding.

“Being an Aboriginal person, I’ve grown up in the community and I’ve grown up knowing the struggles that a lot of our people have been through,” she said.

“I help staff get a better understanding of how to work with our children and where our families have come from.

“It’s really important for me to be in this role, so our families know that they have that support that’s working at a departmental level and helping bridge that gap.”

Breaking down barriers 

Ms Patten said that, due to past experiences of exclusion at schools, some Indigenous parents may be hesitant to engage with teachers and staff.

“A lot of our families have trust issues with schools,” she said.

“A lot of our grandparents are raising their grandkids and have really struggled in dealing with schools, because they lived through those policies which allowed children to be removed from schools.

“We reassure them that we’re there to help them, we understand them and we’re there to be a voice for them.”

It’s hoped that, by actively engaging with the school community, parents can help strengthen the educational outcomes of Indigenous students.

ACLOs also provide cultural awareness training for teachers, with the aim of educating them about Aboriginal history and culture.

“Every time we do a session about the true history in this country, Aboriginal culture and talk about past policies and the effects on our people, we have a teacher crying in the room, because they just don’t know,” Ms Patten said.

Principal of Alexandria Park Community School Diane Fetherston said ACLOs play an essential role in her school’s community.

The school, located in in Sydney’s inner-city, has about 180 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

“[ACLOs] support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and families to feel culturally safe and culturally connected to their school,” Ms Fetherston said.

“They help to enhance the quality of the teaching and the cultural awareness of the teachers.”

Bridging the gap

Alexandria Park Community School is one of six public schools taking part in a research project by the University of New South Wales (UNSW), which aims to transform teaching practices and improve the educational outcomes of Indigenous students.

The project’s lead researcher, UNSW Associate Professor Kevin Lowe, said that, despite current attempts to improve schooling experiences for students, there was still a long way to go.

“There is evidence that schools routinely fail equality tests set by governments in closing achievement gaps between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous students across the board,” he said.

“A key driver of these educational inequalities has been the systemic failure to meeting the cultural, social and educational needs of Indigenous students.”

Professor Lowe said that facilitating stronger community engagement between schools and Indigenous families was critical to nurturing students’ success.

“Where there’s a strong synergy between families, schools and teachers, then students tend to do more effectively at school,” he said.