Mount Austin Koori Education Team

MAKET was established at Mount Austin High School in 2003 to recognise and acknowledge Indigenous students who were making positive choices.

Our school community needed to focus on those students who were making positive choices, attending school, wearing their school uniform, working to the best of their ability and demonstrating good behaviour both in the classroom and in the playground. Our aim is for more students to attain their HSC and to continue into tertiary education, improving their employment options and in the longer term 'Closing the Gap'.

MAKET has become a strong student leadership group within our school and a well regarded program across the Riverina region. Students have conducted workshops at SRC regional conferences, national conferences including the Mind Matters Conference, Aboriginal Education Conferences in Newcastle, Hobart and Darwin, Lake Mungo Youth Festivals, Riverina Regional Boys and Girls Education Conferences in Albury and the Dare To Lead Conference in Melbourne. MAKET also participates in cultural activities in other high schools, day care centres and primary schools. At Mount Austin High School, MAKET organises community engagement activites and conduct assemblies to acknowledge important events for Aboriginal people.

The main aim of MAKET is to improve the cultural understanding of indigenous and non-indigenous students in our school, and build links with our primary feeder schools and the community. Schools need Aboriginal students' parents, carers and community members to be involved in their students' education for positive reasons giving parents confidence and to see the achievements of their children in a cultural setting.

Through this program students have developed skills and cultural knowledge of the Wiradjuri region. This has allowed our students to improve their self esteem, confidence and showcase their talents through singing, dance, both traditional and hip-hop, story telling, artistic design, weaving and playing the didgeridoo and clap sticks as well. MAKET has also developed a regular Aboriginal newsletter called ‘Yarn Up’.

The importance of education is emphasised through career workshops, university information sessions, study days, mentoring student leadership groups and guest speakers. MAKET students, who are undertaking tertiary education, act as mentors to the group and community elders are mentors to the senior students. We regularly host a morning tea or lunch for parents/carers, primary feeder school Aboriginal student leaders and community members and integral government bodies. Students outline the activities they have undertaken and gain confidence in performance by showcasing their talents to the guests. Parents or carers are now more at ease in coming into the school and seeing their children in a positive light, with an increase in attendance of Aboriginal parents or carers coming to school functions and parent-teacher evenings.

MAKET works closely with the Student Representative Council in our school and the two leadership groups do many activities together. This has had positive results with more indigenous students now elected to the SRC. We are developing a sister school link with Shoalhaven High Schools on the south coast of NSW.

MAKET has given students of Mount Austin High School many opportunities to develop their self esteem, improve their cultural knowledge, develop and showcase their talents, push themselves beyond their comfort zone and to embrace the importance of education and ‘Reach for the Stars’.

Wendy Dennis - MAKET Coordinator

MAKET aims and outcomes

• Improve attendance and behaviour
• Improve educational outcomes
• Wear uniform with pride
• Develop leadership skills
• Build community links
• Recognition of positive role models
• Improve understanding of Indigenous culture of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students
• Developing self-esteem
• Increase the number of students completing their HSC and continuing on to tertiary education