The Will and A Way program

The Will and A Way program was born out of a small research program conducted in 2004 that looked into why Indigenous students were not transitioning from Secondary School to local universities, despite the availability of appropriate courses including primary and early childhood teaching, social welfare, nursing and community and public health courses designed specifically for Aboriginal students. The study found there were multiple barriers to Indigenous students completing the HSC at a level commensurate with gaining entry to university. More importantly however, was the finding that many students dropped out of school before completing any qualification and never found their way into employment.

In 2005/06 The Rowan Nicks Russell Drysdale Fellowship funded an action research program to explore these barriers and seek solutions. The program targeted youth identified as ‘at risk’ and their families, to identify and deal with the problems being faced thereby retaining the students in the educational system. Early identification and intervention resulted in positive outcomes in both retaining students and in transitioning them into employment.

The program enjoyed solid successes in 2006 and 2007 with a full cohort of Year 10 students participating in pledge signing ceremonies, undertaking that by the following year they would be continuing with studies at school or in TAFE, participating in traineeship or apprenticeships or be in full-time work. Ninety seven percent of students have successfully realised their pledge.

In 2007 the project received 3 years funding from the Departments of Families and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. This is enabling the continuation and extension of the program throughout the region and into 2010. With further assistance from the Department of Health and Aging, another key performance indicator, to measure and report on basic health indicators has been included. To date the project has received just over $1million dollars and is being run in 4 rural communities.