Girls power is at an all-time high at Western Cape College as students and program mentors gear up for the Stars program launch next week. Photo: Supplied.
A new program to help First Nations girls thrive in school will be launched next week at Western Cape College (WCC).
The Stars program will support around 150 girls from year 5 to year 12 with everything from academic mentoring to mental wellbeing and even food security.
WCC principal Dan Tonon said the college was now one of only five schools in the state to have a Stars program in place.
“The wellbeing and support of young people is increasingly having a significant impact on all young people’s learning, regardless of their background,” he said.
“It’s anything from academic support, mentoring and being able to resolve issues for them, it could be access to food; it’s basically about removing any barriers that the girls may have to ensure they’re able to engage fully in learning.
“There will be six strong, female mentors that work with the girls before school, during lunchtime, after school, and in camps and trips to support them to graduate from year 12 and successfully transition into the workforce or further learning.”
WCC previously implemented the Clontarf program in 2019, which supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boys to succeed in their education.
The program proved to be impactful for the young men, and work began to make a similar support approach available for the school’s female students.
With funding from the federal government, a private funding body and the Western Cape Communities Co-Existence Agreement (WCCCA), the college was able to secure a program for its young women, which will now run alongside the program for boys.
“It’s always been our intention to implement a girls’ program as well,” Mr Tonon said.
“After about 18 months of work with predominantly WCCCA – the local Traditional Owners who have seen that this is a need that will support their young people to achieve their potential – we’ve been able to implement the Stars Foundation within our college.”
Stars Foundation Queensland regional manager Sue Douglas said the program was created in 2015 to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls could receive the same support as boys.
“We know that a good education, including regular school attendance and completion of year 12, lays the foundation for success in life,” she said.
“Across the country, there are programs that support First Nations boys to succeed in school, however, there was a growing gender gap in availability of programs to support First Nations girls, and Stars was established to address this gap.”
Ms Douglas explained the students would have access to five full-time school-based mentors, a program co-ordinator, and a dedicated Stars room to provide wraparound support.
“Stars provides a culturally safe, holistic program based on strong, trusting relationships,” she said.
“The Stars room in partner schools provides an environment in which the girls and young women in the program can connect daily with their mentors and feel understood, nurtured, and inspired.
“The mentors provide a diverse range of activities to support students to develop the self-esteem, confidence, and life skills they need to successfully participate in school and transition into a positive and independent future.”
