Koorie program wins uni award

KOORIE Footprints to Higher Education program took out the University Pathways Award at the Wurreker Awards, recently held at the Aboriginal Advancement League in Melbourne.

From small beginnings the program has been growing in momentum and interest within the Koorie community of Gippsland, according to a spokesperson.

The program is run through Federal Government funding acquired by the Gippsland Centre for Australian Indigenous Studies at Monash University, Churchill.

``The objectives for the program are clearly defined as being to identify and support indigenous secondary students and potential students who are willing and able to make the transition to university education within a rural environment,'' the spokesperson said.

``The program has also been able to raise the aspirations, confidence and educational outcomes of indigenous secondary students and TAFE students through an immersion in art practice within the university campus.

``The program has identified a best practice model that is having positive outcomes towards successful pathways into further education.''

The spokesperson said Koorie Footprints had also forged stronger links between organisations working in all levels of the education sector for the future of Koorie education.

``Positive changes within the system support encouraging outcomes for our student participants,'' the spokesperson said.