FAQ’s

Why is there a law firm involved? Is this just about going to law school?

Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers began this program in 2008/2009. They are a really strong supporter of the program. But this program is not about going to law school necessarily – if that is your dream, we’re here to support it. But equally, we welcome any goal that participants set themselves. It might be to get through this year at school; to learn how to get up to speak in front of a crowd; to learn something new; or to get into university.

If you don’t know what you want to do, participating in this program might help you to find a dream and to make a start to realising it.

What is this program all about?

Put simply, this program is about:

• promoting ongoing connections to education and in particular to support a successful transition from high school to university or TAFE. We hope that this program will give participants a joy in learning. Further, participants will be eligible to apply for financial support to help them to meet education related expenses;

• celebrating Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander identities and histories;

• making a space where young people can dream beyond the all-too-frequent messages that they don’t have what it takes to finish school or to ‘be something’. We are about setting imaginations alight and supporting the goals of young people;

• providing young people with a peer group of support – too often, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students find themselves the ‘last one standing’. It can be hard to be the only Indigenous person in class;

• providing a network of older heads to support and to believe in the participants;

• making positive social change – the young people will be encouraged to think about how they can be an agent for positive change, whether on a personal level, or in their school or local communities;

• providing opportunities for taking an idea into action. Young people will see the beginnings, middles and endings of processes over and over again, working alone and in groups.

How long does the program last?

The program runs from January – December. See program dates.

The program participants get together every month, sometimes informally with their families, carers and teachers, to relax together.

So will I miss school?

All residentials are during school holidays and weekends – you will not need to miss school. But we know that lots of you work, and play sport, and pray and hang out with friends too – so check the program dates. We reckon with this much notice, you can organise yourself to attend. We require you to attend all workshops that we plan.

Where are the residential programs run?

Most of our residential programs will take place at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence , Redfern (NCIE) and at Tranby Aboriginal College in a leafy part of Glebe. Both venues are close to the central business district of Sydney. Participants will stay at the NCIE will be under the care of youth workers and program staff.

What will we do?

You will learn about history; gain new communications skills using film and audio and other digital media; have the opportunity to work with great artists; do some story telling and discover important things about yourself including talents that you never knew you had.

You will learn how to make change happen and given the support to think about what you would love to do in life, and to begin to make it happen.

In between meeting in person, we will use an exciting computer-based program to stay connected and to stay inspired.

Is this a one year wonder? What happens at the end of the program?

We want you to stay connected to us and will provide you with opportunities to be a peer support leader to the students in the next crop of participants. You can choose how closely or loosely connected to the program you want to be when your year is over.