Yuuingan Yari Developments

by Dean of Identity and Community, Paul Corfield

Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander group led by Old Boy and current staff member Kelsey Doyle has continued to grow and develop. In the past five years, we have built our Reconciliation Action Plan, launched our reconciliation artwork, integrated Aborignal and Torres Strait Islander customs and spirituality into our key events and established our Yuuingan Yari group. 

Yuuingan Yari translates to ‘Friends Talk’ in Yuggera language and is the name given to our students in the First Nations Program. This year, Kelsey has been working with SCIPS and Career Trackers to help build our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pathways program. The program will launch in 2025 and works to keep our students connected with culture through mentoring from elders such as Uncle Marlon Riley. The program also works to keep our students connected to a depth of pathways and opportunities. The pathways program will connect with groups such as Career Trackers and QATSIF to give our students from Years 9-12 a taste of different career pathways. Kelsey has already worked closely with a number of students to establish university pathways and it is our hope that we can launch this program next year and continue to offer different pathway opportunities in their schooling. 

During Reconciliation Week, we gathered for our annual Smoking Ceremony led by Uncle Marlon Riley where College Message sticks were presented to our Heads of House and House Leaders. Traditionally when First Nations people travelled between country, they took the message stick with them and could show this to the owners of the country to signal they were in different land with peaceful intent.

The strength of our program has been highlighted this year through Kelsey’s nomination for the Aunty Joe Hendricks Award in the Spirit of Catholic Education Awards. Kelsey’s nomination is a testament to the work he has done for our students in keeping them connected with culture.