ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER POLICY

Transcription

1 ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER POLICY Plicy N. 04:2018

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 AUTHORITY AND APPLICATION RELATED DOCUMENTS PURPOSE DEFINITIONS COVERAGE OBLIGATIONS AND ACCOUNTABILITIES GENERAL PRINCIPLES... 7 We pay ur respects t the traditinal custdians, their Elders, past, present and future f this land n which we wrk. Cathlic Educatin Tasmania (CET) is cmmitted t hnuring Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander peple s unique cultural and spiritual cnnectins and the rich cntributin they bring t ur schls. Alng with gvernments acrss Australia, we affirm the right f Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander peples t maintain languages and cultures and acknwledge their deep cultural assciatins with the land and water. Dcument: Date f cmmencement: Page Reference: Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander Plicy 1 January 2019 Page 2 f 7

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4 2 RELATED DOCUMENTS This Plicy shuld be cnsidered in cnjunctin with the fllwing related dcuments: Plicies and Prcedures Applicable Laws The Archbishp s Charter fr Cathlic Schls in Tasmania Equity Plicy Pastral Care Plicy Enrlment Plicy Natinal Indigenus Refrm Agreement (NIRA) All laws in cnnectin with the carrying ut f wrk r the Wrkplace including: Australian Educatin Act 2013 (Cth) Educatin Act 2016 (Tas) Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) 3 PURPOSE The Cathlic Educatin Cmmissin Tasmania (CECT) Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander Educatin Plicy has been develped in cnsultatin with Abriginal Elders and the Tasmanian Abriginal Cmmunities t supprt all Cathlic Schls and Clleges in Tasmania t be aspiratinal in wrking twards the fllwing key strategies: a) Acknwledging Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander peples as the custdians f the lands upn which ur Cathlic schls stand; b) Acknwledging and respecting Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander peple s histries, values, language and cultures; c) Develping respectful relatinships with Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander cmmunity members and families; d) Having systems in place that are accuntable, equitable, transparent and respnsive t the needs f ur Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander students and families e) Supprting Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander heritage, culture and cntributin t Cathlic educatin; f) Prmting equity f access fr Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander students t educatinal services within Cathlic educatin; g) Prmting and celebrating educatinal utcmes fr Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander students, particularly in literacy and numeracy and: h) Ensuring Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander perspectives and cntent are taught acrss the curriculum. i) Supprting all schl staff, students and schl cmmunities t understand, value and celebrate Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander knwledge and cultural understanding. Dcument: Date f cmmencement: Page Reference: Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander Plicy 1 January 2019 Page 4 f 7

5 4 DEFINITIONS Fr the purpses f this plicy: Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander: Any persn wh - Is f Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander descent Identifies as Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander, and Is recgnised by the Indigenus cmmunity in which they live as an Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander. Annual plans: A frmalised, whle schl plan t address the key federal pririty areas fr Abriginal Educatin. These plans als encmpass pririty areas fr Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander Peple. Archdicesan Schl - the 35 Cathlic schls and clleges wned by the Rman Cathlic Church Crpratin f the Archdicese f Hbart. CECT the Cathlic Educatin Cmmissin Tasmania. CET - Cathlic Educatin Tasmania is the cllective term fr the Cathlic Educatin Cmmissin Tasmania, Tasmanian Cathlic Educatin Office, Archdicesan Schls and Cngregatins Schls. Cngregatinal Schl - the 3 Cathlic schls run by religius institutins in Tasmania (Dminic Cllege, St Francis Flexible Learning Centre and St Virgil s Cllege). Cuntry - Tasmanian Abriginal peple have a distinctive and age-ld cnnectin with their ancestral lands and waters. When an Abriginal persn talks f Cuntry ; this encmpasses nt nly the land and water but als culture, knwledge, and the envirnment. 1 Histries and cultures: Inclusive f the unique values, language and spirituality f Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander peples. TCEO the Tasmanian Cathlic Educatin Office. 5 COVERAGE This Plicy cvers and applies t wrkers in relatin t: a) All Archdicesan Schls, Cngregatinal Schls, the TCEO and CECT perating in the Archdicese f Hbart as Cathlic Educatin Tasmania. b) Cultural tutrs. 6 OBLIGATIONS AND ACCOUNTABILITIES The TCEO is t distribute funding t schls and clleges under a system needs-based funding allcatin mdel. These funds are retained by the TCEO and allcated t and n behalf f schls and clleges as fllws: Schls and clleges are prvided with per capita grants fr every Abriginal/Trres Strait Islander student Emplyment f Educatin Officers wrking in and n behalf f schls and clleges Dcument: Date f cmmencement: Page Reference: Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander Plicy 1 January 2019 Page 5 f 7

6 Develpment f system-wide Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander prgrams System-wide analysis f the data fr Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander students. 1http:// _cuntry Schls and Clleges are expected t: Meet all funding, reprting and accuntability requirements. Acknwledge, respect and celebrate Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander histry, values, language and culture. Identify a staff member t fulfil the rle f key teacher, and Abriginal Student Supprt Teacher (ASST). Fulfil bligatins fr Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander students as utlined in Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander Educatin Strategy. Prgrams will demnstrate evidence f imprvement in the educatinal utcmes fr Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander students. Be culturally respnsive: actively seek infrmatin n lcal Abriginal histry, culture and heritage, engage with, and develp effective partnerships with the lcal Abriginal peple. Utilise funding t implement prgrams, initiatives and schl-based supprt fr the imprvement in utcmes fr Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander students. These plans will be utlined in bth the Annual and schl Effectiveness/Imprvement Plan. Facilitate schl-based and cmmunity based recnciliatin initiatives. Release a key teacher r ASST t attend netwrk meetings with an expectatin that the learning be shared cllabratively at schl level. Seek and utilise advice and supprt frm Educatin Officers r Manager: Prgrams. Ensure individual teaching and prfessinal staff actively educate themselves n the lcal Abriginal histry, culture and heritage t be culturally respnsive, and are able t engage with, and develp effective partnerships with the lcal Abriginal peple. Priritise the analysis, cmmunicatin and discussin f systematically cllected data t imprve student utcmes. Dcument: Date f cmmencement: Page Reference: Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander Plicy 1 January 2019 Page 6 f 7

7 7 GENERAL PRINCIPLES Cathlic Educatin Tasmania recgnises that parents/carers are the first educatrs f their children; Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander peple have rich histries and culture that may be shared with all Australians; Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander peple have the right t an equitable educatin that imprves and strengthens the achievement f educatinal utcmes and celebrates cultural identity; Cathlic Educatin Tasmania is cmmitted t increasing awareness, knwledge and understanding f the histries, cultures and experience f Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander peple and cmmunities; Cathlic Educatin Tasmania is cmmitted t recnciliatin, prmting the principals f truth, justice, equity and inclusivity; and Cathlic Educatin Tasmania is cmmitted t encuraging emplyment and prmtinal pprtunities fr Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander peple. Dcument: Date f cmmencement: Page Reference: Abriginal and Trres Strait Islander Plicy 1 January 2019 Page 7 f 7