Jackson Coaby considers himself lucky to have an education, but not all Indigenous people are as fortunate

A bullying incident in primary school made Jackson Coaby realise how education and cultural awareness can “change people completely”.

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Jackson Coaby, 16, has experienced first hand how education and cultural awareness can “change people completely”.

The teenager lives in Salisbury within the City of Salisbury where, according to the Australian Census from 2021, has an Indigenous population of 4210, the highest of any council area in South Australia.

When he was 10 years old, Jackson said students at his school, which he didn’t want to name, “created this group which didn’t involve other cultures except for white Australians, which was disappointing”.

“Me and my Middle Eastern friend would be excluded from being able to talk to them, being able to hang out with them, which was really hard because they were all my friends but just almost overnight something just switched.

“I wasn’t allowed in certain parts of the school because I might get things thrown at me.

“I really didn’t want to go to school because I felt like they didn’t like me and like they didn’t want me there.”

Jackson said the school’s co-ordinators and teachers quickly resolved the issue and held educational and cultural awareness sessions with the perpetrators.

“I guess that just shows what education and cultural awareness can do and change people completely,” he said.

Jackson Coaby. Picture: Ben Clark

Jackson considers himself lucky because of the support system he has had around him.

but says not all young Indigenous people had that.

He said many young Indigenous people from his family and where he lived suffered random acts of bullying at school, playing footy and via social media.

Jackson said education played a big part in his positive upbringing

As well as high school, he attends the South Australian Aboriginal Secondary Training Academy (SAASTA) and Tjindu Academy.

The academies support secondary Aboriginal students and the Tjindu Academy offers a cultural and curriculum-based program for senior students.

Jackson said the school and academies, along with their communities, are integral to provide a positive pathway for young Aboriginal people.