BROLGA Rangers program set to inspire Indigenous students

The program is designed to help students engage with language, culture and community

Angel Yasso, Nuatufi Mann, Matthew O'Donnell, Manaia Faiunumalone and Nhi'arla Faiunumalone have a go at knot-tying during the first BROLGA rangers session of 2019. Picture: Jann Houley

ABOUT 35 Indigenous primary and high school students converged at CQUniversity today for the first of a series of Junior Rangers activities under the banner of the BROLGA Program.

Their first session included an exploration and navigation challenge, a knot-tying tutorial and a plant-identification nature walk.

Designed to increase student connections to Indigenous and non-Indigenous culture, community, government and education, the program shows ways that students can empower themselves and others.

BROLGA stands for belief, respect, openness, learning, growing and achieving.

The monthly activities are designed to boost the students' confidence, while illustrating the value of acquiring knowledge, interpreting instructions and finding solutions to problems.

Convenor of the BROLGA Junior Rangers events, Indigenous CQUni Connect Officer Malcolm Mann has previously worked as a Marine Parks Ranger.

CQUni Connect Officer Malcolm Mann. Picture: Jann Houley

He says that an ongoing exploration of the ranger role is "an exciting toolbox of skillsets to give to a BROLGA participant who has an interest in learning about 'country' and particularly from a Traditional Owner perspective.”

"Visiting various locations such as Nurim (Mt Archer) and Gawula (Mt Wheeler) will help students engage with language, culture and community,” Mr Mann said.

The BROLGA Program aims to expose the students to the supports and services that CQUniversity has available for them.

"It's about dropping that barrier of perception and to let them know CQUniversity is a place for them and their culture,” Mr Mann said.

"We tell them about what we do at the University and the pathways that are possible. They perform music and dance as part of the program because it supports their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identities.

"The program is growing every year and we also have past students who have gone onto work and others into higher education and TAFE pathways who come back and become mentors.”

Originally published as BROLGA Rangers program set to inspire Indigenous students