Beyond the Broncos initiative encouraging Indigenous girls to stay in school
The 2021 Beyond the Broncos program has been launched on the North Coast.
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Holly Wells is tired of the stereotype that Indigenous girls don’t finish school.
The year 11 student is on her way to graduate next year with hopes of studying psychology at university.
She’s one of more than 60 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls participating in the Beyond the Broncos Girls Academy at Kingscliff High School.
The program aims to improve attendance rates and behaviour for Indigenous girls across the region by providing mentoring and support from Years 7 to 12 and into young adulthood.
It also aims to increase confidence, and foster leadership and is supported by the Federal Government, State Government, and major community partner NRMA Insurance.
The Girls Academy is one of many community programs organised by the Broncos.
For Holly, it’s been a great help.
“A lot of the time Aboriginal kids feel like they’re not included and people don’t really see them finishing school and think that they’ll just drop out.
“I think seeing Indigenous successful people is really inspiring to encourage us to finish school.”
Classmate Annie-Mae Wales is also in the program and has had perfect attendance since joining up.
“It encourages a lot of people who usually wouldn’t come to school to come,” she said.
“We have rewards for 90 per cent attendance.”
Macey Anderson, who hopes to study law after school, said the program helped beyond just attendance.
“They keep us on track make sure we’re doing the right thing going to all our classes, encouraging us to be our best,” she said.
The girls were treated to a visit by Brisbane Broncos ambassadors Justin Hodges and Beryl Friday on Wednesday for the launch of the 2021 program.
Hodges, the former Broncos captain, said the biggest part of the Girls Academy was encouraging them to come to school.
“Especially Indigenous kids a lot of them have different walks of life and different backgrounds and a lot of them probably don’t have the right upbringing in terms of their home life,” he said.
“We just try and create that environment where it’s a family environment where they’ve always got someone to come and talk to and just encourage them to come to school and challenge them.
“We’ve all sat in their shoes when we went through school – so if we can do it any kid can do what they want to do.”
More than 1700 young Indigenous girls are enrolled in this years’ program across Queensland and northern NSW.
The Academy mentors and supports girls in Year 7-12 and into young adulthood to help these young leaders succeed.
Former ANZ champion with Queensland Firebirds and Beyond the Broncos ambassador Beryl Friday said she was thrilled to see the importance students at Kingscliff placed on their education by attending the program and also their connection with culture.
“Education is one of the most important things women can have. This generation of Indigenous women in northern NSW are no longer denied their rights to higher education and the sky really is the limit,” Friday said, a proud Nyungkul woman of the Kuku-Yalanji Nation.
“Through the Girls Academy, we have the opportunity to make Australia better for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women now and into the future.
“Education sets our kids up to make more informed decisions, which can lead to changes that can benefit them now and our future generations.
“When Kingscliff joined the program, we had 47 girls enrolled, we now have more than 60 girls.”
Beyond the Broncos Girls Academy has supported more than 4000 students since it was established in 2016, recognising the vital role that young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women play in influencing the next generation.
To find out more, visit broncos.com.au/community or email community@broncos.com.au. or visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BeyondtheBroncosProgram.
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