Erskine Park High School have created indigenous inspired footballs for the City v Country clash

Erskine Park High School has enlisted the help of aboriginal artist Darren Dunn to help steer kids in the right direction.

Students at Erskine Park High School are painting footballs for the City v Country rugby League game.Rodney Carlin, Hayden Day, Tremayne Yule and Brendan Thompson

Erskine Park High School has enlisted the help of aboriginal artist Darren Dunn to help steer kids in the right direction.

Mr Dunn runs school based program “Black on your feet” which aims to inspire students to embrace their culture as well as increase their attendance at school.

This year, the high school students are painting footballs with traditional indigenous dot painting to be used in the City v Country rugby league clash in Tamworth next month.

Teacher Grant Kelly said the kids had been really enjoying the program.

“The kids just love it,” he said.

“Some of these kids are really struggling and have attendance concerns so we want to use both art and culture to connect with them and see if we can improve their time at school.

The students are Erskine Park High School are getting in touch with their indigenous heritage.

“Darren has been doing this in other schools and getting enormous success with engagement at school.”

Mr Dunn has been working in education for more than 25 years and said he had been seeing some really positive results already.

“Eight weeks ago their heads were so low you could have turned them upside down,” he said.

“Many of the kids are aboriginal but they don’t know anything about their aboriginal heritage, so we are really blessed to be able to have this program.”

Mr Dunn said he used the City v Country match to encourage leadership among the group.

“The boys who show the most leadership will be able to go to the match and have the chance to give the footballs away to the team.”