From 2021, the Australian Government is increasing funding for Indigenous girls academies services, adding around 2,700 additional places in new locations across Australia.

The academies engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and young women to support them with their studies, increase Year 12 attainment and provide pathways to successfully transition into work or further study.

In December 2020, the Minister for Indigenous Australians announced up to $36 million over three years which will see more girls academies introduced while maintaining support for 2,900 students in 46 existing locations.

This funding will enable a range of activities designed to help young people thrive at school, including things such as in-class support, group homework sessions, mentoring, extra-curricular and personal development activities, health check-ups, transport to and from school, breakfast clubs, career and employment assistance, cultural activities and special camps or excursions as an incentive to maintain school attendance.
Importantly, all activities are delivered in partnership with the relevant school community and education department and are tailored to the needs of each cohort.

The National Indigenous Australians Agency recently ran an open and competitive grants process and is pleased to announce the successful applicants, the majority of which are Indigenous owned or led organisations, which will deliver services from 2021.

The providers selected to deliver services in the existing sites are:

Stars Foundation

• Balga Senior High School
• Broome Senior High School
• Cecil Andrews College, Seville Grove
• Challis Primary School, Armadale
• Clontarf Aboriginal College, Waterford
• Coodanup College, Mandurah
• Esperance Senior High School
• Geraldton Senior High School
• Girrawheen Senior High School
• Kalgoorlie Boulder Community High School
• Eastern Goldfields College, Kalgoorlie
• Karratha Senior High School
• Newton Moore Senior High School, Bunbury
• Roebourne District High School
• St Brigid’s College, Lesmurdie
• Centralian Middle School, Alice Springs
• Centralian Senior College, Alice Springs
• Palmerston College (Yrs 7-9), Rosebery
• Palmerston College (Yrs 10-12), Driver
• Taminmin College, Humpty Doo

National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy

• Canobolas Rural Technology High School, Orange
• Chifley Senior College, Mount Druitt
• Coonamble High School
• Dubbo College Delroy Campus
• Dubbo College Senior Campus
• Dubbo College South Campus
• Gunnedah High School
• Kempsey High School
• Melville High School, South Kempsey
• Muswellbrook High School
• Narromine High School
• Singleton High School
• Tamworth High School

Glass Jar Australia Limited

• Derby District High School
• East Kimberley College, Kununurra

Koya Aboriginal Corporation

• Kiara College
• Swan View Senior High School

Arrangements for existing locations in Queensland will be made by the Queensland Department of Education.

• Aldridge State High School, Maryborough
• Cherbourg State School
• Murgon State High School
• Bundaberg State High School
• Bundaberg North State High School
• Hervey Bay State High School
• Kepnock State High School, Bundaberg
• Maryborough State High School
• Urangan State High School, Hervey Bay

The following providers have been selected to introduce girls academies in new sites over the next three years:

• Stars Foundation
• National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy
• Glass Jar Australia Ltd
• NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Incorporated
• Koya Aboriginal Corporation
• Aurora Project and Programs Pty Ltd
• AFL Cape York House for Girls
• Yalga-Binbi Institute for Community Development Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Corporation
• Wongutha CAPS
• South Metropolitan Youth Link Inc
• Central Queensland University
• Cape York Girl Academy Ltd

The NIAA is funding the salaries of current staff employed by Role Models and Leaders Australia while the transition to new providers occurs and will be working with the new providers to secure employment for existing staff where this is agreeable to both parties.

The NIAA would also like to assure current participants, schools, parents and carers, and their communities that girls academy services will continue in all current sites from Term 1 2021.

The new sites will be determined with the relevant education authorities and school communities over the coming year.