What works to support indigenous boarding students

What Works is a freely accessible website that provides guidance to boarding schools and residences on what works best to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in boarding.

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Pre-boarding

Transition to boarding school is a significant period of adjustment for Indigenous students. Preboarding covers the period before students even set foot at boarding school. Preboarding incorporates numerous factors that families and schools can put in place to ensure a positive transition to boarding school.
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In-boarding

In-boarding describes the period of time that a student is attending boarding school. Each moment on a student’s journey in boarding is important and can influence if they keep coming back to school. In-boarding includes the first day a student attends class right up until the day they leave.
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Post-boarding

Post-Boarding covers the time a student is making choice beyond school and the period after they have departed boarding school to transition to a post-school pathway. Students can be supported to continue their journey into employment, tertiary study or pursue numerous alternative pathways.
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Funding

Scholarships and ABSTUDY payments are two types of funding enabling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who otherwise could not afford to attend boarding school to be able to attend. Schools often need to also explore other funding sources to best support their students.
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Indigenous voice and culture

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's strong connection to family, land, language, and culture is often intrinsic to their health and wellbeing. Acknowledging and supporting the cultural identity of Indigenous boarding students can make a huge difference to their boarding journey.
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Indigenous education

Indigenous Education broadly focuses on the research, initiatives and strategies that have been designed/implemented to improve educational outcomes for Indigenous boarding students.
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Other

Here you will find a mix of resources that may be relevant to supporting Indigenous students or provide information relating to of Indigenous education and boarding but fall outside of the other topics above.
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directories

The directories related to the topics of Indigenous education and boarding include - Book Lists and Reviews – Research – Organisations Directory – and Finding a Boarding Provider. We hope you will find these various directories useful in add to your knowledge of What Works.
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FIND

You are invited to search for something specific or browse for inspiration. However, be aware that What Works for one student in one school might not work in a different context. This should not stop any of us trying to strive for what works best to support every student and help all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student boarders achieve their aspirations.

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Subscriptions are free. By subscribing you can identify your interests and be kept in touch when new resources or activities relating to your interests are added to the What Works website.

CONTRIBUTE

Contribute - As an open platform, if something works for you in your school, you are also invited to contribute to the shared knowledge held on this website. Visit the Contribute page and download the Resource Submission form.

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Subscribers will be notified when new resources of interest to them are added to What Works.

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what works project

Indigenous Education & Boarding Australia were contracted by the National Indigenous Australians Agency to create a website under the project title What Works to Support Indigenous Students Guidance for Boarding Providers.

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Warning & Acknowledgement
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Warning & acknowledgement

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain images and voices of deceased people.
  • Australian Boarding Schools Association acknowledge the traditional custodians throughout Australia and the Torres Strait Islands and their continuing connection to the land, waters, and community. We pay our respects to all members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities and their cultures and to elders both past, present and emerging.