The world YOU want to live in starts with YOU!

PALS has become an integral part of many school teaching plans since it began in 2004 to support the introduction of Indigenous studies into the school syllabus.

Based on the core attributes of Partnership, Acceptance, Learning and Sharing, PALS encourages young people to take a leadership role in strengthening the relationships that exist in their local community between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

To do this, students expand their knowledge of traditional Indigenous culture and lifestyle and explore how it has been impacted over the past two hundred years by external factors such as European settlement, government policies, religion, technology and education. This new level of understanding is then used to introduce a positive change in their life and community.

Schools undertaking PALS projects are also encouraged to participate in the PALS Awards which are judged in term four and announced in November at the Wardarnji Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Fremantle.

To enter the awards, schools document their progress throughout the year using a combination of interviews, video, personal accounts, photography and written words to explain their journey and the impact it has had on their community.

Winners are those that demonstrate the positive impact of the project in the values and relationships that exist in their community. Submissions are judged in the categories of Education, Environment, Sustainable Partnerships, Health, Community Development and Arts and Culture, with schools asked to report against these outcome areas.

PALS is aligned to the teaching syllabus and has been developed with the support of the Department of Education and Training, Catholic Education Office and the Association of Independent Schools of WA.

Already 25,000 students have been involved in 140 projects across the State.

Each year schools or classes that complete a project can enter the PALS awards and win great prizes for themselves and their school. 

What teachers and students say about PALS

An extensive survey of teachers and students who participated in PALS last year revealed overwhelming support and encouragement for the program.

100 percent of the participants reported that involvement in the PALS project improved the perception of Indigenous people among the students at their school.

Approximately 93 per cent of the participants indicated that their students had a level of understanding of Indigenous culture and heritage in the High range after participating in the PALS project.

100 per cent of respondents reported that the PALS project had a positive impact on the relationship between the students.

92.9 per cent indicated that the relationship with the Indigenous community was positively impacted by the PALS project.

80 per cent of respondents reported that they intend to enter the PALS Awards again in 2008.