Thousands of West Australian school children are set to embark on a journey of discovery and self-fulfilment under an award winning program that strives to create new understanding of the State's Indigenous history and culture.
“The PALS program has become an integral part of many school's teaching plans since it began in 2004,” Department of Indigenous Affairs acting Director General Amanda Cattermole said.
"It 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, they are asked to 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 even education. This new level of understanding is then used to introduce a positive change in their life and community."
Ms Cattermole urged more schools to join the program in 2007 explaining that teachers could use the PALS project to address several teaching outcomes such as those under sustainable environments, the values forum and active citizenship.
And significant cultural milestones such as the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC and the 40th anniversary of the 1967 referendum, which changed the Australian constitution and gave Indigenous people citizenship rights, added to the topical focus of PALS in 2007.
"PALS projects can be as simple as creating opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to mix and get to know each other," Ms Cattermole said. "This is a great stepping stone for all schools. In other cases, PALS projects are life changing such as the Wednesdays at the Autumn Centre initiative which is now a regular program at the Riverlands School."
Schools undertaking PALS projects are also encouraged to participate in the PALS Awards which will be judged in term four. 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 the journey they have undertaken and the impact it has had on their community.
PALS is run by the DIA in partnership with BHP Billiton Iron Ore with the support of the Department of Education and Training (DET), the Catholic Education Office and the Association of Independent Schools WA (AISWA).
Fremantle Dockers player Troy Cook, respected role model for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth, is the program’s youth ambassador.
More than 100 schools and 20,000 students took part in PALS projects in 2007 with projects that included the creation of bush tucker gardens, Dreamtime picture books, cultural DVDs, school beautification initiatives, oral histories and cultural camps.
Schools that register early for the 2007 awards will go in the draw to win fantastic prizes. Winners of the 2007 PALS Schools Reconciliation Awards will be announced at the annual Wardanji Aboriginal Cultural Celebration in November with winning schools presented with artwork by some of the State’s top Indigenous artists.
For more information or to obtain an entry form, please visit the website at http://pals.dia.wa.gov.au.
