All Western Australian schools are urged to undertake a PALS project as part of their annual school activities. At the commencement of the academic year, schools are encouraged to start planning and to register their commitment to a PALS project with the Department of Indigenous Affairs (DIA) before the end of term two.

This early registration allows the DIA to measure participation and to track progress throughout the year. Knowing early which schools will participate also assists with developing media and promotional opportunities.

PALS projects can take many forms and have included: recording the oral histories; writing books; learning language; cultural camps; art workshops; student exchanges; e-PALS; dreamtime story learning and many more.

What is critical to PALS are the ingredients in the project:

• There must be a partnership with Indigenous people and the broader school community (such as parents, local councils and other townspeople).
• And the project must create an opportunity for all those involved to accept, learn and share with each other.
• Ideally a PALS project considers the social fabric of the school community such as social and economic circumstances and cultural backgrounds.

For more information on PALS or how to create a PALS project simply contact the PALS coordinator or check out the submitted projects from 2006!