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Partnerships

Our partners bring our developmental approach to life, they are part of the future of Martu youth.


At Parnngurr Community School we identify a range of developmental needs, many of which are needed for future employment. We then assess all teaching programs with those needs in mind and select the ones that best meet our students' needs.

This holistic approach to student development has a profound effect on learning outcomes. However, one of our challenges is that, in some cases, we need to reject well funded mainstream programs in favour of those that are completely unfunded by government. This is why our partnerships are so important.

We have been fortunate to find private organizations that have come out to our remote community, seen our success with their own eyes, shared our vision and have invested in us.

These are our partners:

Early Childhood

Partners:
  • Martu People Ltd (Martu Trust)
  • BHP Billiton
  • Telethon Institute
  • World Vision Australia
One of the strengths of the developmental approach, pioneered by us and Martu People Ltd, is that it addresses disadvantage at an early age. This is essential because by the time Martu children are old enough for school they are already behind in several dimensions of development and some may never catch up.

The Telethon Institute for Child Development Research has assisted us with establishing base-line data and ongoing evaluation which has been invaluable in identifying needs and measuring the results of our endeavours to address them.

Their research tool, an Indigenous adaptation of the Australian Early Development Index in the Pilbara enabled us to do the following:
  • Provide a common language for the community to discuss the needs of young children.
  • Provide a basis for identifying priorities for action.
  • Provide a tool to help understand what is working well and what is not to support families.
  • Provide a baseline for measuring change in children's development over time.
  • Act as a community level evaluation tool.
BHP Billiton have made a major community investment over the next five years funding World Vision Australia to implement an early child development and family well-being strategy in Parnngurr and other western desert communities.  They also are funding the Telethon institute for child health research to continue implementing the I-AEDI, an emerging developmental index over the next five years.

Literacy

Partner:
  • Martu People Ltd (Martu Trust)
Martu People Ltd, which distributes mining royalties to Aboriginal people in the Western Desert Lands, has generously funded our new literacy program, the Ann Morrice Literacy Cycle (AM). This is an example of Martu investing in their own schools for the benefit of the upcoming generation.

AM bases literacy development on the real life experiences of Martu students and uses methodology that encourages communication and social interaction which supports the school’s endeavours to develop our students in all the developmental domains. Of course the program has also proven its worth elsewhere in remote desert schools such as Kintore and Papunya in the Territory and fits in with the new National Curriculum.

Our literacy program has also been supported by Shell Australia. Shell Australia won a Prime Minister’s award for impact on community and in turn donated the prize money to Parnngurr Community School for improvements it was making to children’s life opportunities. This money assisted the teacher’s and students by enabling the school to purchase literacy, numeracy and other resources.

Health & Physical Activity

Partners:
  • Martu People Ltd (Martu Trust)
  • The Lindsay Cozens Educational Trust
  • BHP Billiton
  • Swan Districts Football Club
  • AFL
  • Parnngurr Community Council
  • Role Models WA
  • Active After-school Communities
The use of the developmental approach, pioneered by this school and our partner Martu People Ltd, requires us to consider childhood needs far outside the usual ones found in a school. Improving the health and well being of our students is fundamental to their futures so we run a physical activity program coupled with a nutrition program.

The Lindsay Cozens Educational Trust has also joined us as a partner by providing secure funding to allow us to provide daily meals (breakfast and lunch) to students. BHP Billiton have made a valuable contribution to our physical education program though their community investment program.

They provided funding that supported the construction of a half size basketball court and playground. Our sporting programs have also received support from Newcrest mining, the AFL, Parnngurr Community Council and Centrals Football Club in Newman. A particular focus of the school is to grown leadership through sport.

We also have a productive partnership with Role Models WA which has led to frequent visits from Ricky Grace and the Swans Districts Football Club supports visits from ex West Coast Eagles footballers Chris Lewis and Peter Matera.

Youth Development

Partners:
  • Martu People Ltd (Martu Trust)
  • Lotteries West  
  • ROSLA grants
Youth development is part of our broad ranging ‘development approach’ pioneered by us and Martu People Ltd.
Lotteries West have also assisted us by helping us equip our school based youth centre. This funding enabled us to purchase gymnasium equipment, pool table, jukebox and sporting equipment.

Newcrest Mine has also supported youth oriented programs by providing sporting equipment and sponsoring community events. ROSLA grants have funded our secondary aged students to participate on excursions to regional centres to explore future job pathways.

Parental Involvement and Feedback

Partnerships to support parents in meeting development needs.

Partner:
  • DEEWR
Supporting parents to help address the developmental needs of their children is a major objective of the school.

Through the new DEEWR PACE program (Parental and community engagement program)the school has secured extra funding to implement a program in 2010 aimed at improving parental understandings and the importance in western education for our Martu parents.

This program is run by an external consultant and through parent workshops we gain invaluable feedback on the progress of our development approach. That feedback informs the action research model we use to assist Martu people to shape their own educational futures.

  • Kids & News

  		•
    07-Feb-2010
    Parnngurr Swans Vs Parnngurr Tigers
    The Parnngurr Tigers came from behind to defeat the Parnngurr Swans 5 -2-32 to 4-5-29 on Friday 5th February. It was a cliff -hanger at Junior Swans Oval. Gethyn Biljubu reports.
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