Positive transformations: community driven solutions for further education in remote and very remote communities of the Northern Territory

This paper draws on data collected through the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program - Whole of Community Engagement (HEPP-WCE) initiative led by the Office of the Pro-Vice Chancellor - Indigenous Leadership within Charles Darwin University. The initiative utilises ground-up community driven approaches to build aspiration, expectation and capacity within remote and very remote Indigenous communities of the Northern Territory focused on participation in higher education. The vocational education and training (VET) sector, like all educational institutions offers a...  [+] Show more

This paper draws on data collected through the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program - Whole of Community Engagement (HEPP-WCE) initiative led by the Office of the Pro-Vice Chancellor - Indigenous Leadership within Charles Darwin University. The initiative utilises ground-up community driven approaches to build aspiration, expectation and capacity within remote and very remote Indigenous communities of the Northern Territory focused on participation in higher education. The vocational education and training (VET) sector, like all educational institutions offers a challenging and often complex environment. These challenges are exacerbated in remote and very remote communities where geographical isolation and challenges such as access to enrolment, academic and financial support and course variety require a refocus on partnerships and delivery models that provide language, literacy and learner support and also address wider community needs.

The HEPPP-WCE initiative has an opportunity to work closely across a range of community sectors involved in VET and higher education delivery to provide strategic further education pathways. Through recent HEPPP-WCE community-based engagement processes [the authors] have documented a need for the expansion of VET, including creating further understanding of models that include cultural and language needs; and enhance support to be embedded within the delivery of such training. Community consultations also suggest there is a need, and desire, for clearly articulated pathways from VET to higher education. This presentation will provide an outline of community consultations and the work developed through the HEPPP-WCE initiative by sharing accumulated evidence and several case studies from across the Northern Territory.

Published abstract.