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Box 7.3.2Bendigo Senior Secondary College, Victoria — Dare to LeadprogramThe 2005 Report included a case study on the ‘Dare to Lead’ Program at the BendigoSenior Secondary College. The program continued successfully in 2006, building oninitiatives undertaken in 2004 and 2005 to promote awareness of Indigenous culture. In2005, the College was one of six national winners of the Excellence in Leadership inIndigenous Education awards established under the ‘Dare to Lead’ Program. In 2006,the Bendigo Senior Secondary College had 21 Koorie students enrolled out of a total1781 students.In 2006, the Program Coordinator at Bendigo Senior Secondary College implementedactivities aimed at improving transition, engagement and cultural awareness. Theseactivities included a Formalised Indigenous Transition Program where the Collegeworked with five secondary schools in Bendigo to ensure that the move for studentsinto senior education was culturally sensitive. The transition program has significantlyimproved retention into the College’s senior campus. Koorie students also participatedin a number of community events including careers expos, as well as the Crocfest inSwan Hill.As part of improving cultural awareness, Year 11 students studied the short film worksof filmmaker and activist Richard Frankland. In addition:• health and human development students studied contemporary Indigenous health• physical education students studied traditional Indigenous games• Australian history students studied the impact of settlement in the Port Phillip District• outdoor education classes looked at Indigenous land use and perspectives.As a result of the targeted program focused on Indigenous culture, the College isbeginning to see success in its Indigenous students over a range of areas, includingscholarships, retention, and completion. The number of school completions among theIndigenous cohort has increased over the last three years.Source: Department of Education and Training, Victoria (unpublished).Box 7.3.3Swan View Senior High School, WATo encourage Indigenous students to continue to year 12, the Swan View Senior HighSchool has created a comfortable and culturally-affirming environment for learning. Tocreate a supportive and culturally-appropriate model of schooling, the school and theIndigenous community developed the Access Program.The Access Program offers school-based traineeships. The key to the program’ssuccess was the school’s engagement with the community and negotiating all aspectsof learning. The ongoing involvement of parents, family members and former studentsin the program has resulted in more Indigenous students completing year 12.Source: DEST 2006; O’Callaghan 2005.POSITIVE CHILDHOODAND TRANSITION TOADULTHOOD7.27