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More than 150 Indigenous students from 30 schools have experienced university life first hand at The University of Western Australia as part of the Year 8 Discovery Day program organised by UWA’s School of Indigenous Studies (SIS).

Students participated in activities ranging from marketing at the business school, fitness testing at sport science, learning about human biology, anatomy and psychology, and constructing a paper bridge helped by students from Engineers Without Borders.

The Discovery Day first started in 2000 with 25 students from five schools and has now grown to a week of activities involving many country schools.

SIS Senior Project Officer Ray Garrett said schools from as far away as Port Hedland and Tom Price in the Pilbara organised their camps during November so they could attend and students from the South West Follow the Dream program and Merredin College drove up to three hours to participate.

“We really try and engage our visitors with activities like one that UWA medical graduate Luke Davies held where he had the students plastering each other’s arms which they absolutely loved,” Mr Garrett said.

In addition to hands-on activities, the year eight’s met current Indigenous university students and were told about university entry pathways and the School of Indigenous Studies’ Outreach Program.

Coordinator from South West Follow The Dream James Skoda said he found the day “totally engaging, flowing and interactive, as did the students”.

“The use of mentors and allowing the current UWA students to hold the majority of the relationships and presentations for the day worked really well and was totally engaging for the younger students,” he said.

The Year 8 Discovery Days are part of the overall Outreach Program offered by the School of Indigenous Studies that includes a Year 12 Leadership Seminar, WACE Revision and Year 10 Science camp.

Media references

David Stacey (UWA Media and Public Relations Manager) (+61 8) 6488 3229 / (+61 4) 32 637 716
Ray Garrett (UWA School of Indigenous Studies) (+61 8) 6488 4603 / (+61 4) 17 933 098