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School holidays got off to an educational start when nearly 40 Indigenous Year 12 students from remote areas of Western Australia arrived in Perth to get a taste of university life.

The Year 12 Leadership Seminar organised by The University of Western Australia’s School of Indigenous Studies (SIS) offers students a range of academic, social and cultural activities throughout the week long camp and also provides networking opportunities with like-minded students, UWA staff and graduates.

The students have come from Albany, Mt Barker, Bunbury, Carnarvon, Geraldton, Mullewa, Morawa, Karratha, Newman, Kalgoorlie, Wickham, Derby, Broome and Kununurra.

Activities included making moulds of teeth at the UWA Dental School, a workshop on self-esteem and respect as well as a special visit to Domain stadium to hear from indigenous leaders from the West Coast Eagles, including Brendon Ah Chee, a former year 12 Leadership Seminar student.

Students also learned about UWA entry requirements, scholarships and other relevant information that would assist with their transition to university.

Leeanne Dolby from Broome attended the camp and said it was really valuable to help ease the transition into university.

“I had a few anxieties about going away from my mob and down to Perth, but now it feels a lot more like home because there is help from SIS and also other students who are coming down with me to start at UWA,” Ms Dolby said.

“I’ve learned I don’t necessarily need a high ATAR score to get into university. I want to study medicine or dentistry so eventually I can go back to either Wyndham or Broome and help my people.”

Shantay Tidswell attends North Albany Senior High School and is returning to UWA after attending the Year 10 Science, Health and Engineering Camp.

“I’m not the kind of person who has no idea what they want to do, I’m the kind that has lots of ideas of what to do, so this camp is able to shortlist those for me,” Ms Tidswell said.

“The camp has reassured me that the transition into university is not as scary as I thought.”

Since 1988 the School of Indigenous Studies has assisted nearly 400 Indigenous students to graduate in fields such as medicine, dentistry, engineering, law, health science, sports science, business and the arts.

A large number of these students have also participated in other high school outreach activities coordinated by the School of Indigenous Studies.

Media references

Brendon DeGois (UWA School of Indigenous Studies                          (+61 8) 6488 3847 / (+61 4) 14 371 179

Indigenous Services Officer)

Rhys Woolf (UWA Media Officer)                                                                                       (+61 8) 6488 1888