March to help keep Indigenous girls in school

A group of Indigenous girls from across Australia has walked a stretch of the Sydney harbour foreshore to raise awareness and funds for "Girls Academy", a program to boost retention rates at school.

Indigenous school girls march through Sydney. Source: SBS

Girls Academy is an in-school program which aims to help young indigenous girls finish high school. 

The students have flown into Sydney from some of Australia’s most remote areas including Kununurra, Broome and parts of Arnhem Land.

Indigenous school girls march through Sydney. Source: SBS

The walk went over the Anzac Bridge, Barangaroo and finished at the Opera House. 

Chelsea Whitehurst, 17, from Clontarf College in Perth says the Girls Academy has helped her stay in school and realise her potential.

“It’s a big part of my life. I reckon if it wasn’t there I wouldn’t be continuing my education at the moment,” she said.

Chelsea says her family, which is based in Kalgoorlie, enjoys seeing her do so well in school, sport and leadership activities.

“They’re really proud. Really really proud,” she said.

“My little sisters - I’m a really big role model for them."

Indigenous school girls march through Sydney. Source: SBS

The program works by placing specially trained mentors in schools. The mentors help the girls push through to graduation.

“They’re like big sisters to us,” Chelsea said.

Since its inception in 2005, the program, run by Role Models and Leaders Australia, has helped more than 4000 girls.

Currently, there are 12 schools across the country that take part in the program.

In the last five years alone, the number of girls taking on the challenge of year 12 has almost tripled.

In 2013, the Girls Academy in Gunbalanya in Arnhem Land celebrated two girls graduating from high school for the first time ever. This year, nine girls will graduate. 

The success of the program has naturally attracted the interest of more schools which are keen to get involved.

However Role Models and Leaders Australia CEO Ricky Grace says the organisation doesn’t have the funds to hire more mentors.

“A lot of corporations and governments are supporting many boys programs by the number of six to one, so we need to gain more support for Indigenous girls programs,” Mr Grace said.

“The women are the catalyst for change in these regional and remote areas, so if you support and develop a girl you will support and develop a community,” he said.

The organisation is trying to attract increased funding from State and Federal Governments, as well as corporate supporters.