DECJUBA acknowledges the people of the Kulin Nation, the traditional owners of the land on which we work. We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging. NAIDOC Week (4-11 July) is an opportunity to come together to celebrate the rich history, diverse cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. During NAIDOC week, we are launching our partnership with Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS).
MITS is a school located in Richmond, Victoria, creating opportunities for Indigenous students to thrive in their Melbourne educational journey by providing an intensive and supportive Year 7 school and boarding program.
MITS’s students, with the support of their families, have a strong desire to access the unique opportunities of living and learning in Melbourne.
Their Year 7 program gives richness to students’ lives, improving retention and resulting in significant academic growth.
After graduating from MITS’s Year 7 program, students move on to scholarship positions in one of their Melbourne partner schools from Year 8 onwards. These students continue to be supported by MITS throughout their educational journey, including through boarding accommodation.
This week, $2 from every transaction will go towards DECJUBA's two-year commitment to fund the education and boarding of twenty-two students at the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School.
MEET THE STUDENTS
KEIRA, 12 YEARS OLD FROM JABIRU, NT.
FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MELBOURNE?
“My favourite thing is that there is always something new to explore.”
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURTIE THING ABOUT SCHOOL?
“I love hanging out with all of my friends!”
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ME WHEN YOU GROW UP?
“I would love to be a Zoologist.”
WHICH AFL TEAM DO YOU BARRACK FOR?
"My favourite team is Richmond!"
CASEY, 13 YEARS OLD FROM VANDERLIN ISLAND, NT.
FAVOURITE THING ABOUT MELBOURNE?
“I love the shops and the clothes!”
WHAT DO YOU LOVE LEARNING ABOUT AT MITS?
“My favourite thing is learning about different cultures.”
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ME WHEN YOU GROW UP?
“I really want to be a tradie!”
WHICH AFL TEAM DO YOU BARRACK FOR?
"My favourite team is Bulldogs."
MEET THE TEACHERS
CASSIE PURUNTATAMERI | BOARDING CO-ORDINATOR
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING AT MITS?
“I’ve been working at MITS since January 2021.”
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STRENGTHS OF THE STUDENTS?
“Definitely resilience and adaptability. Most of the students quickly pick up some incredible sports and artistic skills.”
TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT MITS’ WORK.
“MITS support our students to reach their educational goals by providing care, making sure the boarding house and schools are culturally safe, as well as helping them transition from their communities into city life.”
SAMMI RIOLI | PATHWAYS
CO-ORDINATOR
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING AT MITS?
“I’ve been working at MITS for just over 2 years. My role involves not only working with our students once they transition into one of our partner schools, but I also work closely with our partner schools, host families, boarding houses, students and communities.”
ONE OF YOUR FAVOURITE MOMENTS WITH THE STUDENTS WHILE YOU HAVE BEEN TEACHING AT MITS?
“One of my favourite moments is the Year 7 Graduation – it’s such an amazing night where families fly down to celebrate. There’s not only so much love and pride in the room, but you can see so much growth in the students compared to when they first arrived at the start of the year.”
IF THE STUDENTS WERE TO TAKE ONE THING FROM THIS PROGRAM WHAT WOULD IT BE?
“Not only the experience of living in Melbourne, but making new friends and doing the program together. Even our Year 11 & 12 students that went through the program still talk about how much it meant to them. It’s incredible to see how strong their bond still is today.”
