Pitfalls and how to overcome them hopefully

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Pitfalls and how to overcome them
(hopefully)!
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The Wiltja Residential Program
An Anangu Community in metropolitan
Adelaide Education beyond the classroom
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APY Lands Map
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The path towards functionality

• The Wiltja Residential Program is evolving and
  will always continue to do so.
• Life at Wiltja was not always as it is now..
• How do we know that the Wiltja Program is better
  able to meet student needs?

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Pitfall 1

• Lack of appropriate governance structures
• Who controls Wiltja?
• Who does Wiltja report to?
• How does this happen?

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DECS (Department of Education and Childrens
Services)
PYEC (Pitjatjantjara Yankuytjatjara Education
Committee) OPERATIONAL CONTROL 3 YEAR PLAN
Aboriginal Lands District -DECS
Wiltja Residential Program and Wiltja School
Amata Anangu School
Ernabella Anangu School
Fregon Anangu School
Indulkana Anangu School
Kenmore Park School
Mimili Anangu School
Oak Valley School
Pipalyatjara Anangu School
Watarru Community School
Yalata Anangu School
Numerous Other Communities
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Summary Slide

• Pitfall 2

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Pitfall 2

• Not being clear about why we exist and who we
  exist for
• Clarity of purpose is essential. This is never
  set in stone but will change over time. It must
  constantly be revisited. Change keeps an
  organization alive and vibrant and able to meet
  needs that will change.
• Being underpinned by education and viewing
  ourselves as educators as opposed to seeing
  ourselves as helpers/friends/slaves to the
  students is essential.
• We must value our role, realize its importance
  and be clear about what this means in our
  interactions with students/community members and
  staff in the school environment.
• Our students are with us 138 hours per week as
  opposed to 30 hours per week in classroom. This
  is worth thinking about in terms of the
  opportunities that this provides when the kids
  are not in the classroom.
• The residence and the school are in an equal
  partnership to educate.

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Pitfall 3

• Readiness
• Are we ready yet?
• Are we opening the doors before the roof is on?

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Pitfall 4

• People are the most valuable resource
• Spending too much time picking the colours of the
  carpets and not devoting sufficient energy and
  resources to finding and supporting the best
  people you can.
• You can have the best dormitory in the world but
  it will be empty if you dont have staff who
  clearly understand their role and are supported
  by the organization.

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Pitfall 5

• Inconsistency
• Staff
• Processes and procedures
• School
• Behaviour Management
• Communication with all people involved

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Pitfall 6

• Setting students up for failure
• Student selection processes-how do students come
  to be at Wiltja?
• Student must want to be in the program informed
  choice
• Short term and transition programs
• Students must be willing and able to engage in
  the classroom.
• Welcome to Wiltja induction for students and
  continuing the process of teaching students what
  they need to know to survive and thrive.
• The revolving door syndrome and RETENTION

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Pitfall 7

• Teenage boredom
• Answer quality recreation program

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Pitfall 8

• Cultural Collision
• Anangu values, tradition and child rearing are
  different to those of the western world
• The organization and its staff need to
  understand, value and work with the culture(s)
  that students bring to the program
• Our students come from highly complex and often
  dysfunctional contexts. We must be able to
  understand this and respond appropriately.
• The organization needs to establish trust and
  respect with the communities and families with
  whom it liaises
• Wiltja is an Anangu Community in Adelaide

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Pitfall 9

• Is there a pathway and future after Wiltja for
  students?
• Anangu want to be self determining in their
  future lives and demand that their children can
  walk in two worlds
• Skills for Self-Determination
• Resources
• Information
• Relationships
• Decision making

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