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September 1, 2014

Sun, sand and study - Indigenous students get a taste of university life at UOW summer camp

Indigenous students from regional high schools will get a taste of life at a beachside ¾«¶«´«Ã½ and a career in health through a summer camp aimed at increasing the number of Indigenous students going on to higher education.

Up to 60 students from years 9 and 10 will be selected from 19 high schools across regional New South Wales to attend the Indigenous Student Summer Camp, hosted by the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ of ¾«¶«´«Ã½’s (UOW)  from 2 to 4 December.

The three-day camp is designed to give high school students a taste of university life and show them the possible careers in the health sector.

At the camp students will participate in interactive sessions run by the different schools across in the Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health as well as hear from local Indigenous health workers about the career paths they have taken.

For many it will be the first time they have been to the beach and they will get a taste of the lifestyle of ¾«¶«´«Ã½ through a surfing lesson at North ¾«¶«´«Ã½ beach while staying at the college residences. Woolyungah Indigenous Centre will provide information about support services available for Indigenous students at UOW.

Students from as far afield as Lismore, Brewarrina, and Leeton are invited to attend the camp.

Graduate School of Medicine Academic Leader Scott Winch said the educational outcomes of Indigenous people in Australia were significantly lower than their non-Indigenous peers.

“As few as 5 per cent of the Indigenous population attends university. Compare that to almost 24 per cent of non-Indigenous students and we see a great disparity in educational outcomes. Pipeline programs such as the summer camp that engage with students and show them the opportunities available have been recognised as a valuable component of the solution.

“The Indigenous Student Summer Camp is an opportunity for Indigenous high school students from across NSW to examine the pathways available to them when they graduate from high school and for UOW to be a part of increasing Indigenous participation in university education and the health workforce.”

Note to media
Students from high schools in the following towns and regions are invited to apply to attend to summer camp: Moruya, Nowra, Illawarra, Milton/Ulladulla, Griffith, Lismore, Mudgee, Orange, Grafton, Leeton, Ballina, Coffs Harbour, Bowral, Moss Vale, Chevalier, Tamworth, Armidale, Brewarrina, Wellington.

Media contact
Scott Winch, Academic Leader: Indigenous Health, on + 61 437 203 221 or swinch@uow.edu.au. Grant Reynolds, Media & PR Officer, +61 2 4221 4743, +61 417 010 350 or grantr@uow.edu.au.