Our College Vision

The Worawa program also extends to personal development and life skills providing new experiences, skills and abilities that build self- esteem and confidence to empower girls enabling them to select alternatives in their life through increased opportunity for further education, artistic pursuits or skills to contribute to the development of their community.

Worawa Aboriginal College

Worawa Aboriginal College is Victoria’s only registered Aboriginal School. An Aboriginal Community initiative, the College is governed by an Aboriginal Board and management. Worawa was established in 1983 in response to the difficulties Aboriginal students faced in the mainstream educational system. It provides a quality education for students in the secondary years of schooling, Years 7 – 12, for up to 70 Aboriginal girls from urban, regional and remote communities across Australia.

Worawa is based on the philosophy of ‘walking together’. This involves the Learning and Teaching and Program addressing the Key Learning Areas of mainstream curriculum whilst taking into account Aboriginal culture, values, spiritual beliefs and learning styles.

The Worawa ethos of ‘Walking Together’ is aimed at bringing together Aboriginal knowledge, values and pedagogy and quality academic staff with knowledge and understanding of Indigenous histories, cultures and communities, thus enriching the College program through shared wisdom and knowledge.

The Worawa Way

The Worawa holistic model of learning incorporates all activities and relationships that are experienced at Worawa – teaching, pastoral care and co-curricular. The core purpose of the Worawa model is the growth and development of students particularly in the context of Aboriginal Culture. The Worawa curriculum has been designed to educate the whole person across all domains of their development—social, emotional, physical, spiritual, cultural and cognitive/academic.

The Worawa Approach

Hyllus Maris Founder of Worawa Aboriginal College, at the opening of Worawa in 1983 described the Worawa approach:

“To effectively answer the particular needs of Aboriginal students… the approach should be holistic, that is, it should be geared to provide not only for the student’s prima facie education but also take into account each student’s background and make provision for overcoming the special problems faced by Aboriginal students such as health problems, poor hearing; emotional insecurities arising from imbalanced family life or prejudice suffered in earlier school life; identity crisis; deep lack of confidence …”

“The curriculum should reflect a ‘whole education’ approach. It should aim to develop not only the student’s intellectual prowess and physical fitness but also his/her mental capacity, moral values, emotional and spiritual growth into a balanced whole.

“It should be based on the best elements of both traditional Aboriginal and current Australian education, aiming to produce an Aboriginal person versed in his/her traditions and proud of his/her identity who has the tools and necessary qualifications to contribute effectively to the Australian community.”

The Worawa Strategic Plan (2008 – 2013) sets out ten strategic priorities. It contains the key goals that the College has identified and strategies to achieve them. These are identified under the following headings:

  1. Corporate Governance
  2. Financial Sustainability
  3. Education Program
  4. Staff Complement
  5. Student Body
  6. Student Wellbeing
  7. Campus Care and Development
  8. Aboriginal Culture
  9. Partnership

Our PURPOSE

An Aboriginal community initiative, Worawa commenced operation in 1983. The College was established as a response to the needs of Aboriginal adolescents and difficulties these young people experience in the mainstream educational system. Aboriginal families and communities select Worawa for the education of their young people as the College provides a holistic education program in a respectful learning environment which is foundered in quality relationships. Families/communities see the benefits of both an all Aboriginal school and a boarding school.


Vision / Philosophical Statement

Sending young Aboriginal women out into the world with conf idence in who they are, where they want to be and what they can contribute to their communities and to the wider world.’

Worawa Aboriginal College will provide an education based on the best elements of both traditional Aboriginal and current Australian education, aiming to produce an Aboriginal person versed in her traditions and proud of her identity who has the tools and necessary qualifications to contribute effectively to the Australian community.

Worawa Statement Of Intent

Worawa Aboriginal College provides a holistic education and boarding experience for Aboriginal young women in secondary schooling with emphases upon;

• Affirming and fostering students’ pride in their cultural identity, knowledge and respect for their heritage, languages and place as part of the nation’s diverse First Australian peoples

• Flourishing in a bi-cultural learning environment that provides pathways for life-long learning, participation and success in cross-cultural learning contexts

• Mastery of core learning skills, knowledge and understandings, with particular emphasis upon the acquisition and development of essential skills in literacy and numeracy

• Offering Aboriginal communities and families an education choice for their young women to participate in a mainstream education opportunity to achieve their full academic and intellectual potential

• Preparing and equipping young Aboriginal women with positive and optimistic attitudes and the life skills required for their futures in their home communities and the wider world• Nurturing and developing students’ creativity

and self-expression, talents and capabilities, as well as their confidence and motivation to strive for excellence

• Developing students’ personal self-confidence, respect, responsibility, stamina, rigour and commitment in all their pursuits, while also enabling and equipping them for making significant life choices

• Students being engaged, challenged and fulfilled through participating in Worawa’s total education program and open and equipped to link with education opportunities at the College’s partner schools

• Developing and maintaining good moral, emotional, mental and spiritual health and well-being as well and physical fitness

• Developing meaningful, respectful and quality relationships between students and between students and staff

• Providing students with opportunities for personalised learning through negotiation and development of personalised learning plans relating to academic, social, cultural emotional and physical learning

• Sending young Aboriginal women out into the world with confidence in who they are, where they want to be and what they can contribute to their communities and to the wider world.