Mitchell Marlin

My name is Mitchell Marlin, and I'm the classroom teacher in Aboriginal Learning and Engagement Centre. We’d seen that a lot of students were dropping out, they weren't seeking employment, they weren't getting their HSC, and they just didn't really have the supports they needed to get through school.

Teacher

Now most people did use sources and that's great. But what we need to do.

Mitchell

So the ALEC was designed to help students reengage in school, feel culturally safe at school as well. But since being here, a lot of students have gone on to finish the HSC. Some of them have the first person in their whole family to get their HSC. All students up to five years after schooling are supported and they all go into something as well.

So today we've got our semester awards. Every 2 terms we get together and we celebrate success of student, academic, not just first, second and third, but also their efforts in their subjects. We celebrate attendance. Once again, it's always good for our students to get that 85% and above.

There’s some students that have shown significant growth over the years.

Student 1

When I wake up in the morning, head to my roll call. Just being surrounded by people that I have something in common with. It just makes sense. Everything clicks.

Student 2

The ALEC has made me proud to belong to my Aboriginal culture. People at school have seen that I'm an Aboriginal person and like, being able to do the Acknowledgement of Country like Deadly Award assemblies, being one of the speakers there and all these other things, it makes me feel very appreciated.

Student 3

They definitely make me feel really comfortable and proud to belong within the Aboriginal community and also at school with my culture. Staff and students at the ALEC really helped me create my idea for this major work, as when I was first starting the major work I had no clue what I wanted to do, so figuring out ideas of what I was interested in and what to research on really helped me make this piece.