In February this year more than 60 students participated in the WIC-Ed Uni-Ready workshops.
The program provides commencing students with the opportunity to learn skills that will help them to navigate and succeed during their time at university.
Vice President, Indigenous Strategy and Engagement, Jaymee Beveridge says ‘These sessions make a huge difference. Coming to 精东传媒 is like learning another language. We find time and again that once our students learn the language and the tips and tricks for academic success they can relax more and enjoy the experience’.
WIC-Ed Uni-Ready provides students with a range of academic ‘know how’ and skills including understanding subject outlines, decoding assessment tasks and rubrics, and academic writing. This year’s program also introduced a strong focus on cultural safety and self-care in colonial spaces, an important inclusion particularly for students in disciplines such as social work, education, psychology and the health sciences. The Uni-Ready reference guide was expanded to provide more detailed information and advice on understanding assessment tasks and academic writing. The vibrant and engaging resource also provides students with a range of useful tips and tricks to help them navigate the academic landscape.
Acting Senior Manager of WIC, Jaime King, says ‘Our students often come from school environments where they’ve been told what success for them can and can’t look like. Here at Woolyungah we’re all about helping them to think big and smash those glass ceilings’.
Aunty Joyce Donovan expressed similar aspirations for our students in last year’s Matriarch exhibition by local artist Broc Piazza. In an interview Aunty Joyce told students to aim for the stars, ‘if you’re going to be a teacher, be the Principal’.
Meeting other Indigenous students and the staff at WIC is another highlight of the WIC-Ed Uni-Ready program which helps to build the sense of community and cultural safety in Woolyungah.
One student spoke about their anxiety about coming to university. ‘School was hard for me and I’m the first one in my family to go to uni. I was really nervous about meeting new people too. I almost didn’t show up to WIC-Ed. I’m so glad I did. I got to meet other students and learn about how WIC can support me. I don’t feel so alone. I also learnt how to understand what assignments are asking me to do and how to write academic Uni quality essays.’
WIC-Ed Uni-Ready and other programs like Indigenous Tailored Academic Program (ITAP) set our students up for success on their terms. The two programs work alongside each other, with Indigenous Strategy Unit’s (ISU) academic staff delivering Cultural Safety and Academic Success training to ITAP tutors to ensure a consistent and comprehensive approach to student success.
This year WIC has expanded their suite of academic services for students, introducing Academic Success coaching sessions to complement the subject matter focus of ITAP sessions. The Coaching sessions with academic tutors focus on skills such as time management, assessment planning, and exam preparation. They also provide students with tailored support around academic writing, skills which underpin the majority of university assessment tasks. WIC has also worked with library services to provide training sessions for students in searching library databases and source selection. Sessions later in the year are slated for students who are looking to brush up on their referencing skills.