Community-Based Involvement Opportunities

The IPC community ensures that students have opportunities to recognise and appreciate Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander culture in a wider context. This involves both Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students as well as non-Indigenous students engaging with community-based celebrations and/or organisations. Examples of such activities include:

• The College celebrating and acknowledging significant days and events within the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander calendar year, including Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC Week, Close the Gap initiatives, Sorry Day and Mabo Day.
• Students having opportunities to visit the St Michael’s Catholic School on Palm Island. A relationship with St Michael’s has been established and the College has visited annually since 2012. IPC students assist and engage with St Michael’s students in a range of positive contexts. IPC students also visit Palm Island with their involvement in the annual Obe Geia Primary school Rugby League carnival and assist the NQ Cowboys and organisers on the day.
• The College maintains links within the local community by respecting and acknowledging Traditional Owners and utilises their significant standing in our community. (Link to Acknowledgement of Country).

Iggy Park Deadlys

The Iggy Park Deadlys is an annual event that runs in Term 4 and serves a purpose of recognising and celebrating the continuing progress of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander culture and education within our College community.

• This event is a culmination of the events that have taken place during the year and provides an opportunity to celebrate them.
• The Deadlys in an enjoyable evening of guest speakers, performances and presentations.
• The whole College community are invited to attend in a show of increasing reconciliation.
• Guests in the past have included Mitch Tambo, Matthew Bowen, Jimi Bani, Ray Thompson, Sean Choolburra, James Knagge, Michael Morgan, Jalen Sutcliffe and Chris Gresmuhl.

NRL Cowboys House

 Ignatius Park College is extremely proud to be a part of the NRL Cowboys House and has been a supporter since its inception in 2017. Currently there are 13 students from the House who complete their schooling at IPC.

What is the NRL Cowboys House?

The facility is based in Townsville and provides young Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students from various communities across the northern parts of Queensland and the Torres Straits with an opportunity to complete their secondary schooling at several schools in Townsville. The House has just completed its third full year of operation for boys (50 male students) and 2019 was the first year with girls (25 female students). The House is designed to offer greater holistic opportunities that students may not otherwise be exposed to and able to take advantage of in their home community. The North Queensland Cowboys Community Foundation are the main supporters of the Facility along with the Federal and State Governments.

Cowboys House Awards Night

One of the highlights of the year for the House is the annual NRL Cowboys House Awards evening which provides an opportunity for the community and the schools involved in the program to recognise outstanding individual achievements of the students. This is positive recognition of the hard work and commitment many of these students have displayed throughout the year. 2019 was significant for the facility with 4 students graduating for the first time since the inception of the House 3 years ago. 2020 will be significant for IPC as the school will have its first Cowboys House graduating student and this is something we are really looking forward to.

Pride in Cultural Identity Programs

Ignatius Park College encourages and allows students the opportunity to develop and connect with their own cultural identity through school-based activities.

• Opportunities vary based on year level of students, however the program attempts to engage all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students at some point during their IPC journey.
• Members of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander community of Townsville have been involved in providing workshops and sessions for students that provide cultural advice ad support.
• Location of activities also vary and include some on-site events as well as destinations outside of the College, including Palm Island, Yarrabah and Tjapukai Cultural Park.
• Non-Indigenous students also encouraged to participate in some activities, providing educational opportunities to learn about Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander culture and continue building reconciliation within our community.

Support for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Students

Students are supported to realise their potential and encouraged to establish realistic outcomes within a caring environment.

• The College ensures all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students and their families are involved in the development of an Individual Learning Plan to set goals in a range of contexts.
• Students have access to a culturally safe space where guidance and support is provided.
• Students are invited to seek assistance and support through the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Program Leader, Indigenous Support Officers, Journey 2 Jobs Project Officer, Indigenous Teacher Aides, Pastoral Leaders, Student Support workers and all staff of the College.

Journey 2 Jobs

The Journey 2 Jobs program (J2J) is a unique program that Ignatius Park College provides for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students. It is the only school in Australia that currently coordinate a transitioning program using this model. The overall aim is to provide Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students of Ignatius Park College with career-related support with the transitioning to post-schooling.

Background

In 2017, the Indigenous Support unit at Ignatius Park College was contacted by representatives of Ganbina proposing the collaborative approach to establishing a program at the College that would focus on improving the post-schooling pathways and outcomes for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students. After a period of correspondence coordinating appropriate and relevant logisitcal details, the Journey to Jobs (J2J) Program was born. J2J commenced operation in April 2018 and was launched on Friday July 27^th, 2018 .

Why do we have the program?

The context behind establishing this program was influenced by the concerns and uncertainty of employment options within Townsville and its surrounding areas for young Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander school leavers. By being registered in this program, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students at Ignatius Park College will be able to gain a plethora of skills to ensure they have every opportunity to succeed through their schooling and post-schooling journey. Regardless of students’ desired fields of employment, the J2J program will be able to offer the relevant advice and pathways for its participants. 

Thank you to our Stakeholders

Philanthropic funding has been offered by The Morris Family Foundation to support the program over an initial 3-year period.  Components of Ganbina’s Jobs4U2 program has been used as a template to initially guide the establishment and development of the program at IPC. 

Components of the Journey 2 Jobs Program at Ignatius Park College

While based on the Ganbina Jobs4U2 program, J2J focuses on the following elements when delivering to students of the College:

• Education – Support with maximising learning opportunities in the classroom and at school.
• Accelerated Learning – Opportunity to access additional academic support through the use of external tutors.
• Employment – Advice and support to pathways for students’ desired field of employment.
• Driving – Support to attain the necessary requirements to become qualified for driving.

Participation is purely voluntary. Students can come and go from the program as their individual journey evolves, however the engagement of students will determine their involvement and the opportunities offered.  Students will need to be registered and have their details collected and therefore be an ‘active’ client if they wish to take advantage of the opportunities.