ASSOCIATION
ARTICLES NEWS
NISEP's Impact
After participating in a NISEP
event, of our secondary student
leaders:
6 in 10
had an increased desire to go on to
year 12 or higher education
8 in 10
had an increased interest in science
9 in 10
found being a leader a good or
inspiring experience
After a NISEP event, school staff
indicated that of our secondary
student leaders:
8 in 10
demonstrated improved motivation,
enthusiasm for learning and/or
teamwork
7 in 10
demonstrated increased
concentration and/or completed
school work
TESTIMONIALS
SECONDARY STUDENTS:
“Through my participation with NISEP I have
been fortunate enough to be offered many
opportunities fostering and furthering my
interest in science, while gaining a perspective
in this field at a university level. The program
has also extended my confidence and built
leadership skills, while allowing me to share
knowledge and engage with my own
community. These opportunities can be hard
to come by in a rural Indigenous
circumstance.” WILL FRAZER, FORMER
NISEP STUDENT LEADER (YEARS 7-12),
CASINO HIGH, NOW STUDYING SCIENCE
AND LAW (SEE HIS JOURNEY HERE:
bit.ly/NISEP-William)
"NISEP has been an incredibly rewarding
experience for the both of us, as it has given us
the opportunity to expand our knowledge and
build our confidence as leaders. Being able to
share our experiences with other young
Indigenous students is definitely a powerful
way of encouraging others to participate."
SHANAYE WATERS (bit.ly/NISEP-Shanaye)
AND OLIVIA SKINNER-SPEIRS
(bit.ly/NISEP-Olivia), FORMER NISEP
STUDENT LEADERS (YEARS 7-12),
MACLEAN HIGH
"NISEP has benefited me in many different
ways, it has given me self-confidence and
leadership within my community and within
the school too. It paints a bigger picture that
Aboriginal kids can step out and they can lead
the way for their people" ISAACHAR FRASER,
FORMER NISEP STUDENT LEADER
(YEARS 8-12), CASINO HIGH, SEE HER
JOURNEY HERE: bit.ly/Isaachar-NISEP
"NISEP really opens your eyes to encourage
you to believe in yourself and to have
confidence within yourself to go up there and
be the person that you want to be.”
"I loved the experience of going to Macquarie
University. It showed me a lot of things that are
available for Indigenous people who are
looking to complete further education. It has
changed my mind of not going to university.
Before the Macquarie experience, I didn't really
want to go to university. I'm glad I went along
with the others from my school and I wish to
go again."
PARENTS AND SCHOOL STAFF:
"Our students love to demonstrate science
activities to younger students, staff and
visitors. They overcome shyness and grow in
confidence. They love to interact with the
University staff, and some can see themselves
attending University. All of our participants
can relate to the activities they are
demonstrating, sometimes being surprised
that they are enjoying science. Some of these
student demonstrators have the privilege of
attending the Indigenous Science Event at
Redfern, and the Science Experience at
Macquarie University. Students have told me
that they feel more connected to their
Aboriginal culture and heritage as a result. I
love the impact it has on the self-esteem of our
Indigenous students, and on their application
to their studies.” ANGELA FROUD, NISEP
PARTNER SCHOOL STAFF, CASINO HIGH
SCHOOL
“The value is more than just a trip to Sydney...
Because the beauty ... of this program is that
students are given the opportunity to be
leaders. They may start off quiet, but by the
end of the sessions they are speaking out and
having a lot of fun. So they really get those
verbal skills practiced in a way that is not
artificial ... making it a real situation where
you’ve just learnt something and you are
demonstrating it to someone else – it’s the best
way to learn something anyway – and they
then become a marvellous example for the
younger students.”
“It [NISEP] really opens the kids’ eyes and it’s
open mine, too. I didn’t have a lot of
knowledge about Aboriginal culture, so it’s
been very beneficial. It’s important. Very
important. We’ve made great connections
with the community through it, with the
Elders and even the families. It really has been
a positive for the school.”
“The main thing you see is the confidence of
the students change over time ... we’re not
really here to create just scientists out of the
kids, but we’re trying to get them more
engaged in their learning through science. You
see that and you see them move on to
leadership roles within the community ... They
get the confidence from doing that here in
front of their peers.”
If you would
like relationships
to know more
NISEP or support us, please contact NISEP Co-Director on [email protected]
building
in about
a university,
school and community Indigenous
widening participation
collaboration”, Higher Education
Research & Development, 2017.
(see goo.gl/Fm3otV)
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 68 NO 4