Year 9 and 10 students from across the South West Region gathered at South Regional TAFE Bunbury Campus to commence planning for a project that will re-landscape gardens into a Yarning Circle, bush tucker garden and cultural statues, as well as paint a mural on the Ngarla Maya building.
The project is part of the Career Taster Program and includes students from the Priority Cohort alongside the delivery of items from the South Regional TAFE Reconciliation Action Plan.
The program will give at-risk students experience in consultancy, project management, exterior design, visual arts, arborist, horticulture, conservation & ecosystem management, civil construction, paving, fencing and building.
Marcisha, a student from Dalyellup Collage, contributed her ideas to the yarning circle plan. She plans to study mechanics/engineering at South Regional TAFE as she loves cars, especially fixing and creating new ones.
“I would love to see when finished. Hopefully it will look amazing, and it will feel quite special, she said.
“To me it is leaving a part of yourself at a place where others can visit.”
Summer Bennell-Brinkworth is an aboriginal artist leading the project and a student at South Regional TAFE who spoke about how the project will progress.
“Today we are introducing all the kids to the noongar seasons as a focus point to be able to base the garden on the flowers that will bloom during these times, she said.
“We have been getting the creative juices going and doing design work, deciding what materials and plants are needed as well as factoring in sun direction for the morning and afternoon.
“It is great for me to be part of the project as there will be a space for me as a student as well as to be able to give ownership to the kids.
“It is a true collaboration with students as we are guiding their creativity.”
Karen Jetta is a member of the South Regional TAFE Aboriginal Advisory Committee and was delighted to involve school students in the project.
“We can plan and put things in place but what a great way to put the kid’s perspective into play, she said.
“In the future, when they attend the campus as students, they will be able to benefit from the yarning circle and have ownership over the design.
“A yarning circle is a thing that can bring everyone together and I can’t wait to see what they have come up with based on today’s drawings.
Students attended from Manjimup Senior High School, Dalyellup College, Bunbury Senior High School, Newton Moore, Breakaway Corporation, Roelands Village and VETdSS Civil Construction students.
The project will continue every Friday and work has already begun on the space to bring the student’s designs to life.