Milingimbi School strengthening student pathways through interstate collaboration
Milingimbi School has partnered with Pymble Ladies’ College in Sydney to connect students from communities thanks to facilitation from the Yadha Muru Foundation and funding from the Australian Government’s City-Country Schools Partnership Program.
The City-Country Schools Partnership Program is an initiative aimed at improving educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students by establishing formal partnerships between high-performing metropolitan schools and remote schools.
This unique partnership with Milingimbi and Pymble is bridging the gap between remote and urban education while fostering deep cultural understanding, mutual respect and genuine connection.
As part of the partnership, Pymble’s Learn to Swim staff along with their qualified Year 11 students travelled to Darwin earlier this month where they taught Milingimbi students swimming lessons as part of the Swimming and Water Safety in Schools Program supported by School of Sport Education NT.
As well as swimming lessons, Milingimbi students participated in the Hoops 4 Health basketball program which promotes physical wellbeing, teamwork and healthy lifestyle choices through sport.
Partnership Program Coordinator Belle Moylan shared some insight into the program’s success.
'Over the past few years, we’ve worked together on a number of initiatives that build on the strengths of Yolŋu culture and the power of community to create meaningful opportunities and real choices for young people while giving city students some insight into remote Australia. We’ve seen substantial personal growth in both Milingimbi students and Yolŋu staff, particularly in confidence and self-belief. This progress is a testament to what can be achieved when communities work together,' she said.
'It’s also been an incredibly powerful experience for the Pymble students involved, who have gained a deeper understanding of community, culture and connection through teaching and learning alongside the Milingimbi students,' said Belle.
Milingimbi Assistant Teacher, Kyliea Blakiki Balaraninybuy is grateful for the partnership and its impact on student learning.
'I am so proud of the partnership with our kids and the Pymble girls. It is great and makes everything so fun. We are learning so much. The kids were so excited about swimming, and they would love to do it again,' she said.
The school partnership is an inspiring showcase of both communities learning, sharing and growing together, in the water and beyond. It nurtures cultural humility, reconciliation and an appreciation for Indigenous knowledge systems.
To learn more about the City-Country Schools Partnership Program, visit Yadha Muru Foundation or the Australian Government's Department of Education website.
