Video: Goodooga Central School

Video duration: 2:23

Aunty Karen

Goodooga Central School is a little school way out in the never-never.

Malcolm

Approximately 500km from Dubbo.

Naioka

You've always got a home in Goodooga. It's a nice little town, very close-knit community.

Malcolm

We run a very big 'Transition to Work' program, that allows our students to be able to start a traineeship or an apprenticeship. So they have the opportunity to make that part of their HSC and it also allows them to work while they're at school. Our main goal is to provide as many opportunities as we can for our students.

Just because we are in a rural and remote area, doesn't mean that these students need to miss out.

Naioka

We go down to Dubbo for five days. We pick five different places to work at. I really liked Education Support, so the next time I went down, I did a full five days of just Education Support and they organised it so I had a traineeship. By the time I'm finished, I'll have a Cert 3 in Education Support and I'll be able to go straight into the workforce.

Aunty Karen. She's been amazing. She's like the reason that we get to do what we do.

Aunty Karen

I go with the kids. I'm passionate about the kids. I love it because it's giving them opportunity. Try and get them ready for the big wide world.

Naioka

She's our mum away from home when we're there. Always like going above and beyond. We need more Aunty Karens out there in the world.

Malcolm

A lot of our staff here have grown up in Goodooga, so they know the limitations of being in a rural and remote community.

Aunty Karen

I'm a very proud person to call Goodooga my home. I came to this school and I've seen kids come through and their parents come through. Yeah, nothing like Goodooga Central.

Naioka

I am passionate about helping our Indigenous students. Like it's very good to help mob get to where they need to be and to be able to like, take care of your own like that. Like you're helping this little five-year-old, become the person they want to be. Five little nice words from us can make their entire day.

Malcolm

Through our 'Transition Pathways' program and our students achieving the HSC, we've had a 100% success rate which the whole school staff, parents, carers and community are extremely proud of.

It's rewarding to see our students achieve and succeed. That main goal in the light of the tunnel is when they graduate on our graduation night. And that really is the proudest moment ever.

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