YMCA of Delaware’s Post

“Nothing changes the trajectory of life more than being at school” - The Hon. Ben Carroll MP | Deputy Premier & Minister for Education Victoria. As an Indigenous identified individual that has had to fight for the ability to participate in the mainstream schooling system of Australia, I completely agree with this statement. From my earliest memories, I have been of the belief that school is 15% intellectual education, and 85% social structural formation. Being able to participate in mainstream schooling in late secondary education and beyond, proved myself to be correct. It provided me with significant knowledge and experiences, which opened the doors to more consistent practical ability rather than relying on my intellectualism. Experiences such as: Becoming school house captain, participating in the National Indigenous Youth Parliament, and attending the Democracy 100. Education requires full commitment throughout the journey of the individual. The formative years of life requires children to be surrounded by community. For Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples alike, we all know that it takes a community to raise a child, as a child needs a community to understand its society it will be raised in, rules within it, and how to traverse it. School provide a type of community: a place of sharing of information, fears, stereotypes, beliefs, and more that develop differing societal structures. One of the key barriers I have noticed of the mainstream education system is that the core curriculum design does not align with Indigenous cultural practices. From my knowledge of the non-indigenous world - and hundreds (if not thousands) of philosophical discussions with others on the topic of a more utopic existence - I know that a change of the curriculum towards more Indigenous cultural practices would actually suit the majority of non-Indigenous Australians, as it would increase community communication and age-related respectful practices desired of such individuals. To change our education system to support Indigenous culture and knowledge, there must be individuals that: - Represent the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders within the governing systems, - Develop a written and agreed upon Voice, Treaty, and Truth that aligns to the governing systems, - Indigenous identified educators/developers/creators (educated and ingrained in the governing systems) that are ready to alter the education curriculum restrictions from the inside out, - Demonstrate that the changes have had an increase in participation, education, as well as community interaction and safety.  I hope that during my journey in all of this, I will be able to have the educational qualifications necessary to be able to support the change of education practice when the time comes. 

DEADLINE THIS FRIDAY: @phillydefenders is one of the host sites for our Community Engagement Fellowship! #HBCU students — apply by February 2 (first link in bio). Their 2024 Fellow will assist in coordinating the 10-week summer session of @phillyjuniordefenders, a community education program helping middle and high school students avoid the school-to-prison pipeline. The program educates youth about the courts; engages young people who have ambitions and talents — but are typically not invested in — to become leaders in their schools and community; and encourages youth to challenge injustice and participate in pro-social behaviors to build safer, stronger communities. #BlackDefendersMatter #HBCUStudents #CommunityEngagement #RacialEquity #PublicDefense #PublicDefenders #SocialWorkers #Investigators #ClientAdvocates #Paralegals #MitigationSpecialists #PhillyDefenders #PhillyJuniorDefenders #PhillyYouth

My oldest kid wants to be a lawyer when he grows up. Or a politician. Something where he gets to argue. (His words, not mine.) So we recently attended an info night for a local county Youth Court- an organization that I (incorrectly) assumed, was some sort of mock-trial club. When I tell you I was blown away by the work being done by this program... This is an actual diversionary justice program that keeps youth offenders avoid further involvement in the justice system... AND provides opportunities for restorative justice... AND gives other kids a chance to explore careers in all areas of the court system while gaining empathy and true understanding for the full picture of the lives of youth offenders.... AND has incredibly high success rates (91% of youth who participate are never involved in the justice system again)... AND these programs are just quietly existing in counties all over the country (1,150 of them) and many of us don't even know they're in our own backyards? There's a lot of talk about what needs to change in the world. And a lot of posting about it. This is just a reminder (ahem, to ME, because I sure needed it) , that there are also a lot of LEADERS who are quietly out there doing the work already. And some of us should probably just get out there and help them. More info on the specific group we learned about last week: https://lnkd.in/e9hZThiT

Education is the fuel to empower change and foster opportunity.

I don't often share my emotions on LinkedIn, and I usually try to focus on the positive, seeing the glass half full. However, today I'm deeply saddened by the news that the NT government is lowering the age of criminal responsibility to just 10 years old. What happened to early intervention and prevention programs that are culturally appropriate, trauma-informed, and designed to keep kids engaged in education and connected to their culture? Where are we heading? Who else feels upset, saddened, or angry hearing this news? What will it take for us to find a better way forward? https://lnkd.in/gGkEwC4F #CriminalJusticeReform #RaiseTheAge #EarlyIntervention #TraumaInformed #YouthJustice #ProtectOurChildren #EducationMatters #IndigenousRights #CulturallyAppropriate #SocialJustice #HumanRights #ChangeTheSystem #RestorativePractice

Check out my Embodied Social Justice Certificate 2024 digital badge issued by Transformative Programs! #digitalbadge #digitalcertificate #digitalcredentials #embodiment #socialjustice #civicengagement #communitydevelopment #reflectivepractice #experientialeducation #conflicttransformation

Over 70% of prisoners in the U.S. can’t read above a 4th grade level (Bureau of Justice). Literacy isn't just about education—it's about opportunity and second chances. People who participate in education programs while in prison are 43% less likely to re-offend (rand.org). By investing in literacy, we’re reducing recidivism and helping formerly incarcerated individuals rebuild their lives. At the Literacy Council of West Alabama, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to learn and grow. Education transforms lives, and by supporting literacy, we’re building safer, stronger communities. Share to spread the word about the importance of literacy!

Bridging the Educational Gap: Through mentorship, we can combat racial disparities in education, aiding individual students and contributing to a fairer educational system. #EducationalGap #MentorshipImpact #FairEducation

On June 24, 2020, the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) school board unanimously voted to remove the Oakland School Police Department from all campuses. Replacing them were former School Security Officers (SSOs) rebranded as Culture Keepers. With an eye on the uptick in violence on OUSD campuses that followed, Coron Brinson, a past BTP Fellow, #BlackTeacher, school leader, and doctoral candidate asks, “Protection from what?” and “Safety for who?”— two key questions we’re all asking about policing in schools. All #educators and school staff workers teaching in Oakland and beyond: Please take 5-8 minutes to fill out this survey about #schoolsafety: https://bit.ly/49zdLMY. Your insights will play a significant role in research that informs #education policy. #teachers

The problem with this argument is that it resorts to a really tired and simplistic claim: other countries fund private schools, so why can’t we? The problem with this argument is that yes- whilst private schools are funded in other countries- they are also regulated. Their tuition fees are regulated, and enrolment processes are regulated. (That’s exactly why the countries mentioned in this article do not have comparably high levels of private income). So a few connections have not been made in this argument, and unfortunately it falls short. In arguing for the narrative to become less simplistic, it actually falls into the most simple argument of them all.