Indigenous Program – Dandjoo Darbalung
St Catherine’s College provides equity of access for Indigenous students studying at any university in Perth. Dandjoo Darbalung in Nyungar means ‘mixing together’ in the way the fresh water and the salt water mixes in the Swan estuary across from our College.
Philosophy
Together we support one another to create excellence, knowledge and understanding. By saying ‘yes’ to opportunities, we become the change we want to see in the world.
Supporting our Indigenous Residents
In 2017, our ‘mob’ of 50 Indigenous residents are from saltwater and freshwater countries and they leave their home and community to study at various universities in Perth and to mix together with international and Australian residents at St Catherine’s College.
The Dandjoo Darbalung program offers Indigenous residents a custom-designed support program including:
- An Indigenous cultural space and private study room in the College
- A dedicated tutoring program for academic support to supplement what is offered at university
- Support with scholarships
- A supportive community intent on strengthening and developing identity and cultural leadership, through participation in events such as campfire circles with Elders, cultural leadership training, art projects, music and social events
- Mentoring other Indigenous students in local and remote schools
A pioneering and inventive project
St Catherine’s College is delighted to announce $12.8 million in collaborative funding support from both the Federal and State Government, which will bring forward the first phase of our 2020 Masterplan and enhance the Dandjoo Darbalung Indigenous Access Program.
This pioneering and inventive project includes a custom-designed facility that will not only benefit all residents, but will be contributing to closing the gap on Indigenous education.
Many Thanks to the Generous Supporters of Dandjoo Darbalung
Without your support we could never achieve the success we do!
- Our Nyungar ambassador, Barry McGuire
- The College’s Indigenous Advisory Council
- Woodside Energy Ltd
- True Blue Dreaming
- GradAustralia
- Bedbrook McCarthy
- Future Footprints AISWA
- Staff at UWA, Curtin, Murdoch, ECU and Notre Dame Universities
- Our Alumni, residents and their families
Special thanks to Dr Noel Nannup, a Nyungar Elder, who assisted with naming our program, Dandjoo Darbalung.
Lynn Webber
Indigenous Program Coordinator
“Dandjoo Darbalung now enters its fifth year at St Catherine’s and with an ever-growing number of Indigenous residents, the program is integral to life in the College. Together, we are achieving amazing transformation in retention rates and significantly increasing the pass rate of our Indigenous residents. With 35 different language groups represented in the program, we live diversity and acceptance every day.”
Email: lynn.webber@stcatherines.uwa.edu.au
Phone: +61 8 9442 0576