SAASTA stands for the South Australian Aboriginal Secondary Training Academy. It sits within the Department for Education in South Australia and it's an education program for Aboriginal learners from years seven to twelve.

So I'm Tara, I'm Ngarrindjeri, and I'm a teacher as part of the SAASTA program.SAASTA sees itself as a curriculum program that creates opportunities for Aboriginal students to participate in a culturally responsive and safe curriculum that's connected to developing themselves as Aboriginal people and creating the next generation of leaders.

My name is Tashani, my mobs are Ngarrindjeri, Noongar Wongi Yamatji and Kokatha from the lower Murray regions, Western Australia and the far west coast of South Australia. Since I've joined SAASTA my connection to community and culture has changed through my exposure to more role models, I'm able to see what other people are doing in their communities and how they're helping to make change.

SAASTA has three key programs, we have the middle school program which is called Connect for students in years seven to nine, we have 21 school-based academies which has about 500 students across South Australia participating in it each year, and then we have four specialist academies which is netball, basketball, football which is soccer and STEM.

SAASTA Connect is a really important program in the middle years because students need to develop those learning behaviours that are going to see them be successful all the way through to achieving their SACE in year 12. SAASTA's program is built on key performance indicators where we have high expectations of our students in the areas of attendance, behaviour and academic performance. And so in those middle years we're coaching students around what they need to be showing to be successful in their education.

The SAASTA program in year 10, 11 and 12 is key to achieving SACE success because students feel empowered with their learning. They're learning about content that's really important to them, they're driving their education.

My name is Courtney Bouzikos and I'm Ngarrindjeri. I'm currently studying a bachelor of secondary education and after finishing this degree I really want to work in Aboriginal education. Looking back on the SAASTA program it means I guess, change as well as opportunity because Aboriginal people have the chance to learn from one another. I know that my family didn't have that opportunity and I'm the first generation in my family to have that opportunity.

I have certificate threes in fitness and hospitality and undergone studying stage two subjects such as workplace practices and Aboriginal studies.

I think the best part about being in SAASTA was having a voice because throughout primary school it wasn't often that you would learn about Aboriginal people, Aboriginal voice and I didn't really understand what it meant to be Aboriginal. Through being in SAASTA I've been selected as part of the leadership group for the Aboriginal netball academy and hopefully when I go back to school, other students can view me as a role model and a leader and hopefully I can inspire them to continue their education.

Having strong role models for our young people is super important. You can't be what you can't see. We want to have staff who really connected to the Aboriginal community, and we also want to have people who have made a difference in the lives of Aboriginal people involved in the programs. That Aboriginal voice is really, really important for Aboriginal students to have as part of their learning journey.

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