Ms ADDISON (Wendouree) (13:31): Congratulations to Yuille Park Community College, which received the HART Award in the schools or early years category last week. The HART Awards—Helping Achieve Reconciliation Together—are a partnership between the Victorian Local Governance Association and Reconciliation Victoria.

The HART Awards recognise community organisations or local governments who initiate and contribute to strengthening relationships, respect and understanding between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal people. I am so proud that Yuille Park has received recognition for the outstanding work they do day in, day out. The Nyatne Mok Boriyn project, meaning ‘thankful and proud’ in Wadawurrung language, was developed by inspirational teacher Bri Dredge and Koorie engagement support officer Darlene Rumler and reflects the school’s values of belonging, effort, empathy and respect.

Twenty per cent of Yuille Park Community College students are Indigenous, and the project began as a way to educate the school community, including staff, students and families, on how to create a culturally safe environment. The project also embeds the perspectives of First Nations people into both the school curriculum and everyday life at Yuille Park. This achievement would not have been possible without the strong leadership of principal Brett Shillito and deputy principal Daniel O’Kelly and the support of local Wadawurrung elder Bonnie Chew.

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