Ten new academies open in first half of 2017

The Girls Academy is preparing to double its reach by the end of 2017 after officially opening ten new academies in West Australia and New South Wales during the first half of the year.

The new academies in Balga, Kiara, Dubbo, Gunnedah, Tamworth and Kempsey, will increase the skills, employability, health and well-being to now over 2,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls throughout Australia.

Each well-attended ribbon cutting ceremony has provided a platform to discuss the benefits of the program with the community and VIPs in attendance, including His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) Governor-General of the Commonwealth Of Australia and Lady Cosgrove as well as a host of Ministers and members of Parliament including Sarah Mitchell MLC, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs: Rob Stokes, NSW Minister for Education: Minister Melinda Pavey, NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight; Simone McGurk, WA Minister for Child Protection, Women’s Interests, Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, Community Services; David Harris MP, NSW Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Regional Development; Liza Harvey MLA, Dave Kelly MLA and Kevin Anderson MP.

Attendees at each of the events were treated to a showcase of Academy talent including Dubbo student Nikayaha Bate-Walker who brought the house down with her celebration song.