OUR STORY
Girls Academy has been empowering girls and changing communities since 2004, driven by a belief that education is the key to transforming lives and shaping the future.
Olympian and champion basketballer Ricky Grace founded Girls Academy, the flagship program of Role Models and Leaders Australia, because he was determined to address the lack of support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls.
Today, our school-based mentoring and leadership program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls is the largest of its kind in the country. We are a national organisation that partners with community, schools, government and companies to meet the needs of girls at a local level while working towards a national vision.
Nearly 3000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls benefit from the program at 46 schools in Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales.
Our staff, the majority of whom are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, are inspiring role models who act as a bridge between teachers and students.
The program focus is on increasing school attendance, achievement, and Year 12 graduation rates. We also extend our support beyond graduation to help the girls move into meaningful pathways so that they can lead lives of choice, not chance.
Girls Academy is creating a better future, one girl at a time.
OUR Big 4 Objectives
Program activities are designed around what we call our Big 4 objectives: school attendance, school engagement, Year 12 graduation and post school pathways. Each objective is a building block designed to move students closer to realising their potential.
OUR Program
The program is community led and provides much needed support to give girls the tools they need to achieve at school, finish Year 12 and go on to further study or career pathways.
The program is centred around an Academy room which acts as a sanctuary and support centre for the girls before, during and after school.
Each Academy has at least two full-time staff who work directly with the girls onsite to provide individual mentoring and support, and foster cultural connection, wellbeing, leadership skills and empowerment.
We understand the power of collaboration. Each Academy works closely with the local community to meet the needs of girls. We know that connection to culture and community are vital to our success so each Academy is steered by a local advisory committee made up of school staff, Elders, community members and Girls Academy staff.
