The National Alliance for Remote Indigenous Schools – known as NARIS – is a group of more than 170 schools in remote Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory, Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales.

Through the Indigenous Teaching Academy, NARIS is promoting teaching as a career of choice for secondary Indigenous students in Years 9 to 12.

Students will be connected with teachers and mentors who help them throughout their schooling and their teaching qualifications as well as to gain employment in remote schools.

Students can apply to join the Academy now. They will be provided with support when school starts in 2013 and continue working with mentors until they finish Year 12.

Year 12 graduates will then be connected with suitable people at universities who will provide help.
During their time with the Academy, students will have a network of support to help them manage their time in and out of school hours as well as the transition to university.
Year 11 students will be matched with mentors who are educators, including school and office-based teachers and tertiary educators. Year 12 students will be matched with mentors who are teachers.

This initiative is helping NARIS inspire Indigenous students to think about what it means to be a teacher and the benefits of becoming a teacher.

Teachers who would like to help Indigenous students achieve their academic goals and become teachers can telephone Cassy Coggins, project manager at the Indigenous Teaching Academy, on 8999 3564 or email cassy.coggins@nt.gov.au.

More information is on the website.