NAISDA is delighted by the Federal Government’s commitment of $957,025 announced in last week’s federal budget. The additional support was part of the government’s commitment of $9 million in funding for the eight national training organisations for next financial year, commonly known as the Arts8.
NAISDA is the only First Nations organisation within the prestigious Arts8. The increased funding will support and build NAISDA’s capacity as Australia’s leading arts training organisation specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.
NAISDA Chairperson Mayrah Sonter explained how the announcement will help the organisation drive higher levels of national tertiary arts training education and career pathways through critical training courses and skills development.
“NAISDA’s First Nations students come from communities and regions across Australia to train towards careers which support our national creative economy. Our success and reputation have led to an enviable challenge. We have more young people seeking to join us than we can currently accept.
“Education is a pathway to change and we look forward to increasing curriculum and training resources to build opportunity and equip more young people with skills to last a lifetime.”
As a training organisation, NAISDA’s outcomes are unique with its pre-COVID student completion rate of 75% double the national average of 36%* for accredited VET qualifications.
The results speak to the success of the NAISDA learning model which removes many of the barriers to tertiary training experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people through a program of cultural connection, wellbeing and holistic learning support. “We would like to thank the Minister for the Arts, the Hon Tony Burke MP and the Office for the Arts for supporting NAISDA’s unique role in nurturing and equipping First Nations artists, performers and innovators whose artworks, steps, sounds and creativity shape the fabric of our nation,” continued Ms Sonter.
The funding will enable the college to further deliver on Revive – the Government’s five year Cultural Policy and roadmap towards a strong, equitable and innovative arts sector.
“Revive is a powerful statement recognising our creative and cultural sectors have been operating from a place of deficit for so long. This new starting point firmly places arts training and cultural organisations at the heart of possibility and change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, artists and all Australians,” concluded Ms Sonter.
*NCVER 2017 completion rate for Vocational Education and Training accredited qualifications