The ‘Partnership for Success’ projects are the central element of The Graham (Polly) Farmer Foundation.

Each Foundation project involves local Indigenous communities, private and government partners and the Foundation working together in partnership to introduce and manage projects to improve the educational outcomes of Indigenous students. The partnerships aims are to enable students to compete effectively for employment, apprenticeships, traineeships and/or tertiary entrance when they leave school.

Whilst each project is tailored to meet its community’s particular needs, there are some key elements of all projects.

• Each project is a partnership between the Aboriginal community, private industry, State and Federal governments, and local schools.

• The governing body for each project is a Steering Committee which is made up of each of the project partners. The Steering Committee oversees the project and provides strategic level management.

• The Graham (Polly) Farmer Foundation establishes, facilitates and manages the projects on behalf of the local Steering Committee.

• A project leader undertakes the day-to-day organisation of the project under the guidance of a local operations committee. He/she is directly responsible to the Steering Committee.

• Each project develops its own vision and objectives and establishes a process for selecting students for the project. Students are selected on the basis of their interest, capacity and potential to succeed and complete their secondary education.

• Each project has an enrichment centre which is available to students four afternoons a week and is used for visiting speakers and family events. The project provides an after school environment where students receive tutoring and support.

• Each participating student and his/her parent/guardian sign a compact which sets out the student’s responsibilities in areas such as school and enrichment centre attendance, commitment to achieve and participation in project activities.

• Each project involves students being provided with intensive and targeted support through:

• tutorial and vocational education assistance;
• access to tertiary motivational programs; and
• a progressive and comprehensive leadership and • study skill program from Year 8 to Year 12.

The State and Territory Education Departments are partners in each of the Foundation’s projects. For the Western Australian Department, its involvement in the Foundation’s projects form part of its ‘Follow the Dream’ strategy; a secondary aspirations strategy for Aboriginal students. While the Department’s other ‘Follow the Dream’ projects are based on the Foundation model, they are funded and operated by the Department of Education and Training and the Graham (Polly) Farmer Foundation has no formal link to them.

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