| Donna Davies has lived in Kununurra her whole life, raising her four children Sarah, Natalie, Bradley and Alex in the far north Kimberley town. Raised by her own parents to understand the importance of a good education, Donna enrolled Natalie in the Follow the Dream program in Year 10 when it first started at the high school.
“The program is good for our kids, especially the facilities it provides, as most homes don’t have a good environment for homework,” Donna said. Later enrolling her son Bradley, as well as encouraging several of her nieces and nephews who she cares for to participate, has meant that Donna has seen first hand the benefits of the program. “I can absolutely say that without the program none of these kids would have done as well as they did, regardless of how smart they were,” she said. “Like most parents - regardless of cultural background - I was at a loss on how to help my kids with their homework,” she said. “The home work centre makes them focus, it gives them a place to go to if they are experiencing problems at home, where they can still progress their studies.” Donna has high praise for the program coordinator Garry Dagg, with her children developing a relationship built on trust which eventually saw Garry become a mentor to the students and an important adult figure outside of the immediate family. “You need someone like Daggs running it; someone friendly, easy going who puts the kids in good spirits. “The only downfall I could see with the program was the way some non-Indigenous kids were jealous of the extra help the Follow the Dream students received,” she said. “It would be good if everything could be equal and everyone who wanted to could get a chance to participate, so the kids start building stronger relationships across the borders.” Donna looks back at her own years at school and wishes she had done better. “I could blame bad teachers and a whole host of things which went on in the 70s, but it doesn’t change the fact that if I’d done better at school I would have got a better job and life would have been different. “You always want what’s best for your kids.” Donna Davies
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The Davies dynasty has been a fixture of the Kununurra Follow the Dream/Partnerships for Success since the program’s inception five years ago. Since then more than 10 of the Davies’ cousins have been a part of the program, with four having now graduated and gone into further training and employment.
Donna Davies, mother to graduates Natalie and Bradley, and aunty and sometime carer to current students Joseph, Luke, David, Denelle and Ashley, is a big supporter of the program and her children’s achievements reflect it. Family support is a big part of the Follow the Dream/Partnerships for Success program, and having a supportive and encouraging parent is a key to getting every student through high school. It is rare for there not to be a Davies in the enrichment centre on any afternoon and their enthusiasm and strong personalities light up the program. Denelle Davies, who is cared for by her Aunt Donna, has been a ‘Dreamer’ since Year 9 and has just completed Year 11. By the time she graduates next year she will be leaving school with her WACE, a Certificate II in hospitality/tourism and a Certificate II in Rural Operations, as well as more than 600 hours in the workforce. Denelle is a member of the program’s leadership group and this year sailed on the Leeuwin and took part in the young leaders camp at El Questro. “The camps are really good because you learn lots and meet lots of great people,” she said. “When we went to Perth it was interesting to see the universities and all the different places you can work. It definitely keeps you on track to keep up with your work and make sure you finish school. I want to be a tour guide and Follow the Dream teaches me lots more about it and shows me what I need to do when I leave school.”
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Donna Davies - Kununurra
