This photo appeared in the Bulletin, November 18, 1991. The text was:

"Koorilink - an Initiative to Assist Aboriginal Families

A special presentation ceremony at the University has marked the successful completion of a training course by the first group of volunteers to successfully undertake a program to assist the Aboriginal community in bridging the gap between the school and home and to improve educational opportunities of their children.

Nine volunteers completed a 10-week training course under the Koorilink Program and were presented with their certificates from Mum Shirl, one of the Aboriginal community's well- known identities who devotes much of her time to the social well-being of her people.

The presentations were held at the Wollotuka Aboriginal Educational Centre, the recipients being Veronika Bailey, Maxine Crossley, Lynda Falconer, Pat Froude, and Colleen Hazlewood, Leonie Jack, Barbara Meister, Josie Nean and Leonie Whitton.

Koorillink is an initiative of the Hunter Caravan Project which is based at the University and has drawn on the experience and knowledge of an existing scheme which was established as a pilot program earlier this year in the western suburbs of Lake Macquarie and in the Coalfields area.

The scheme, known as Homelink, has been designed to link mobile families more closely to their schools and communities and has been successfully since it started in March. The Scheme has assisted children living in caravan parks, rental accommodation, government housing or without family support.

One of the Co-ordinators of Homelink, Linda Ireland, said that Koorilink was extension of the Homelink scheme and that volunteers would be able to provide information, friendship and support.

'The nine volunteers also will be able to assist Aboriginal families to understand the school community and how to relate to it positively, said Linda.

"The group has successfully completed a training course which included topics such as legal, financial and housing support for Aboriginal families, communication skills, the school system and other issues which will be of assistance to them in helping Aboriginal families."

Koorilink was established and directed by the Aboriginal community through a management committee. The 'linking' to schools is through the Hunter Caravan Project and a major feature is that the program is being devised in a manner to encourage the Aboriginal community to identify its own need and to use the program to meet those needs.

The volunteers will help Aboriginal families who may need or wish to improve communication with their high school in the western Lake Macquarie area.

Linda said Koorilink has been enthusiastically greeted by the local Aboriginal community and that it was hoped a full-time co-ordinator could be appointed next year.

"We've had good support from a number of Aboriginal agenices as they realise retention rates of Aboriginal students in senior high school is significantly lower than the State average for non-Aboriginal people," Linda add.

"Many Aboriginal children are underachieving in the high school system and Aboriginal parents are often reluctant to visit the high school which their son or daughter is attending. There is obviously a need for greater exchange of information between schools and homes than currently occurs to enable both parties to better understand each other.

"What we have with the Koorilink program is an opportunity to provide support with the added advantage of using trusted people from within the Aboriginal community and being able to reach many more families through a network or support from volunteers."

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