Solid Ground is a strategy established in partnership with Carriageworks that provides pathways into the arts and cultural industries for young Indigenous people in Blacktown, Redfern, and Waterloo.
Young Indigenous Australians in Western Sydney face significant barriers to education and employment. With only 1.3% of Indigenous young people in Blacktown going on to tertiary education, and only 19% of Indigenous people aged over 15 completing year 12, the disconnection is real.
Solid Ground identifies young Indigenous students at risk of leaving secondary education – and those who have already left – and connects them with the arts industry through a comprehensive program of individually devised education and on-the-job training within the arts sector.
Our partners at Carriageworks, the National Art School, National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association, Australian Film, Television and Radio School, and secondary schools across Sydney understand the geographical, cultural and socioeconomic obstacles faced by Indigenous students when accessing traditional education programs. Together we will provide a strong network of support and mentorship to create meaningful change in students’ lives – now and for the future.