DIRUWUN (magpie)- workforce support for the early years. Understanding and access to early years education careers.
Students
Diruwun
Childhood workforce support and development
We acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional custodians of the land on which this site was developed; the traditional custodians of the stories and the lands on which the University of Wollongong sits.
This site aims to assist and inspire First Nations peoples to pursue a career in early years education, to share knowledge and culture to our valued guroong (child, baby).
As we share our own knowledge, teaching, learning and research, we also pay respect to the knowledge embedded forever within the Aboriginal Custodianship of Country.
Why Diruwun
We would like to thank Aunty Frances Bodkin, a D’harawal woman of the Bidiagal clan, for her inspiration and knowledge of the Diruwun. Fran has dedicated much of her life to sharing stories of indigenous knowledge of the natural environment.
We thank Aunty Fran for her time.
Diruwun is the Dharawal word for Magpie, whose song helps guide others
Quality early childhood education and care assists with healthy early childhood development. There is growing evidence that quality early childhood education gives children developmental opportunities and improves their long-term outcomes. A career in Early Education is richly fulfilling and stimulating and there are opportunities in preschool, long day care, to university or the entertainment industry.
Our group monitored the growth of the gum trees outside the uni building, in respect to the years that we were studying. The growth, in height, of the trees mirrored our professional growth. Each year the trees’ branches continue spreading out: We are all branching off in different directions of our life and career pathways. But we all draw our knowledge from a central place (the trunk of the tree) – The sharing of cultural and academic knowledge
Deadlier with a degree
Deadlier with a Degree is a tribute to persistence and resilience. It brings together a wide range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait early childhood teachers from across Australia to share their stories of hope and survival in pursuing dreams of a university degree.
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