I see children looking at me.
For some certain people, leadership for them might mean you know, you're the boss, you do as I say. Whereas Indigenous leadership in particular, we look at it in a different light I suppose.
We go on the learning journey too. Like we travel the distance with our mentorees. I guess my fellow educators at pre-prep, rather than me telling them what to do, it's more about going on a sharing and learning journey together.
First we start with our staff, because staff are community members. I always look for locals, and the potential is there. If we can provide an environment where they can work and earn, but also work and learn to do it.
Female 1: In our room we're learning the colour yellow, we're painting yellow on the verandas, we've got yellow playdough. Cutting, learning how to cut straight lines. Some of the kids are starting to do the zig-zags now.
Female 2: We've also started our reading program.
Female 2: Oh really? You go girl.
Came down here and they didn't have a cook, got a traineeship and now I'm the Director, and I had two young children, single mother, you know, all that stuff, with the support of my family. So I tell the ladies here that it is achievable.
A majority of the day staff and the kitchen staff were women that came to do their hours down here in voluntary work and then a position came up and I could advocate for them, and I advocate for these ladies. I don't want them to see this as just a job. This is a career, and I set high expectations. We expect that for our kids, so we as staff need to role model that.
Female 1: We need to blow our nose, and wash our hands. David you can be first to come and blow your nose. Okay hold - blow it, blow your nose.
The staff has just grown professionally, but also I think spiritually, they're doing it for their children. So they're just giving everything they've got.
It's not all about being teachers and growing as teachers, it's growing as women. We are the foundations of our community, and it's through us I believe that we can maybe make a difference, and we are making a difference, and these ladies are.