Cobram Anglican Grammar School has created a cultural working party of about 10 members to increase cultural awareness for students and the wider community.
The Anglican Schools Commission Special Missions Fund will fund a Yarning Circle at the school.
A Yarning Circle is used by indigenous people to learn from a collective group, build respectful relationships and pass on cultural knowledge.
The grant will cover the cost of a new outdoor space consisting of a circle of seating with a covered firepit in the centre, along with a shelter.
Head of Anglican identity Shea Doyle said the school would now begin drawing up plans, in partnership with the Yorta Yorta community.
“One thing we do well at Cobram AGS is celebrate the inclusive nature of our school,” she said.
“It will become a learning space where all members of the school community can go to create conversation.”
Foundation to Year 2 year level co-ordinator and Yorta Yorta woman Jacinta Robbins said what started as a small vision has grown over time.
“We wanted to focus on empowering our indigenous students and staff to embed perspectives throughout the whole school,” she said.
“Our culture feels very valued at Cobram AGS.”
The circle will feature native plants along with representation of the long neck turtle and the Murray River, both significant to the Moira people of the Yorta Yorta Nations.
Head of Humanities and Wiradjuri woman Sharonlee Post said having support from the school made a big difference.
“The Yarning Circle will add to the spiritual feeling of the school,” she said.
“It will raise community awareness, and people who may not know what a Yarning Circle is will start asking those questions and generate that conversation.”
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