Stacy walks side by side with her students

Stacy Walters is an inspiring educator and advocate who has dedicated her life to empowering Indigenous communities through education. After completing the Remote Area Teacher Education Program (RATEP) and experiencing the positive differences made to community firsthand, Stacy went on the path to become a RATEP teacher for TAFE Queensland. In this episode she shares her experiences, shedding light on the challenges faced by remote communities and the transformative power of face to face education.

RATEP is a community-based primary education and early childhood education program. It provides a direct pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to become registered teachers, qualified teacher aides or early childhood educators. RATEP is an initiative which respects the culture and knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and values the contribution they can make to the education of all young Australians.

Stacy explains the importance of educators traveling to remote area communities to deliver face – to – face training “Face to face delivery is the most important way of delivering and getting your point across, role modelling and being able to have that connection with the learner. Inspiring, encouraging the learner to keep going. Moving over small hurdles to get the student into that space where they’re confident and they’re knowing the material, and then being able to put that into practice in their jobs.”

“Every person that comes into my vision or into my class or into my heart, they are bringing me knowledge. I'm bringing them knowledge as well. So it's a two-way sharing, two-way learning. And we plot beside each other.”

Through her teaching, these students become not only educators but also role models to the younger generations “The difference to communities and to students and employment is probably the biggest visual effect I see within this training. The pay rises that students get when they do get qualified as a certificate three and then as a diploma, and the roles and responsibilities is a difference that I see positive”

Stacy explains some of the challenges students experience while living in remote areas “Having good internet, having good phone service” “Quality of water in some of the spaces that we go just in general. You know, good drinking water is a necessity of this world, so that would be nice.”

Through her unwavering dedication, Stacy serves as an inspiring role model. Working tirelessly to bridge educational gaps and uplift Indigenous communities.

Immerse yourself in the powerful and raw stories Stacy shares of her own family’s experiences and the incredible opportunities teaching RATEP makes to her mob.

“The positiveness of the life of Indigenous people that is not heard of, but we are living it and we are making it happen with the help of our community and connections.”