Schools and Universities as Elders: Institutional Mentoring and the Indigenous Student

Schools and Universities as Elders: Institutional Mentoring and the Indigenous Student

The transition from secondary education to tertiary education is often a period of intense disruption and upheaval for students. Dornbusch, for example, argues that all transitions are stressful events, while Whitt et al. explored the concept of support mechanisms as opportunities to stay in tertiary education (Whitt et al., J High Educ 72(2):172–204, 2001; Dornbusch, J Adolesc Res 15(1):173–177, 2000). The importance of mentorship in transition is particularly important to Indigenous students and replicates the traditional practice of Elders guiding young people throughout their journey in life (Busija et al., Gerontologist 60(3):513–524, 2020). Traditional societies, such as those observed in Australia, have long-held traditions of this model of development among young people; however, the disruption of colonialism and establishment of non-traditional institutions has led to the failure of these to be maintained.
A growing area of scholarship looks at the role of mentoring outside of traditional relationships, with the focus being on using traditional relational techniques to increase retention into tertiary studies. There is a concurrent school of thought which looks at the viability of continued school interaction into a “Year 13,” a voluntary mentoring year of transition between the student’s past institution and the student’s further progression. It is important, therefore, to look at the ways in which tertiary institutions and schools can effectively partner to improve student outcomes and retention.

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