River Nile School in North Melbourne, Victoria | Secondary school

River Nile School

Locality: North Melbourne, Victoria

Phone: +61 3 9329 8425

Address: Level 1, 117 Capel St 3051 North Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Website: http://rivernileschool.vic.edu.au

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25.01.2022 As always, the River Nile team is doing its very best at this unprecedented time, to deliver effective teaching, in new ways with fresh creativity and a skilled eye to whats needed to make it work for our students. We are providing an option for all students to attend face-to-face class onsite, at least one day a week in staggered rotation, alongside digital and outreach teaching delivery. Our students are among the most marginalized and isolated in our community. None have home internet. We are assisting 25% with mobile data packs and all our students with notebooks, which is normal for us. Heres a profile on our schools approach in todays edition of The Australian newspaper (30 April 2020). #Covid19 https://www.theaustralian.com.au//e26df1efcec66efe76ed7b75

25.01.2022 Thanks Compass for this blog, we appreciate your support!

24.01.2022 I have so many wonderful memories of the past few days, all positive. Id like the broader community to understand that sometimes media portrayals of what goes on are not necessarily true.

24.01.2022 Every refugee we know has a powerful story of #courage, #resilience and #hope. How fortunate is New Zealand to have Ibrahim Omer - an Eritrean, son, brother, friend, Muslim, former #refugee, trade unionist, living wage activist, proud Kiwi & NZ’s first #African MP. #inspiring

23.01.2022 Foundation and Intermediate students are proud to present 'Our Lives, Our Experiences'. This book is a compilation of stories that students wrote about their educational experiences and journeys to Australia. We wrote these stories after reading about powerful women such as Malala Yousafzai and others from the 'Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls' series. Although writing these stories sometimes brought up difficult emotions, we are so proud of what our students have accomplished. At times we felt our lives were like hell, but maybe our experiences have made us stronger so that we can face any problem and become courageous young women. We don’t give up and we keep going until we reach our dreams Julianna Nyunt (Foundation student) #powerwomen #refugeestories #goodnightstoriesforrebelgirls

23.01.2022 The students of the River Nile Learning Centre had a lovely time at a local café this week. The class introduced two new students and they all shared many conversations and coffees together. We think it is the perfect way to meet your new class mates #connected #friendships #bettertogether

22.01.2022 It was with great sadness that we learned this morning of the death of Fr Don Edgar. Don spent his life advocating and caring for those most in need especially from migrant and marginalised communities. He was recognised with an Order of Australia for his tireless work. Of course he was central to the founding of the River Nile Learning Centre (RNLC) with Judie Bainbridge coming out of the Footscray Anglican Parish in the early 2000s. Without them RNLC (and in turn RNS) woul...d not exist. Don had a vision of an Australia where everyone had equal access to resources and opportunity and worked determinedly to try to bring that about. He valued education as part of this vision and saw RNLC as a vehicle to deliver that. A now thriving RNS and RNLC brought him much satisfaction I know, and every day works to honour that vision. In the difficult Covid-19 situation we find ourselves in, we will have to wait for a suitable time to celebrate his incredible contribution to the River Nile. A great man, sadly missed. See more

21.01.2022 Students in the F3 class have been presenting their life timeline on Zoom this week. The students at RNS inspire us everyday #sharingstories #educationjourney

21.01.2022 #Refugees enrich our community in so many ways including through cultural, linguistic & religious diversity, simple gifts such as food, coffee, song & art and empowering attributes especially courage, resilience & hope. Flora is a much respected Youth Worker on our team with many special talents. In celebration of #RefugeeWeek we are delighted to share her update and poem reading .... #enjoy #reflect #include #empower

21.01.2022 Students in the PreCal class have been working hard in term 4 Recently, they have been learning how to write about their daily routines

21.01.2022 As part of their VCAL program, RNS students worked on a #Voice Your Voice project with #TheHuddle. The aim of the project was to identify & investigate issues within their communities. As a result the issues were #racism #discimination #stereotyping. They designed and created a campaign to address these issues and to create awareness. All this was done learning online through Zoom and luckily they got to film their videos at school.... Thanks to #TheHuddle for this opportunity and for the great work. See more

21.01.2022 Our F2 students have been writing instructions on how to wear a mask #Covid19Safe #reallifelearning #masks #covidsafe

21.01.2022 Covid-19 Response Can you make a Donation to support a student like D? D is a 22-year-old asylum seeker who commenced at River Nile in 2020. Shes been in Australia for 3+ years, completely alone, living in housing provided by the Brigidine Sisters, until recently with no study rights nor work rights, and she has been mostly sitting on a couch, thinking she had no options but to wait. A friend made through the Hindi community, who is a River Nile student, persuaded her to c...Continue reading

20.01.2022 There are moments in time were asked to reflect on and reaffirm our #values and guiding principles, for how we conduct ourselves individually and the behaviours we reward and reject that shape our communities, organisations, democracy and world. Images of the killing of George Floyd and far too many African Americans before him are grossly disturbing and abhorrent. In Australia, the death of far too many indigenous Australians in police custody; the gross over representati...on of indigenous, islander and African heritage Australians in our criminal justice system and unemployment statistics or in racial vilification are among the red flags telling us there is much work to do to build a truly inclusive, equitable, thriving multicultural society - in which everyone has the opportunity to fully and meaningful integrate, achieve their full potential and prosper. We all have a responsibility to call out #racism. We are our best when we open our hearts and minds to others, and are kind and inclusive. Please stay safe everyone, and take care of each other. #BlackLivesMatter #Solidarity #Inclusion #Multiculturalism

20.01.2022 Congratulations on your Scarf traineeship Ayieda! Were proud of you! #RiverNileAlumni

20.01.2022 Our students have worked so hard this year, at times it was a blur, others a rollercoaster. Despite the challenges everyone has done their very best and we’ve all learnt so much, especially about ourselves. Most importantly we’re all safe and healthy. So today our students had earnt the opportunity to PARTY! For a Covid-safe 2 hours it was lovely to be a bit more closely together than we’ve been for so long. Well done everyone, we are proud of you

19.01.2022 Today is RUOKDay! Its a reminder to start a conversation that could change a life today, tomorrow and any day its needed. Its important to learn what to say after RUOK so you can keep the conversation going when someone says theyre not OK. For example "Hey, I wanted to ask if youre doing OK, because lately I have noticed......{insert observed behaviour}." ... "Is everything OK? Whats been going on?" Remember: 1) Listen, dont put words in their mouth 2) You dont have the answers, nor do you need the answers 3) Do NOT dismiss their emotions (which is common by trying to make that person feel better on the spot) 4) Point them towards proper help/support 5) follow up in a couple of days For more ideas and information visit ruok.org.au/how-to-ask #theresmoretosay #RUOK

19.01.2022 Melkam Addis Amet! Our best wishes for a happy, healthy and peaceful new year to all our students and community members celebrating the #Ethiopian New Year - Enkutatash! Ethiopia uses the Julian Calendar rather than the Gregorian Calendar created in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII, because it was free of colonial powers and the influence of the Roman Church. With this New Year, in Ethiopia it will now be 2013! ... #Enkutatash is traditionally celebrated with family, traditional foods and honey wine (Tej). I know our community of Ethiopian heritage in Victoria will be safe and only celebrate at home with people they live with this year. #staysafe #EthiopianNewYear

19.01.2022 Intermediate class have been sharing what theyre eating #yum #cookinggoals #lockdownmelbourne #sharingfoodandculture

18.01.2022 Wishing all our students, staff, volunteers, donors, families and friends a happy, healthy, safe and peaceful Christmas and 2021 Enjoy this awesome performance by Ethiopian-Aussie Tigist Strode with the cast of #Hamilton at Carol’s by Candlelight last night https://youtu.be/NokST0qLFGs

17.01.2022 If you’re dealing with depression, you’re not alone. The good news is there are lots of strategies that can help you manage depression. These young people share their depression stories, and talk about what works for them. https://au.reachout.com//young-people-talk-about-depression

16.01.2022 This week at RNS students have been learning about R U OK day 2020. The F1 class worked together to decide what advice they could give to a friend who needed support #ruokday2020 #supportingeachother #communitystrength

16.01.2022 It’s a significant day! Kamala Harris, the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants, will be the 49th Vice-President of the United States of America. She will be the first woman, the first Black person and the first person of South-Asian heritage to serve as Vice-President. It takes moments like this to see what’s possible. It’s hard to be what you can’t see. Congratulations US Vice President elect Kamala Harris. #bethechange #inspiringwomen #womensupportingwomen #genderequality #inclusion

16.01.2022 Being a woman on a temporary visa can mean being trapped in family violence by the lack of financial support, safe accommodation, and the threat of their visa being revoked. This report - '‘If you call 000 I will send you back to your country’: How COVID-19 has trapped temporary visa holders" - by Pro Bono Australia highlights the additional barriers women face who are temporary visa holders in accessing help to escape domestic and family abuse and violence. #familyviolence #covid19 #temporaryvisaholders #ViolenceAgainstWomen #refugees #TPVs #TemporaryProtectionVisas

14.01.2022 Our student kitchen may be closed but our school is not! The entire River Nile team has worked hard to adapt and ensure we continue to deliver flexible and effective learning to all our students, in new ways with fresh creativity and a skilled eye to whats needed to make it work for our students - at this unprecedented #Covid19 time. In Term 2, all students have the option to attend an on-site class at least once a week. Theyre being given new hard copy learning booklets..., designed and produced by our teachers, with regular updates. Theyre trialing online classes using tools such as Zoom, Microsoft teams and WhatsApp, which is strengthening everyones digital skills. Our teachers are having fun (& a laugh) videoing themselves! Individual students are accessing support by appointment, to manage bureaucracy, Centrelink, health appointments etc. All students are receiving 2-3 individual calls a week from their teacher or a student support team member. Weve provided 6 students who didnt have one, with mobiles and 20 who needed it with internet data packs to ensure they remain connected while at home. In classes, were striving for a ~1/10 teacher/student ratio and doing our best to maintain physical distancing. When students arrive, temperatures are being checked for wellness. Good hygiene practices like hand washing are the norm. Weve boosted daily rotational cleaning for hygiene and sanitation across our premises. Enrollments continue with 5 new students commencing in the last 8 days! Importantly, were following the directions and advice of government, education authorities and chief health officers in our decision making, with daily and weekly review. Its challenging and were proud of the camaraderie, creativity, goodwill and effort all are showing to always try our best. We hope all our volunteers, friends and supporters are safe and healthy too!

14.01.2022 #weareallinthistogether #melbournelockdown

14.01.2022 Congratulations to our creative, thoughtful and hardworking students on your very successful #Identity & #Belonging Art Exhibition. So wonderful to showcase and share the things that are important to you, your families and communities, and the things you value, respect and love. Awesome planning and teamwork too! Huge thanks too to our awesome team of #educators, staff, volunteers, friends and supporters for guiding, supporting, encouraging, helping, role modeling and celebrating. Thanks also to Ample Cafe for allowing us to hold our special event with you! #ProudPrincipal #OurStudentsAreTalented

13.01.2022 These words are more important than ever - the rights of every child. #WorldChildrensDay

13.01.2022 Some reassuring words Take care everyone - Mask up - wash hands - stay home if you can

13.01.2022 Students at the River Nile Learning Centre have been writing their reflections about 2020...Onwards and upwards! #105daystogo

12.01.2022 Dear River Nile students, parents, families and friends, Please be aware, the e-Safety Office has reported very concerning material circulating on social media. This material shows a graphic event of harm to an individual. We strongly recommend keeping a watchful eye over your childs and your own viewing on social media. Please switch off regularly and do not go looking for or sharing harmful posts. Sometimes there can be distressing images which are hard to forget. We a...ll need to be safe with our use of social media and the internet. If you have any concerns, you can let your teacher or a trusted adult know. There are many helpful services you can call if you feel distressed, depressed or sad such as: # Beyondblue: www.beyondblue.org.au 1300 224 636 # Lifeline 13 11 14 # Headspace: www.headspace.org.au # Kids help Line: www.kidshelp.com.au 1800 55 1800 # Reach Out: www.reachout.com.au # Youth Central: www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au You can also report cyberbullying, image-based abuse or illegal or harmful content to the eSafety Commissioner: www.esafety.gov.au/report Please always be safe, responsible and respectful on social media and the internet.

12.01.2022 To all mothers, Happy #MothersDay Lets also remember those who have lost mothers, those who have lost children, those who yearn to be mothers & those who dont. And lets all work harder as a society to eliminate the motherhood penalty - the systemic disadvantages in pay, perceived competence, discrimination for leadership roles etc, relative to men and childless women.

12.01.2022 An important message from Victorias Chief Health Officer for school communities, to help manage the Covid-19 coronavirus. * Stay safe while out in the community. * Stay safe at home, and only see people you need to. Dont have big gatherings, keep your distance and maintain good hygiene.... * Dont share food or drinks. * If you, or anyone in your family is feeling unwell stay at home. Dont visit friends and family. * If you have symptoms, get tested. Its up to all of us to keep our friends and families safe. https://www.education.vic.gov.au//cho-message-parents.aspx

12.01.2022 Students in F2 class have been sharing their journeys to Australia. Each story had been unique and taught us about the challenges our students face. We think it is valuable to talk about these experiences and students will use them to create a book to share with the community. Here is an example of a brave, young student sharing the challenges and triumphs of her journey. #powerfulwomen #refugeestories

12.01.2022 A happy day supporting Irfan, our dear friend and former RNLC student (from back when we had males in 2014), as he officially became an Australian Citizen, with a virtual ceremony to make his formal pledge. Congratulations Irfan, after a 7 year wait, at last Australia is officially your home, and so very fortunate to have you! Irfan said my heartfelt thanks to everyone at River Nile, especially Fr Don, John and Lisa for being my family, best friend and champions in my journey in Australia

10.01.2022 We provide this Update to our community on the current Coronavirus situation. The images below summarise our key health and hygiene message on ways we can reduce the risk of the Coronavirus. Our school has no confirmed cases of Coronavirus at present and we are continuing to run as normal a program as possible.... You can assist us by ensuring that if you have any cold or flu like symptoms you do not attend. River Nile is carefully monitoring the situation as it unfolds and we are following the direct advice of the Department of Education, Department of Health & Human Services and Independent Schools Victoria to manage our response. This advice is being regularly updated. Protecting the health of all members of our school community is our number one priority at present and we know we can count on your support during this difficult time. Lisa Wilson - Principal, River Nile School

09.01.2022 30 River Nile School students took a break from the classroom earlier last week, to participate in the Life Saving Victoria Multicultural Beach Program at South Melbourne Beach. They learnt about being safe by and in the water. There was lots of fun and smiles all round. There were some awesome large group photos, but due to student privacy requests were only sharing a few small groups shots with our FB friends. Thanks LSV - we appreciate all you and your team do! Itll be our last excursion for some time, we were fortunate to have the beach all to ourselves, and it was timely boost for wellbeing and camaraderie, as we step up physical distancing with others!

09.01.2022 Lovely to see our students meeting one-on-one with their teacher(s) this week to discuss their individual achievements in 2020 & personal #learning priorities for 2021. Our #teachers know each #student is different & these meetings are important to help us meet individual needs.

08.01.2022 Its nearly time! Please join us! Our students have been busy designing, writing, making, moulding, practising, framing and hanging their works ready for their Identity & Belonging Exhibition! We hope to see plenty of our friends, and their friends, anytime between 4 to 7 pm Thursday 31 October, for as long or short as you like, at Ample Cafe, 123-129 Howard Street, North Melbourne. Food & drinks provided. All free. No RSVP needed. PLEASE JOIN US!

08.01.2022 An important message: To stop spread of the coronavirus, if you feel sick, get tested. If you get tested stay home until you get the results. To stay safe you must: 1) Keep your distance from people you dont live with, 2) Wash your hands regularly, ... 3) Have no more than 5 visitors at your home, and 4) Not meet in groups of more than 10 outside your home. People who live in the suburbs listed need to be extra careful, and only leave home for work, school, care giving, exercise or food and supplies. Everyone needs to stay home as much as possible and stay safe.

08.01.2022 On Fridays this term our students have had the opportunity to immerse in #art sessions guided by our RNS Board Chair, Jane Kanizay, who is a practicing visual artist and long serving River Nile #volunteer. Classes have mostly been delivered via Zoom but today Jane was on-site which was a special bonus. Art is such a powerful tool for #mindfulness, reflection & relaxation. Deborah Mailman was a popular source of #inspiration for today’s classes which invited students to reflect on NAIDOC week. What fabulous artwork! Thank you so much Jane Robertson #treasure #gifts #arttherapy #deborahmailman #legend #indigenous #NAIDOC #Australia

08.01.2022 Students in the F1 class have been learning about powerful women around the world. This week they learnt about Manal Al-Sharif, the first female to drive a car in Saudia Arabia. One student reflects on why all women deserve to have the same rights as men

07.01.2022 Remembering the victims of the #Christchurch attack, and affirming in these anxious times our commitment to love, mutual respect and solidarity. Communities and nations are stronger when we all stick together and support each other, especially the marginalized and vulnerable among us. Times of adversity and anxiousness are moments of truth to show our best selves.

07.01.2022 Theres a unique educational leadership role coming up at the River Nile School! Expressions of Interest to [email protected] Applications close 30 November.

06.01.2022 We respectfully acknowledge the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the eastern Kulin Nation, the traditional custodians of the lands on which Melbourne and the River Nile School sits. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We acknowledge and celebrate the breadth and depth of First Nations People’s knowledge, achievements, experiences and stories, and connection to country. Austr...alia is home to the oldest known living civilisation on Earth made up of hundreds of nations and cultures, with ancestries stretching back more than 60,000 years. Aboriginal cultures are acknowledged as the first makers of bread, the first astronomers, have the earliest evidence of religious beliefs and practices, were the creators of the oldest still standing human-made structure (the Brewarrina fish traps), and many more other firsts. As the world contemplates the challenges of severe bushfires, catastrophic droughts, rising sea levels and a pandemic there is much to learn from First Australians, especially in relation to land care and sustainability, as well as to connection with our natural world for our health and wellbeing. NAIDOC week is a reminder to open our minds, to listen and learn, and to embrace, take pride in and celebrate the First Australians and multiculturalism. #NAIDOCWeek2020 #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe

05.01.2022 Wishing all of Muslim faith in our community peace, love and good health for Eid al-Adha Mubarak. Please only celebrate at home with people you live with. #eidmubarak #eidaladha https://youtu.be/9HpfsaTMceE

05.01.2022 Its National Child Protection Week. All adults have a responsibility to put children first, keep them safe and report incidents, disclosures and suspicions of abuse and neglect. NAPCAN-Aus has a program of events and webinars promoting #ncpw & #PuttingChildrenFirst For more information visit napcan.org.au

04.01.2022 PreCal students have been working on present continuous tense with everyday activities.

03.01.2022 Awesome story about Toltu embracing her #identity and becoming a standard-bearer of hope, inspiration and unity for the #Oromo people.

03.01.2022 This week our awesome School Nurse, Jacinta, delivered 6 Women’s Health sessions for our largest community languages plus English. These covered rights and responsibilities, medical services in general & those specific for refugees, period pain, contraception, unplanned pregnancy and respectful relationships. The information was culturally sensitive and extremely well received. These sessions build our students knowledge and also empower them to share information with family and community members. Awesome job thank you Jacinta! #womenshealth #womensupportingwomen #womensrights

03.01.2022 F2 students have been reflecting on what went well this week. We have all been very relieved with the donut days!

02.01.2022 River Nile School has just completed its 3rd year. In our short time as a school, were striving to build something special: a unique, creative, inclusive and completely free, senior-secondary school, empowering young disadvantaged refugee, asylum seeker and new migrant women through education to integrate and thrive in our community. There were many student achievements in 2019, in terms of educational attainment some highlights include: * 23 students successfully Attained... their Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) - up from 12 in 2018 and 8 in 2017. * A further 27 students achieved VCAL units in 2019. * 17 students are graduating with most beginning their journey on a range of pathways, including Health Services and Nursing, Health Sciences and Medicine, Beauty Services, Legal Studies and Education. Other graduates are moving to employment before pursuing further study and several are exploring a Student Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship. * 51 students Attained VET Certificate success in Business Studies, Kitchen Operations, Retail Cosmetics and Salon Assistant. * 10 students undertook Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) during non-term weeks - with workplaces including the Brotherhood of St Laurence, Doutta Galla Aged Care Homes, Port Melbourne and Albert Park Libraries, Ethic Communities Council of Victoria and The Langham Hotel. The list goes on! Alongside this, the engagement, wellbeing and empowerment of students continued, including through: * Our first ever school camp held 2-4 December in Angelsea. * Swimming, Martial Arts and Music Therapy programs across the year. * >20 tonnes of fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs, bread, milk and other provisions collected and distributed for all students each week thanks to Foodbank donations and our wonderful FoodBank volunteer team. * Free on-site childcare enabling young mums of pre-school aged children to pursue their education. And so much more, especially much individualised care and support behind the scenes to assist our students resolve immigration, housing, financial, complex personal challenges, Centrelink paperwork, pay bills and referrals for health and legal support. In the following photos youll glimpse some of what weve been up to in November-December. (NB many of our students dont like being in photos which we respect ). Thanks to all our students, volunteers, donors, philanthropic supporters and our small professional team for your many contributions through 2019. From the River Nile family to yours, we wish you a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year. We look forward to what well achieve together in 2020!

02.01.2022 On Friday our Foundation students had the opportunity to visit the NGV. RNS were invited to view the Kieth Haring/ Jean Michel Basquiat exhibition. We were able to walk through the exhibition in our own time. Students also enjoyed looking at the other various art works on permanent display and a healthy packed lunch. A wonderful day of art, learning and new experiences!

01.01.2022 Great live streamed concert at 6.30 pm tonight featuring some of our best known and loved indigenous artists for NAIDOC week https://www.facebook.com/events/754357421997796/permalink/754786488621556/