One of the most fundamental and essential skills required to be a lawyer is literacy. Having the ability to read and write complex and difficult documents, allows legal practitioners to be effective lawyers and advocates.
To be able to study law requires a high proficiency in literacy and it is a baseline skill required of any law student. However, it is a skill that is inaccessible parts of our community.
In 2023, around one-third of First Nations students in each year level met or exceeded proficiency expectations in the five NAPLAN learning areas and another third was categorized as working towards expectations, while the remaining third needed additional support.1 The 2023 NAPLAN results for First Nations students showed lower performance in more remote areas; for Year 3 First Nations students, the average percentage meeting or exceeding expectations across the five learning areas was 39 per cent in major cities, 37 per cent in inner regional areas, and 30 per cent in outer regional areas, as opposed to 17 per cent in remote areas and eight per cent in very remote areas.2
Between 36 per cent and 40 per cent of First Nations students were assessed as needing additional support with grammar and punctuation.3 Having strong skills in English literacy, numeracy, and Aboriginal languages greatly influences wellbeing and individuals with higher levels of education typically experience better health, higher incomes, and more opportunities for employment and advancement.4
Adults with low literacy skills face challenges in passing on literacy skills to their children, as they may struggle to serve as effective role models and support their children’s education.5 This can also hinder students from being able to attend or complete tertiary education.6
As part of the Society’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the Queensland legal profession, the inaugural five-year First Nations Cultural Outreach Strategy 2020-25 and First Nations Plan 2020-21 launched on 1 July 2020. The five key objectives of the annual First Nations Plan are Advocate, Educate, Connect, Support and Embed. The annual First Nations Plan also monitors the Society’s progress, ensuring we meet our objectives and move closer to quadrupling the number of First Nations solicitors in Queensland by 2025.
To help support the First Nations community and in recognising the low literacy rates in the First Nations communities, the Society donates annually to the Society’s nomination Charity, the Indigenous Literacty Foundation (the ILF).
The ILF is a national charity that gives access to books in language for remote First Nations Communities across Australia.7 The ILF works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander remote Communities across Australia and provides them with culturally relevant books, early learning board books, resources and programs to help increase literacy rates in First Nations Communities but also support them to create and publish stories in languages of their choice.8 Through their programs they hope to support sustainable and positive change in Indigenous literacy.9
Recently, the ILF celebrated Indigenous Literacy Day (4 September 2024) by livestreaming the “Film” which documented stories across three First Nations Communities across Australia and what storytelling means to their communities.10 Indigenous Literacy Day is an annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Stories, Cultures and Languages.11
During the 2022/2023 financial year, Society held two fundraisers benefiting the ILF. The first fundraiser was the Society’s Christmas raffle, and the second fundraiser was a joint initiative with Carter Newell. QLS staff (and matching by QLS) raised $756 and with Carter Newell raised $106.12
Additionally, the Society also connects with First Nations solicitors and legal students by being involved with charities and projects that support First Nations high school students and legal studies, recognising the effort connection and promotion assists the students during their studies.13 The 2022/2023 financial year was the third year under the plan and showed about 117 First Nations practitioners14, up 3.25 per cent from 36 First Nations practitioners reported in 2018.15 The statistics for the 2023/2024 financial year have not been finalised.
One of the Society’s goals as outlined in its First Nations Cultural Outreach Strategy 2020-25 and in its annual First Nations Plan is to increase the number of First Nations solicitors. Increasing the literacy rates in First Nations communities is vital to achieving this. We know that literacy provides a fundamental step of building context, comprehension and understanding and it is an essential skill in both the study and practice of law. When considering what you, your employer can do to help advance First Nations people in law, consider promoting and supporting the ILF.
Authored by Myles Waugh, QLS Solicitor – Regulation, and a member of QLS Pride and the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Footnotes
1 Australian Government Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Indigenous Australians Agency https://www.indigenoushpf.gov.au/measures/2-04-literacy-and-numeracy accessed 8 September 2024.
2 Australian Government Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Indigenous Australians Agency https://www.indigenoushpf.gov.au/measures/2-04-literacy-and-numeracy accessed 8 September 2024.
3 Australian Government Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Indigenous Australians Agency https://www.indigenoushpf.gov.au/measures/2-04-literacy-and-numeracy accessed 8 September 2024.
4 Australian Government Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Indigenous Australians Agency https://www.indigenoushpf.gov.au/measures/2-04-literacy-and-numeracy accessed 8 September 2024.
5 Australian Government Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Indigenous Australians Agency https://www.indigenoushpf.gov.au/measures/2-04-literacy-and-numeracy accessed 8 September 2024.
6 Australian Government Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Indigenous Australians Agency https://www.indigenoushpf.gov.au/measures/2-04-literacy-and-numeracy accessed 8 September 2024.
7 Indigenous Literacy Foundation https://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/news-events/come-with-us-on-a-joyful-adventure-register-now-for-indigenous-literacy-day accessed 9 September 2024.
8 Indigenous Literacy Foundation https://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/news-events/come-with-us-on-a-joyful-adventure-register-now-for-indigenous-literacy-day accessed 9 September 2024.
9 Indigenous Literacy Foundation https://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/news-events/come-with-us-on-a-joyful-adventure-register-now-for-indigenous-literacy-day accessed 9 September 2024.
10 Indigenous Literacy Foundation https://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/news-events/come-with-us-on-a-joyful-adventure-register-now-for-indigenous-literacy-day accessed 9 September 2024
11 Indigenous Literacy Foundation https://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/news-events/come-with-us-on-a-joyful-adventure-register-now-for-indigenous-literacy-day accessed 9 September 2024.
12 QLS Annual Report 2022-23https://www.qls.com.au/Content-Collections/Annual-report/2022-2023/Annual-report-2022-23-pdf accessed 9 September 2024.
13 QLS Annual Report 2022-23https://www.qls.com.au/Content-Collections/Annual-report/2022-2023/Annual-report-2022-23-pdf accessed 9 September 2024.
14 QLS Annual Report 2022-23https://www.qls.com.au/Content-Collections/Annual-report/2022-2023/Annual-report-2022-23-pdf accessed 9 September 2024.
15 QLS Annual Report 2022-23https://www.qls.com.au/Content-Collections/Annual-report/2022-2023/Annual-report-2022-23-pdf accessed 9 September 2024.
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