The Victorian Aboriginal Education Association was first established in 1976 as the Victorian Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (VAECG). The shared aim of the VAECG was to increase the presence and voice of Koorie people in education decision making.
In the early years of VAEAI representatives from Koorie communities across Victoria came together to build an advocacy voice.
Today VAEAI represents the Koorie Community in relation to education policy development and strategic programming at the local, state and national levels. We support the provision of education and training that reinforces our community’s cultural identity and increases awareness in the wider community of Koorie culture and aspirations in education and training.
VAEAI is a state-wide Koorie Community organisation consisting of eight regions. These regions are divided on the basis of traditional networks with a number of Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Groups (LAECGs) within each region. Our local advisory arrangements are solidly embedded in local Communities through LAECGs, which are constituent units of VAEAI and have representation on the VAEAI Representative Council (VRC). Membership to the LAECG is open to all members of the Koorie Community in their respective localities.
As VAEAI has grown our functions have been enhanced through a number of policies and strategies, including, Yalca: A Partnership in Education and Training for the New Millennium (2001), Wurreker: The Koorie Community and TAFE in Victoria in Equal Partnership (2000) and Wannik: Learning Together – Journey to Our Future (2008).
These developments have ensured that the Koorie Community has a primary role in the development of targeted policies and strategies that will continue to advance Koorie education and training.
To read more about significant milestones in the history of VAEAI, click here.
