- Approved Preferred Provider Department of Education (SESP)

The Empowered Tiddas program is a unique, culturally responsive mentoring initiative designed specifically for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women (Tiddas). Delivered by RipeMentoring Pty Ltd under the Department of Education’s School Engagement Support Program (SESP), this initiative provides targeted Aboriginal girls' mentoring support for students in Years 8–10 who are showing

early signs of disengaging from school and their learning.

Our goal is to foster a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment where young women can truly thrive. In this dedicated space, Tiddas can:

• Connect: Build strong, positive relationships with Indigenous mentors, community leaders, and peers.
• Grow: Develop essential life skills, personal confidence, and individual leadership qualities.
• Thrive: Explore and embrace their cultural identity, celebrating their unique heritage while actively pursuing personal and academic aspirations.
• Empower: Feel equipped to navigate structural challenges, make informed decisions, and become strong, resilient leaders in their schools and communities.

The program masterfully blends cultural learning, personal empowerment workshops, Koori dance sessions, creative activities, and intentional group mentoring sessions. We firmly believe in the power of sisterhood and the immense strength that comes from shared experiences, mutual support, and a structured return to educational confidence.

Empowered Tiddas is a vital mentoring program offered by Ripe Mentoring Pty Ltd, designed specifically for Aboriginal girls and young women in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, and Far South Coast of NSW. This program addresses the inequity in access to high-quality cultural and educational support while fostering cultural identity and personal empowerment. By building strong, trusting mentor-mentee relationships, Empowered Tiddas promotes gender and health equity, encourages physical activity, supports mental well-being, and strengthens connections to culture and country.

• Intentional Mentoring Sessions: Dedicated time for Tiddas to connect deeply with cultural mentors, map out personal development goals, navigate school-based challenges, and celebrate collective successes. To maximise impact, sessions are delivered to optimal cohorts of 10 students.
• Facilitated Workshops: Structured curriculum blocks focusing on Cultural Identity & Pride, Goal Setting & Future Pathways, Communication & Healthy Relationships, and Resilience & Wellbeing.
• Creative & Cultural Activities: Engaging, hands-on experiences—such as traditional storytelling, art, dance, or bush tucker workshops—that seamlessly connect Tiddas to their heritage while encouraging their unique, expressive voice.