Glenys Collard facts for kids

Glenys Collard is an important Noongar educator and writer. She was born in 1958 in Kondinin. Glenys is a member of the Stolen Generation. This term refers to Aboriginal children who were taken from their families by government policies in Australia.

When Glenys was just two years old, she was removed from her family. She was placed in Sister Kate's Children's Home in Perth. Her parents, Donald and Sylvia Collard, had nine children taken from them. This happened when they lived in Brookton between 1958 and 1961. Her parents later tried to get justice for their children's experiences at Sister Kate's.

Early Life and Experiences

Glenys Collard ran away from Sister Kate's when she was 11 years old. She has bravely shared her story of being a stolen child. She did this as part of the Bringing them Home oral history project. This project collects stories from people affected by the Stolen Generations. Sharing her experience helps others understand this difficult part of history.

Family and Community Leadership

Glenys Collard is a very important person in her large family. She is a mother of six children. She is also a grandmother to 30 grandchildren. Plus, she is a great-grandmother! Her family includes over 280 people, and she is seen as a respected leader, or matriarch, within it.

Besides her family role, Glenys is a published author. She has also spent six years as a leader on the board of the Aboriginal Legal Service in Western Australia. This service helps Aboriginal people with legal issues.

Preserving Noongar Language

Around 1990, Glenys Collard and Rose Whitehurst started the Nyungar Language Project. This project was very important for keeping the Noongar language alive. They recorded elders who spoke Noongar. They also helped create an agreement on how the language should be spelled. This work helps new generations learn and use their traditional language.

Contributions to Education

Glenys Collard has played a big part in education in Western Australia. She has been a leader in the Western Australian Department of Education's ABC of Two-Way Literacy and Learning project. She has co-managed this project with Patricia Konigsberg since 1996. This project helps teach both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal ways of learning.

Glenys Collard and Rosemary Cahill were also interviewed about their work. They served as Deadly Ways to Learn Education officers in the Education Department. Their work helps make learning more culturally relevant and engaging for Aboriginal students.