Boarding for success

About this grant 

JVT has committed three years of funding to improve evaluation methods to ensure NRL Cowboys House is achieving its intended impact, which is to provide unique, culturally safe wrap-around support, services and accommodation for young Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islanders from remote north Queensland, while they attend high school in Townsville.  

During Phase 1 of the funding, Cowboys have collaborated with Seer Data & Analytics to review each department within NRL Cowboys House to understand objectives, goals, activities, and current data collection/use. The resulting report and recommendations will identify gaps and opportunities for improving processes, systems, and team capabilities, training, and resourcing. 

Supporting country Queensland
We know that students in rural, regional and remote Queensland face challenges accessing quality secondary education due to distance and the costs involved in travel and accommodation. 

NRL Cowboys House is removing distance as a barrier for First Nations students from remote north Queensland communities. As well as providing as home away from home for, they offer vital wrap-around support for these young people that helps them achieve great steps forward in their education, aspirations and wellbeing.  

The John Villiers Trust is keen to support this work and see the gap closed on access to learning for country Queensland kids and youth. 

Systems change goals 

The evaluation project is co-funded by JVT and Hand Heart Pocket. By pooling funding, we can achieve more and NRL Cowboys House is able to invest more heavily in this evaluation and in building the capability of their team. 

NRL Cowboys House were already doing the work but didn’t have the opportunity to look at how to formalise and put a process around it. Working with Seer Data & Analytics is getting them further ahead and more deeply involved in the data and driving a much greater impact than they could achieve alone.  

The aim is to: 

• collect data that measures short/long-term outcomes 
• continuously identifying opportunities for improvement/service gaps 
• use evidence-based approach for future planning, growth, funding requests 
• achieve and deliver its mission/vision, and 
• continue to address community needs. 

Alignment with JVT’s priorities  

Cowboys Community Foundation and NRL Cowboys House strongly align with JVT’s priorities in that they: 

• operate with a clear and successful prevention and early intervention focus for youth in Queensland; 
• provide multiple impacts across education – directly to their boarders and by supporting the 13 local high schools that the students attend, and in health for the students that is extended back to health supports in their remote communities;  
• partner and collaborate with a range of supporters and stakeholders including: Hand Heart Pocket, Traditional Owners, Elders, families, schools, and health and allied services, as well as Government, corporate, employer, community and philanthropic partners; 
• are driven and informed by the First Nations community; 
• aim to build internal capability and capacity to measure, monitor and report on NRL Cowboys House’s impact and to know when its programs and services are relevant and effective. Staff are being trained to understand how data can be used to create and deliver value and be used for decision-making and storytelling. 

The final project report will provide evidence to current and potential funders who may wish to replicate or adopt the model of care and support in other locations. 

Links: 

• NRL Cowboys House
• Cowboys Community Foundation