The association of Independent Schools of Western Australia (AISWA) engaged AEC to estimate the socio-economic benefit of AISWA’s Future Footprints Program. The program, established in 2004, is a partnership between AISWA and 17 Independent Boarding Schools across Western Australia (WA), to advance the educational and social development of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. As part of AEC’s analysis, we quantified (wherever possible) the savings to society of the prevention of early disengagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youths, as well as the improved lifetime outcomes for students as a result of the program.
AEC considered the impacts of increased labour force participation (including increased employment, and incomes), reduced costs of crime, and improved health outcomes in our analysis. We also qualitatively assessed the benefit of reduced dependence on welfare and intergenerational benefits to students’ families and community. Furthermore, AEC provided an assessment of the programs contribution to the 17 closing the gap targets.
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