Early years and education programs for First Nations children and students are to receive additional federal government support, delivering hundreds of activities nationwide.
The $334 million federal investment will see more than 550 early years and education projects delivered across all states and territories, collectively benefiting some 100,000 Indigenous children and students.
This investment will supplement mainstream Commonwealth and State and Territory funding, addressing five of the 17 targets identified in the National Agreement for Closing the Gap.
Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney said her government is committed to providing support so that all First Nations children and students receive the possible education, regardless of their location.
"A strong foundation in education is so important for our children and will help them reach their full potential," she said.
"The Albanese government is committed to ensuring every First Nations child across Australia, no matter where they live, grows up healthy and strong and ready to thrive throughout school and beyond."
158 activities will be funded throughout New South Wales, including mentoring and support programs for First Nations students preparing for Year 12 and university study and support for a school to work transition program in the state's remote west.
The Northern Territory will receive funding for 129 activities, including a breakfast, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea program for First Nations students in 76 Territory schools and support for playgroups in the Alice Springs region.
104 activities across Queensland will receive funding, including mentoring for First Nations students in Brisbane and support for the Cape York Leaders Program.
The investment will see First Nations students involved in the Program receive scholarship support to assist their attendance at boarding schools in other areas of the state.
An early childhood program for First Nations children and families in the East Kimberley at Halls Creek is one of 68 activities which will receive funding throughout Western Australia.
A Melbourne-based program delivering intensive support to young people who are at risk of disengaging from school is one of 46 Victorian activities that will receive funding support.
40 activities across South Australia will be funded, including facilitated playgroups in the Far West Coast region to support the school readiness of First Nations children and families.
Seven Tasmanian activities will receive funding, including a program working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in Burnie, Launceston and Hobart.
A schooling project in the Canberra region is one of two activities to receive a funding allocation in the Australian Capital Territory.
The project establishes connections with community whilst delivering transition to school services and early literacy and numeracy to children, their parents and carers.
The national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and family services, the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) has welcomed the government's investment announcement.
"Investment into early years services for our children and families is always welcome," SNAICC chief executive Catherine Liddle said.
However, Ms Liddle called for government investment to be directed towards Aboriginal community-controlled organisations for Closing the Gap progress to be made.
"To make real progress on Closing the Gap, this investment must be directed to strengthening Aboriginal community-controlled organisations," she said.
"All the evidence shows that our children and families do better when engaged with strong, culturally-safe, holistic services.
"SNAICC looks forward to seeing more detail of where this funding has been directed to support programs being delivered in community, by community."
Ms Burney will formally announce the government's investment initiative at a meeting of state and territory Ministers for Indigenous Affairs in Hobart today.
