FIRE Carriers - Kacey (Yr 11) and Saul Travers-Hucker

FIRE stands for Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education. It’s a project that promotes respect, fairness, and inclusion for First Nations Peoples.

FIRE Carriers are students and staff who are passionate about learning more about First Nations culture and history, and who want to share that knowledge in our school and community. Their role is to promote Reconciliation by helping us all build respect and understanding.

Last week I, Olivia from Year 7, Alex from Year 8, and Molly from Year 9 went to Melbourne with Ms Stehle and Mr Travers to be commissioned as FIRE Carriers.

It was an amazing experience.

We gathered in a space surrounded by powerful artwork, with symbols of the Aboriginal flag and the Catholic cross side by side. We learned about the history of the FIRE Carrier program, how other schools are putting it into action, and we came away with plenty of ideas for how we will help close the gap and make change happen here at Sacred Heart. I have a whole list of ideas in my notes just from listening to all the things different schools have done.

The commissioning ceremony took place outside in the garden. We stood in a circle, read out the role of a FIRE Carrier, and presented our Covenant we had been preparing to Elder Sherry Balcombe, who led the ceremony. She warmed her hands over the fire and then placed them near our heads, hearts, and hands, declaring us FIRE Carriers – people called to help bring change and respect into our communities. Being commissioned through the Fire Ceremony, which is different from a Smoking Ceremony, means we can now lead the commissioning ceremony at Sacred Heart. A Smoking Ceremony is a sacred cultural practice that only First Nations people can do, while the Fire Ceremony is how we were welcomed and given this role. We look forward to commissioning more FIRE Carriers next term.

Our Covenant is a living document that reflects our faith and values. It sets out goals and actions that we, as a school, commit to each year and is reviewed annually. It’s written together by staff, students, and the school community and is supported by our College Leadership Team. Through this Covenant we join with other FIRE Carrier schools in working for Reconciliation and cultural safety. You can read our Covenant here.

As part of the program, we also support the Opening the Doors Foundation, which helps First Nations families have greater choice in education and works to improve outcomes for First Nations students across Victoria. In 2025 the Opening the Doors Foundation has ensured that over 1000 First Nations students in Victoria have received vital support - From school uniforms to books, laptops and shoes. This support means opening doors that may otherwise have remained closed.

Being commissioned is only the beginning. We hope that our community will work with us in living out the Covenant because real change isn’t just needed, it’s needed now.

If you have questions about the FIRE Carrier program at Sacred Heart, you can contact Mr Travers