1 July 2021

Susan Collins has been named a recipient of a 2021 Service to Community Award from the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC).

Susan provides pastoral support and guidance for students, teachers, families and carers, and is instrumental in promoting First Nations culture. She was nominated by the five Catholic secondary schools in the Geelong region: Clonard College, Herne Hill, Iona College Geelong, Charlemont, Sacred Heart College, Newtown, St Ignatius College Geelong, Drysdale, and St Joseph’s College, Newtown.

Susan is an integral figure in the lives of young Indigenous people in the Geelong schools, and the school communities are grateful and blessed to have her support. Her generosity and vulnerability in sharing her family’s story of being part of the Stolen Generation has led to an emotional awareness that this is not a far away story, removed from our communities, and that many Australian families have endured much pain and trauma as a result of these policies.

Founded in 1992, NATSICC is the peak advisory body to the Australian Catholic Bishops on issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholics.