The more authority that communities are able to exercise in all aspects of training development and delivery, the more successful the training will be for Indigenous students (Balatti et al 2004; Kral & Falk 2004; Marika et al 2004). Anderson (2009 forthcoming) undertook an evaluation of a VET program delivered to a remote community in NT from the community's perspective.

The findings show that community involvement and ownership were identified as the most important factors for success by this community and that more work needed to be done to adequately involve the community.

Wallace (2008) asserts that the relationship between regional students' identity and the attitudes and experiences of their families and communities contributes to their behaviour and beliefs about undertaking education and training and this can be both negative and positive.