Empowering Migrant Parents with an Education Expo to help understand the System
In their quest to empower migrant and refugee parents in the northern suburbs to better assist their child’s transition from school into further studies or work, Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre (SMRC) and Banyule/Nillumbik Local Learning Education Network (LLEN) have partnered to stage an Education Pathways for Primary, Secondary & Beyond Expo in Preston next Thursday 24th April. The Expo will aim to play a part in demystifying vocational training and easing inter-generational conflict which anecdotal evidence indicates is becoming a problem in newly arrived migrant and refugee communities.
Families are invited to attend this Expo which will focus on education pathways for secondary students. Representatives from the higher education sector, including universities, TAFEs and other training agencies, including Spectrum Education & Training (SET), will present information and resources to newly arrived parents that will support the Parents As Career Transition Support (PACTS) program. SET has been set up to cater for the learning styles of migrants and refugees, many of whom have had interrupted studies. The PACTS program provides information to parents/carers on career advice, pathways and job seeking skills. The Expo aims to ease concerns and to empower parents/caregivers to assist their children and young people with these important decisions.
SMRC’s Settlement Team Leader, Malyun Ahmed, said, “The Expo has come about because many parents have concerns about their children taking other educational paths that don’t exist in their home countries or that they are unfamiliar with, such as TAFE courses or apprenticeships. There is a perception that only university is good enough and that children have no chance of success if they do not complete a university degree. Hence, conflict arises between children – who have a greater understanding of the system – and parents, who are very much stuck on the notion of university. Children are often pressured to perform in order to get into university while they may actually have a desire or talent for other vocational training”.
Ross Patterson, Careers & Transition Support Project Manager at Banyule & Nillumbik LLEN, said, “We hope this Expo goes some way towards helping migrant parents better understand what can be seen as a maze of education and employment pathways. It can be a difficult system to understand even if English is your first language, let alone if it isn’t! We encourage parents to come along so they can be as informed as possible”.
Back to Top
Working Community Celebrates
Students from Banksia Secondary College, Diamond Valley College and Eltham High celebrated their achievements together at this year’s Working Community Celebration event on October 18. Teams from each school hosted a display about the community project they had planned and implemented in their local community. The broad range of projects included, music gigs, fundraisers, games days, activities at aged care facility residents and students from a special needs school, school and year level events, gardening projects, support program for international students at school and much more.
Students and teachers have commented on the highlights of this years program which include; the training opportunities; drivers education, radio broadcasting, event management and first aid; the opportunities for students from different schools to come together; talking with employers; learning about the local community and working within a young person led team, following own interests and solving problems together.
Over the year students have worked together with their peers developing important transferable skills such as teamwork, leadership and communication skills. Students from each school have begun meeting with employers from various careers to discuss their project and how the skills they developed relate to the world of work. Thankyou to all those who have donated their time to give this important feedback to these young people. Including Harry Prout- Exodus, Heather Blackie – Centrelink, Brenda McKenzie – NMIT, Katy Capdevila – Banyule Youth Services, Andrew Gilard – Diamond Creek Traders Association President, Holly Teagle – Nillumbik Shire Youth Services, Chris and Derek Sledgeman – YMCA and more.
Here at the BNLLEN we look forward to supporting another year of Working Community and anticipate more creative projects and outstanding achievements in 2009.
-Colleen Hughes , Working Community / Advance Project Officer
Working Community School Cluster The Working Community Cluster is funded through the Advance Program where the schools involved commit their Advance funding to the Banyule Nillumbik LLEN to coordinate the Program. The Banyule Nillumbik LLEN then delivers the Program which meets all the Advance requirements using a cluster model so that schools run joint events and meet regularly as a teacher network. The MOU below is used by the participating schools. Any school that is interested in becoming involved should contact either Karen Greer, the Working Community Coordinator or Kate Rhodes at the Banyule Nillumbik LLEN.
