Copy

The Engagement Express


Issue no. 7
August 2018

 
Latest News
Barkly Square Ballarat
BGT Jobs + Training are pleased to announce ‘Barkly Square Ballarat’, the revitalization of the former Barkly Street campus of Ballarat Secondary College.
BGT Jobs + Training are excited about the opportunity to create a contemporary jobs and training centre offering a wide range of education, training and employment opportunities raising the profile of the vocational education and training sector and increasing regional productivity and economic prosperity.
The Ballarat community will continue to have access to the buildings and grounds, which hold significant cultural, environmental and historic value to the community. Spaces will be provided for a broad range of community growth, education, and wellbeing activities, strengthening community ties and social networking.

BGT Jobs + Training will be operating from Barkly Square from January 2019.

Victorian Youth Week 2019 grants
Do you have an idea for Victorian Youth Week 2019? Grants of up to $2,000 are now available to support youth-focused events, activities and programs to run during the ten day celebration of young Victorians. The Victorian State Government are looking for programs and activities that promote a positive image of young people and provide them with an opportunity to express their ideas and be heard in the community.
Check out more, and apply for a grant here.

Get VET
The Victorian Government has just launched a new initiative to increase the uptake of Vocational Education and Training in Schools and also inject new money into the VET in school system. This is a welcome initiative as there has been no increase to VET in schools funding for a very long time.
VET in schools is offered to both VCAL and VCE student and offers nationally recognised qualifications that create pathways to over 500 careers in a diverse range of industries including health, technology, robotics, engineering, food, science, construction and IT.
The Victorian Government plans to invest $76 million over the next four years to increase the opportunities for you to include VET in your senior secondary program of study. This includes $26 million to improve the quality and availability of vocational pathways for secondary students and $50 million to support the roll out of Head Start Apprenticeships and Traineeships in 100 government schools.
There is also a new campaign to increase awareness and support the uptake of VET in schools, it is called "Get VET"

 

Helping Vulnerable Young People On The Home Stretch
Media Release - 25th Sep 2018
The Andrews Labor Government is ensuring young people make a successful transition from state care to independent living by extending their supports up to the age of 21.
Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos today announced $11.6 million over five years to roll out Home Stretch starting in the first half of 2019, which will give young people the option of remaining with their carer until the age of 21.
The program will arm young people with the tools they need to live on their own two feet, as well as extending care allowance support to foster and kinship carers.

Media Release:
https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/helping-vulnerable-young-people-on-the-home-stretch/

Transforming Career Education in Victorian Government Schools
“The Education State is building a system that gives every student the knowledge, capabilities and attributes they need to thrive in life. It is ensuring that tomorrow’s workers have the skills industry needs, and employers expect. 
Through the 2018/19 Budget, we are investing $109 million over four years and $26.7 million ongoing to redesign career education, to help students make better career and pathway decisions, and to meet business and industry needs.
Also investing:
  • $50 million for 1700 new Head Start Apprenticeships and Traineeships at 100 Victorian government secondary schools.
  • $25.9 million to enhance vocational pathways by improving students’ access to high-quality Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS).”
Ministers message from “TRANSFORMING CAREER EDUCATION IN VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS – CONNECTING TODAY’S LEARNING WITH TOMORROW’S JOBS”

Exciting Resources & Reading
Inspiring the Future
Young people around Australia are looking for guidance for their future and career. Research has revealed that 95% of young people want employers to be more involved in giving advice about careers and employment.
Through Inspiring the Future, it's easy to inspire students in your local area. By sharing your advice and experiences you can help secondary and primary school students to overcome career gender stereotypes, push past cultural and social barriers, broaden their horizons and engage with their learning at school. 

 
Website:
https://www.inspiringthefuture.org.au/
“Inquiry into career advice activities in Victorian schools”
PARLIAMENT OF VICTORIA
Economic, Education, Jobs and Skills Committee
Career development is an ongoing process that develops individuals’ skills and knowledge to make decisions about their education, work and career throughout their lifespan. Secondary school is a pivotal time when students make choices about their direction following school. This Inquiry’s terms of reference asked the Committee to investigate how well school career development is meeting the needs of Victorian students and how it could be improved. The Committee was also asked to consider the specific needs of regional students and during the course of the Inquiry, the Committee also chose to explore the career development needs of students facing disadvantage.

Article:
https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/eejsc/article/3883

New Websites for Parents
Victorian Parents and Carers with questions about parenting, child health, education or development now have a trusted, new website to turn to.
Like Victoria’s respected Better Health website, the new parenting.vic.gov.au site is an evidence-based resource provided for free for online users, and provides information on all aspects of raising a child.

The future of education: with careers predicted to span 60 years, how will education and training evolve?
By Julie Hare
Education policy in Australia has many emerging issues it must contend with, not least of which is the imminent collision between an ageing population and rapidly changing workplaces driven by technological advancement. While there is no sure trajectory as to how all of this will play out over the coming decades, it is predicted that people will live longer lives, and some may have careers that span 50-60 years.
To put this in context, if a 20-year-old today has a 50 per cent chance of living to be 100, as has been predicted, then it goes without saying that the ongoing upgrading and renewal of skills and education will be an essential factor in supporting individuals to navigate complex career structures, and to enrich lives.


Article:
https://www.themandarin.com.au/98379-the-future-of-education/

Taking a mental health day (and not feeling guilty about it)
"What people are trying to do is prevent little problems from becoming bigger."
"That awareness of 'when is my stress now shifting from helpful to harmful?' is a very good thing for people to be able to monitor themselves.
"Taking a mental health day when you need it is, firstly, about demonstrating self-awareness, which is a cornerstone of resilience," Ms Clements says.
As principal organisational psychologist Rachel Clements explains, mental health days help keep us healthy and do a better job.
It can be hard to take one and be open about it. But mental health days — and actually taking them — are important for us and for our workplaces.
Have you ever called in and told your workplace that you're taking a mental health day?

Article:
 http://www.abc.net.au/life/how-to-take-mental-health-day/10007706

One Teaching Profession: Teacher Registration in Australia
September 2018
A new report on teacher standards recommends measures to improve the position of teachers with VET qualifications and those teaching VET in secondary schools.
The report, 'One Teaching Profession: Teacher Registration in Australia', found there were challenges for registered teachers seeking to gain VET qualifications, and for VET trainers/assessors seeking teaching qualifications.
"Maintaining dual qualifications (teacher registration and VET trainer/ assessor qualifications) is seen as “burdensome”, the report said.
It recommends greater alignment between teacher registration and VET qualifications for teachers who hold or seek dual teaching and VET qualifications.
It urges teacher regulatory authorities to consider alternative authorisation arrangements that recognise VET qualifications and prior learning through VET.
It also looks at the “challenges and complexities” faced by those delivering VET in secondary schools and says this should be part of a review into the senior secondary curriculum.
Report:
https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/national-review-of-teacher-registration/report/one-teaching-profession---teacher-registration-in-australia.pdf

The low status of vocational education and training (VET) is a growing problem. Many young Australians and their parents don’t consider VET as a potential post-school pathway, even if it might be more suitable for them than university.In an era of high aspiration, VET is often seen as an option only for those unable to gain university entry. This undermines VET as a viable and effective post-school pathway – the one most frequently trod by young people in countries such as Britain, Germany and Switzerland.It’s also fuelling a growing mismatch between the skills young people are leaving tertiary education with and employment opportunities in their preferred jobs. It can also lead to increasingly lengthy, costly and roundabout post-school pathways to employment for young people.

Article:
http://theconversation.com/we-need-to-change-negative-views-of-the-jobs-vet-serves-to-make-it-a-good-post-school-option-101388


new report from VicHealth and Lateral Economics has found the delay in graduates finding full-time work is having a serious impact on their mental wellbeing, which is costing the state’s economy up to $100 million per year.
The average graduate now takes 2.6 years to find meaningful full-time work – up from just one year in 1986. The report found the mental wellbeing impact of this delay will potentially cause a large cost to the Victorian community of between $60-$100 million per year into the future.
The report found that up to half of these costs could be avoided by increasing support for young people’s mental wellbeing and social connection.
VicHealth CEO Jerril Rechter said the report highlighted the large costs to Victorians associated with the devastating impact of unemployment and underemployment on young people’s mental wellbeing.


Article:
https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/media-and-resources/media-releases/cost-of-delayed-graduate-employment-on-mental-wellbeing


Some 20 years ago, the Australian vocational education system was regarded as world class. Sadly, this is no longer the case when compared to systems in places such as Canada, the Netherlands, Germany and even China.
Australia’s vocational education system has been bedevilled by competing jurisdiction control, political ideology, chronic under-funding, piecemeal reforms, rampant rorting by a small number of corporate private providers, and a disappointing and surprisingly high level of policy confusion.

In February this year, Labor announced it would commit to a generational review of the VET sector in Australia if elected at the next election.

Article:
https://theconversation.com/the-vocational-education-sector-needs-a-plan-and-action-not-more-talk-102770?utm


The Victorian schools that have caught the attention of Finland

Amy Zerafa was at risk of dropping out of school. The teenager felt lost in class and struggled to connect with her peers. “I would cry everyday and try to stay at home,” the 15-year-old recalled. “I hated school.”
But Amy's outlook changed dramatically when she started working at a student-run cafe at Brookside P-9 College earlier this year. The Hands on Learning cafe is among 10 Victorian innovations that have caught the attention of Finnish not-for-profit HundrED. While policy makers and politicians from around the world often look to Finland to improve their schools, the organisation has been studying what's happening in Victorian classrooms.
Last year, HundrED which receives funding from the Finnish government, chose the "education state" as its first location for a new project that identifies innovations and then shares them with the world. It has spent the past 10 months weighing up the state’s best education initiatives and will now publish guidelines to help other schools implement similar ideas.

Article:
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-victorian-schools-that-have-caught-the-attention-of-finland-20181003-p507fu.html

Knowing the facts: Individuals seeking asylum

“Knowing the facts” was produced predominantly to promote cultural awareness and increase employer engagement relating to individuals seeking asylum. The short video seeks to break down the myths and eliminate prejudices relating to our newest arrivals. It does this by increasing awareness and understanding. The ideas presented in this video compliments Diversitat’s vision of empowering individuals and communities to reach their full potential.

Knowing the facts: Individuals seeking asylum

Research & Data
Young Australians’ Prospects Still Come Down to Where they Grow Up
Australia as a nation has never been richer. But it is now also more unequal than at any time since the early 1980s. This inequality takes many forms, not least between suburbs and neighbourhoods. And our research suggests the few celebrated examples of famous Australians who emerged from disadvantaged neighbourhoods are the exceptions to the rule for children who grow up in them.
Children growing up in disadvantaged communities enjoy few opportunities for upwards social mobility when compared with peers in more affluent suburbs. And, significantly, the children of low-income families in better-off suburbs have higher aspirations and know what they need to do to achieve those.
Our recent research with young people in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide shows children in disadvantaged communities are not only more likely to live in poverty, but are also less likely to have access to sports clubs, libraries and other recreational and arts facilities, which those in more affluent suburbs appear to take for granted. Their schools are also less likely to offer extracurricular activities that enable young people to engage with others who live in different areas and have different life experiences.
Article:
https://theconversation.com/young-australians-prospects-still-come-down-to-where-they-grow-up-102640?utm

Lifting the Weight
Understanding young people’s mental health and service needs in regional and remote Australia.
The 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing found that one in four young Australians between the ages of 16 and 24 had experienced a mental health disorder in the previous 12 months.1 While the prevalence of mental health disorders is similar for people living in and outside of a major city, considerable differences in suicide rates are found across these areas.
Overall, the risk of suicide rises as remoteness from a major city increases, with the rate of deaths by suicide almost three times higher for those living in remote and very remote areas compared to those living in major cities. These figures indicate that young people living in regional and remote areas may be exposed to a unique set of structural, economic and social factors that result in poorer mental health outcomes and an increased risk of suicide.

Report:
http://apo.org.au/system/files/180271/apo-nid180271-940986.pdf

Skilling: A National Imperative
SURVEY REPORT - Workforce Development Needs
The Australian Industry Group 2018
The percentage of employers facing skills shortages has taken a dramatic leap over the last two years, according to the Australian Industry Group's 2018 Workforce Development Needs Survey. Over the last three surveys the percentage of employers experiencing skills shortages in the last 12 months has increased from 48 per cent in 2014, to 49 per cent in 2016 and to 75 per cent in 2018. "It is clear we need new approaches to education, training and reskilling to maximise the benefits of the digital economy,” said Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox. "Our survey has found major skills demand issues facing employers. It provides an important gauge of employer sentiment around skill needs, education and training at a critical time for industry transformation.”
Report:
https://cdn.aigroup.com.au/Reports/2018/Survey_Report_WFDNeeds_Skilling_Sept2018.pdf

The number one reason people see their GP
By Kate Aubusson
The Age
Walk into any GP waiting room in Australia and chances are most of the chairs will be occupied by patients with depression, mood disorders or myriad other psychological problems. GPs treat mental health issues more than any other condition, reveals the latest Health of a Nation report released by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Yet the frontline medicos are forced to cram these complex cases into a six-minute consultation, charge their patients for more time, or wear the out-of-pocket cost themselves, the RACGP says.
Two in three GPs reported psychological problems as one of the most common ailments they treated, a 2018 survey of more than 1500 GPs included in the report found. The second most common ailments were respiratory conditions (45 per cent) followed by musculoskeletal (43 per cent) and endocrine and metabolic problems (36 per cent), according to the report.

This infographic provides a snapshot of where 23-year-old Australians are at when it comes to their study, work, life at home and satisfaction with life. We compare the latest data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australia Youth 2009 commencing cohort, who were 23-years-old in 2017, with those that went before them 10 years earlier to understand how things have changed over time for young Australians making the transition into adulthood.

Infographic:
https://www.lsay.edu.au/publications/search-for-lsay-publications/life-at-23-then-and-now
VET in Schools
This publication presents information on VET in Schools, the vocational education and training (VET) undertaken by school students as part of their senior secondary certificate of education. The VET in Schools arrangement offers two main options: students can undertake school-based apprenticeships and traineeships; or they can take VET subjects and courses as part of their school curriculum (the latter is referred to as ‘other VET in Schools programs’).
In 2017, there were:
  • 242 100 VET in Schools students
  • 20 000 school-based apprentices and trainees, representing 8.2% of all VET in Schools students
  • 222 200 students undertaking other VET in Schools programs, representing 91.8% of all VET in Schools students.
In 2017, compared with 2016:
  • the overall number of VET in Schools students decreased by 0.5%
  • school-based apprentices and trainees increased by 16.1%
  • students undertaking other VET in Schools programs decreased by 1.7%
Report:
https://www.ncver.edu.au/research-and-statistics/publications/all-publications/vet-in-schools-2017

 
Study of 1.6 million grades shows little gender difference in maths and science at school
September 26, 2018
There is a stubborn stereotype that maths and science are masculine.
But a study of the school grades of more than 1.6 million students shows that girls and boys perform similarly in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects. The research, published today in Nature Communications, also shows that girls do better than boys in non-STEM subjects. The results provide evidence that large gaps in the representation of women in STEM careers later in life are not due to differences in academic performance.


Study:
https://theconversation.com/study-of-1-6-million-grades-shows-little-gender-difference-in-maths-and-science-at-school-101242?utm

Trade commencements show first sign of revival
After several years of decline, there was a jump in trade commencements in the latest March quarter, according to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). Trade commencements increased in the March 2018 quarter by 7.4% compared with the same quarter in 2017. The main increases were in automotive and engineering trades (up 13.3%) and electrotechnology and telecommunications (up 14.2%). Non-trade commencements decreased by 4.2% in the same period, with the biggest decreases in sales assistants and salespersons (down 32.1%) and sports and personal service workers (down 16.8%). In total, there were 56,015 trade and non-trade commencements in the March 2018 quarter, up 1.5% compared with the March quarter 2017. Over the same period, completions were down 9.0% to 22,425. Overall there were 272,440 apprentices and trainees in-training at the end of March, a fall of 1.2% from the previous year.
 
Article:
https://www.ncver.edu.au/news-and-events/media-releases/trade-commencements-up-in-march-2018-quarter

Key info from Australia’s health 2018 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2018)
Burden of Disease

https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/6852bd0e-a9d5-4159-ba19-c42f27a77646/aihw-aus-221-chapter-3-1.pdf.aspx
Mental Health
https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/1838295a-5588-4747-9515-b826a5ab3d5a/aihw-aus-221-chapter-3-12.pdf.aspx
Leading Causes of Death
https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/96909f12-5e9d-4531-a32a-34e414c6b862/aihw-aus-221-chapter-3-2.pdf.aspx

Meetings, Events, Conferences & Training
Funding for career practitioners to enhance their skills
​​Funding is available to upskill career practitioners in Victorian government secondary schools to help students make better career and pathway decisions.
The Victorian Government is investing $109 million over four years to transform career education to help students make better career and pathway decisions and prepare them for life beyond school.
This investment will provide a suite of initiatives to support schools to strengthen career education, enabling students to make informed course and career decisions, understand the connection between school and future careers, and develop their skills and knowledge to successfully manage their careers throughout life.​
To support Victorian government schools to deliver high​-quality career education, funding is being provided over the next four years to assist more than 400 career practitioners to complete a one-year Graduate Certificate in Career Education/Career Development. This will ensure that every Victorian government secondary school can have at least one qualified career practitioner.
Whilst the deadline for 2019 study may have passed, we encourage you to consider training in coming years


Website:
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/classrooms/Pages/pdcareerprac.aspx
Pick my Project Winners for the Central Highlands Region 2018
14 Successful projects,  $1,818,528 $$ Allocated 195,964 Population, 14,235 Votes
 
Ballarat
Providing a pathway from Homelessness in Ballarat
Meals, skills training and extreme weather accommodation in central Ballarat.
  Hepburn
Dancing A Jig With Dad
Community art installation to celebrate Matthew Harding’s life and work.
 
Food Is Free Green Living Classroom & Greens Recycle Depot
Create FIF Ballarat Green Living Classroom & Greens Recycle Depot.
  Moorabool
Playground and Seating at Masons Lane Reserve
Installation of Playground and Seating at Masons Lane Reserve.
 
Ballarat Tramway Museum Track Replacement
Replacing track so historic trams can continue to operate.
  SES Storage and training facility
Safe working environment for training and storage for volunteer SES
 
Ballarat-Sebastopol BMX Track Surfacing Upgrade
Low maintenance surfacing to provide safe, year-round bike riding.
  BMPS 21st Century Maker Space
A cutting edge learning environment for 21st century skills.
 
Ballarat High School's Bikes for Everyone
Mountain bikes for school curriculum, community and a borrowing system.
  YOUth Mental Health Matters in Moorabool
A local Youth-led Mental Health Campaign
 
New community nature experience trail in Woowookarung Regional Park
Cycling, walking, running and nature trail in Ballarat's newest Park.
  Ararat
All Seasons Multipurpose Facility
Upgrade existing tennis courts to multipurpose courts
 
Golden Plains
Inverleigh Community Play Space - Be inspired!
A new multi age play space for the Inverleigh community.
  Fixing the Basketball Court & Scoreboard at the Ararat Fitness
Fixing Basketball Court & Scoreboard at the Ararat Fitness
 

Website:
https://pickmyproject.vic.gov.au/successful-projects

2018 WFCP World Congress: Just under 2 weeks to register for this year's pre-eminent VET conference
With just under three weeks to go until this year’s pre-eminent VET conference, don’t miss the opportunity to hear from global experts and over 140 speakers, to network with over 230 international delegates and 400 domestic delegates, and to experience best practice from Australia’s TAFE institutes.
   
Website:
https://wfcp2018.com.au/


Illuminate Series #5 Innovative Approaches to Education: Supporting Vulnerable Learners
Innovative Approaches to Education: Supporting Vulnerable Learners is the fifth ISS Institute Illuminate Series Forum. Drawing upon the knowledge, experience and leadership of our Fellows, our aim is to provide attendees with practical and innovative strategies that can be successfully implemented in the class room.
Date and Time
Thu. 25 October 2018 | 1:45 pm – 4:30 pm AEDT
Location
Library at The Dock, 107 Victoria Harbour Promenade, Docklands
To Book:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/illuminate-series-5-innovative-approaches-to-education-supporting-vulnerable-learners-tickets-50430309413
 
Ballarat Technology School hosts FREE events
 
Real World VR is coming to BALLARAT - Thu. 11 October 2018    | 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
The event includes a speakers forum, Q&A, panel, equipment demonstrations, showcase & networking. We facilitate engage, support, educate, influence, promote, connect and inspire audiences, enthusiasts, industry, developers, producers, filmmakers, animators and the XR - VR/AR/MR community / industry - all welcome. Free Entry, includes drinks and nibbles.
MODERATOR/OVERVIEW OF XR Leah Bunny
PANELISTS:
StaplesVR (Melbourne), Casey Thomas, CEO Project Lead - Dark Shadow Studios (Ballarat), Rhyan Cook, Founder - Oasis VR (Ballarat), Emily Harridge, Post Production & VR/AR - eg+ (agency, Melbourne)

To Book:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/real-world-vr-virtual-augmented-mixed-reality-forum-qa-demos-ballarat-tickets-50770076666?aff=ebdssbcitybrowse&exp=cb_event_card


Dr Amy Hahns - Creating Green, Healthy, Resilient and Liveable Cities Community Talk – 17th October 7pm
 Amy Hahs (PhD) is an urban ecologist, with a keen interest in understanding the interplay between biodiversity and urban environments. She has extensive research experience in the field of urban ecology, working directly on projects studying how urban vegetation and habitat features influence the biodiversity in those spaces, how to conserve indigenous plants and animals, and how to incorporate positive biodiversity outcomes into the design and management of urban landscapes. Amy also has over eight years of experience in providing advice and information related to urban ecology and biodiversity to local and state government agencies in Australia and overseas.

To Book:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/creating-green-healthy-resilient-and-liveable-cities-community-talk-tickets-50508684836?aff=ebdssbcitybrowse&utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-source=cp&utm-term=citybrowse
Exciting Resources & Reading
Don't miss the Q&A Teaching special
What makes for a great school and great teaching? Are we over-testing our kids? How do we keep our best teachers? This Monday night will discuss these issues and more with our panel:
Eddie Woo, YouTube Maths teacher sensation, Pasi Sahlberg, Finnish teacher, author and scholar, Gabbi Stroud, Author, blogger and former teacher, Cindy Berwick, Indigenous teacher and advocate, Jennifer Buckingham, CIS Education research fellow.
Watch Q&A on Monday 8th October at 9.35pm AEDT on ABC, or streamed live on ABC iview or on the Q&A website.
Fun Fact

7% of American adults believe that choocolate milk comes from brown cows.

That works out to to be 16.4 million Americans
Do You Have Something to Share in
The Engagement Express?


Email any information to csturrock@highlandsllen.org

Copyright © 2018 Highlands LLEN, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

Subscribe Now






This email was sent to <<Email Address>>
why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
Highlands LLEN · Suite 21, 106-110 Lydiard Street South · Ballarat Central, Vic 3350 · Australia

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp