McAULEY-CHAMPAGNAT PROGRAMME
Programme Supporters
Development of Programme
Target Groups
Aims of the Program
How Do Young People Enter The Programme?
Learning Environment
School Support
Personal and Family Support
Agency and Community Support
Mission Australia – Connections
Funding
Student Profiles
Code of Conduct
Staff Support
Daily Structure
Referral Form (requires PDF Viewer Foxit Reader, Adobe Acrobat)
An educational alternative for those most in need.
An initiative of NOTRE DAME COLLEGE in partnership with THE CATHOLIC EDUCATION OFFICE OF THE DIOCESE OF SANDHURST and BRAYTON YOUTH & FAMILY SERVICES
McAuley-Champagnat Programme
Founded in the tradition of Catherine McAuley and Marcellin Champagnat
Catherine McAuley founded the Sisters of Mercy in Ireland during the 19th Century. She “saw herself as direct and practical in her response, she went out into the gutter and garret to teach, to soothe and to shelter.”
Marcellin Champagnat founded the Marist Brothers in France during the 19th Century. “The Marist Brothers commit ourselves to be more present among children and young people on the margins of our societies. We respond to the urgent calls that come to us from young people who really are at risk, for example, street children, those who are illiterate, victims of drugs and violence.” (XIX General Chapter, Mission , 33)
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Programme Supporters
Brayton Youth Services – Salvation Army
Catholic Education Shepparton Mooroopna
Catholic Education Office – Sandhurst Diocese
Marist Brothers
Sisters of Mercy
Catholic Education Commission Victoria
Opening The Doors Foundation
Goulburn Murray Local Learning Employment Network
Mission Australia - Connection
Berry Street - Leaps And Bounds
Juvenile Justice Department Victoria
Rumbalara Football/Netball Club
Rumbalara Co-operative
Department of Education, Science & Training – Commonwealth
Academy of Sports Health & Education - ASHE
Victorian Department of Education & Early Childhood Development
Primary and Secondary Schools across the Goulburn Valley – Hume Region
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Development of Programme
The McAuley-Champagnat Programme commenced in 2006 in response to the increasing number of school aged young people no longer in mainstream education. Up to 180 young people both indigenous & non-indigenous across the Goulburn Murray Region ranging in ages from 8 to 16 were identified through various schools and agencies as either not attending school or not attending school on a regular basis.
The Programme is a joint initiative between Notre Dame College, the Catholic Education Office of the Diocese of Sandhurst, and the Salvation Army’s Brayton Youth and Family Services. Since its inception, there have been further partnership developments with the introduction of the Advisory Board. The Advisory Board is represented by those directly involved in the initiative along with the following:
Academy of Sports, Health & Education (ASHE), DOXA, Rumbalara Football/Netball, Rumbalara Co-operative, Victorian Department of Juvenile Justice, Goulburn Murray Local Learning and Employment Network (GMLLEN), Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc (VAEAI), Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET) and the City of Greater Shepparton (COGS) and Mission Australia. In addition to the Advisory Board, there are also many other agencies and organization who are part of the McAuley-Champagnat Programme’s growing network.
Notre Dame College is a Catholic co-educational Years 7-12 college located at Shepparton, with an enrolment of 1270 students. Built on Marist-Mercy traditions, we endeavour to provide a comprehensive and challenging educational experience for all students and staff in a faith-filled, pastoral community. Together with families, we strive to develop the full potential of each individual within a just and caring Christian community.
The Catholic Education Office of Sandhurst supports and provides a range of services to the 41 Primary schools and 10 Secondary schools within the diocese. Catholic Education Sandhurst believes that the values of the Gospel are central to who we are, what we do, and how we act and that each person’s potential is fostered through the dedicated ministry of Catholic Education.
Brayton Youth and Family Services provides a range of programs to disadvantaged young people and their families throughout the Hume Region.
Together we have developed the McAuley-Champagnat Programme to provide an educational alternative for those who are most in need.
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Target Groups
Stage 1 commenced in February 2006. It provides provision for secondary aged youth between the ages of 12 and 18 who have disengaged and no longer attending school or are at risk of disengaging from mainstream schools. They are referred from schools or from agencies.
In 2007, there are over 60 enrolments, a dozen referrals waiting and a number of primary referrals attending a respite programme. Approximately 60% are Koori students.
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Aims of the Program
- The initial aim of the McAuley-Champagnat Programme is to provide an alternative education setting for students in the Goulburn Murray Region who are already disengaged from schools or who are at significant risk of:
- Disengaging from educational opportunities
- Long Term unemployment or
- Detention within the Juvenile Justice System
- The program aims at providing a pathway for its students to either:
- Return to mainstream education (usually at their former school); or
- Enroll in a TAFE program; or
- Take up an Apprenticeship; or
- Take up other employment opportunities
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How Do Young People Enter The Programme?
- Young people are referred to the programme via their mainstream school or agencies. (See Appendix 1 & 2)
- On receiving a referral the Director of the McAuley-Champagnat Programme will arrange an interview with the young person, his or her parent(s), a representative from the referring school and/or an agency representative.
- The purpose of the interview is to outline the program and its expectations, and to assess the suitability of the young person for the programme. It is vital that applicants demonstrate a positive commitment towards the programme, and are willing participants in setting achievable goals.
- On acceptance of a referral, which initially is for one term, an individual pathway is developed for each young person within the programme.
- The young person’s progression along the chosen pathway is monitored and reviewed on a continuous basis. At the end of each term, a decision is made in consultation with the young person and referring school / agency to determine if the student is ready to return to mainstream education or to move into an apprenticeship, or TAFE (or other alternative education) or to enter employment or continue with the programme for another term.
- Successful applicants may initially be placed on a waiting list – this is dependent upon the numbers in the programme at the time and the dynamics of the particular cohort of students as well as the particular needs of the student.
- A student can later enrol at MCP after referral. (See Appendix 3)
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Learning Environment
- Small class sizes with a maximum of 8 students provide opportunities for more personalized attention.
- Teachers are assisted by Teacher Aides, Youth Workers and Indigenous mentors within the classroom to support the special needs of each student.
- The students attend the programme for four days per week. Each Wednesday staff meet to discuss individual student needs and to participate in professional activities.
- Staffing is crucial in this programme, as the setting is unique and intense. Students require intensive individual assistance for both their educational and their personal well-being needs. With the demands of these cohorts the ratio of staff to students is very high and the welfare demands are significant.
- The major aims of the programme are to concentrate on literacy and numeracy skills, life skills and personal development, as well as to increase self esteem and self control so that students are better able to return to mainstream education, TAFE or employment. (See Appendix 4)
- An Individual Learning Programme (ILP) is provided for each student within the programme. (See Appendix 5)
- Practically based hands-on learning is provided across the curriculum areas.
- Work experience and careers counseling are an important component of the programme.
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School Support
- The referring school provides a place for the student in its mainstream school when the student completes the mutually agreed time in the McAuley-Champagnat Programme.
- The referring school provides the student with a mentor from the school who meets with the student on a regular basis, usually once a fortnight.
- The referring school contributes to the funding of the referred student’s placement in the programme. The financial commitment is a pro-rata contribution of the grant money received for the student by the referring school.
- Referred students continue to have access to support services such as Psychologists, Counselors, Educational testing etc. from the referring school or agency as required.
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Personal and Family Support
- A key factor in ensuring the attendance of the students is the transportation of the students to and from the programme. A bus driven by a staff member “picks up” and “drops off” the students at their homes each day.
- Regular contact with students’ families and/or agencies supporting the students is an important component in achieving successful outcomes for each student.
- Regular review of the student Individual Learning Program with the student and family and/or agency ensures regular feedback and positive reinforcement for the student.
- While those families able to afford fees are expected to pay, the majority of students’ families within the program are not able to contribute to the costs. In these cases no fees are charged and all stationary, consumables, sporting, recreational and camping activities are provided free of charge.
- Students are provided with breakfast and lunch each day free of charge.
- Access to Psychological and Counseling services is also provided on an as-needs basis.
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Agency and Community Support
- Networking with agency and community organizations such as The GMLLEN, Rumbalara, Juvenile Justice, ASHE, Berry St., Mission Australia, The Bridge and the Primary and Mental Health Team at Goulburn Valley Health provides the students with support in areas such as homelessness, family breakdown, domestic violence, mental health issues, drugs, aggression and anger management and prevention of crime.
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Mission Australia– Connections
The Australian Government is committed to enhancing the skills of all young Australians and to the continued development of an integrated national career and transition network. The Career Advice Australia (CAA) initiative aims to assist all young people from 13 to 19 years of age to achieve a successful transition through school, and from school to further education, training and employment. CAA is complemented by Youth Pathways which assists those young people identified as being the most at risk of not making a successful transition.
Building on the CAA framework, the Australian Government, through the Department of Education, Science and Training (“the Department”), will provide $34.9 million to fund the Programme (“the Programme”) for the period 1 February 2007 to 31 December 2009.
The Programme assists young people aged 13 to 19 who have become disconnected from mainstream schooling and re-engages them in education, training or employment.
Participants in the Programme are those who are disconnected from mainstream education and who, without assistance, are at high risk of not making a successful transition to further education, training or full-time employment. Young people who are eligible for the Programme also face personal and social barriers which prevent their re-engagement with education.
The Programme provides individually tailored flexible accredited education and training to young people. Accredited education is delivered by qualified teachers either at the location of the Programme project, or the young people can attend other education and training institutions such as TAFE. Through the Programme young people may also receive social and life skills training, career support and advice, and appropriate referral services (eg accommodation services, drug and alcohol counseling). Each Programme project must operate in a location and setting in which the young people feel comfortable, typically in a community youth centre or community house. Young people also develop a Transition Plan which assists them to identify their goals and barriers and to develop and implement strategies to overcome these barriers.
The Programme is underpinned by community partnerships which are a crucial factor in ensuring community organizations and agencies work together to provide an integrated and holistic approach to supporting disconnected young people.
The objective of the Programme is to assist disconnected young people aged 13 to 19 to re-engage with education in a supportive environment and provide them with the ability to participate in further education, training or employment.
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Funding
- The present program is funded by Notre Dame College with some assistance from Brayton Youth and Family services, Juvenile Justice, Catholic Education Office of Sandhurst, DEET, DEST and Rad.com. Brayton provides the site and facilities at a very minimal rent, and the bus free of charge. Rad.com has provided the program with two part-time indigenous workers.
- Notre Dame College meets the costs of many full-time or part-time staff members. Some funds for this come from the normal Federal and State Government per capita grants. Because of the very high student to staff ratio, the program is not self sufficient, and Notre Dame College picks up the significant funding shortfall.
- The future success of the programme relies on the programme being able to access ongoing funding to ensure it covers its costs each year and is self sufficient.
- A number of students are currently on a waiting list and are unable to access the programme. The main reason for this is that Notre Dame College is unable to contribute further additional funds to the program, to employ additional teachers and support staff required to cater for all students who seek enrolment in the programme.
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Student Profiles
- On acceptance into the McAuley-Champagnat Programme, a profile of the student is completed. This profile is based on the information received from the referring school / agency / family and any reports / assessments which have been made available.
- A student profile consists of three essential components:
- An educational profile
- A wellbeing profile
- A set of agreed goals
- An individual Learning Programme (ILP) and an Individual Welfare Programme (IWP) based on the student profile, is established for each student.
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Code of Conduct
- Students are expected to treat themselves and others with respect.
- Violent and/or aggressive behaviour, vandalism, swearing, smoking or substance abuse are not acceptable.
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Staff Support
- The success of the McAuley-Champagnat Programme is dependent upon a team approach in order to support each other and for the effective management of the students.
- Staff welfare is a high priority. Open communication, debriefing sessions after an incident and professional development opportunities and regular staff meetings are essential components of the programme.
- Regular professional supervision is made available to all staff members, and they are expected to participate in this.
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Daily Structure
Students attend the program five days a week unless advised.
Students who live in the Shepparton area are collected from their residences and transported to the McAuley-Champagnat Programme on each of these days.
9.00 – 10.00 am Breakfast (Which is provided)
10.00 – 11.00 am Session 1
11.00 – 11.10 am Break
11.10 – 12.10 noon Session 2
12.10 – 1.00 pm Lunch (which is provided)
1.00 – 3.00 pm Session 3
Students who live in the Shepparton area are returned to their residences at the end of each day.
For any further information please contact the Director, Ms Kimberley Tempest on 0437 982 279.
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