Ways and = Means

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February, 2010

Dear Valued WAYS = Supporter, VIEW FROM THE TOP =20 Welcome=20 to our first issue of WAYS & MEANS for 2010, = the=20 year in which WAYS celebrates 30 years of service = to the=20 community. We are proud of the services, staff = and the=20 opportunity to provide assistance to thousands of = young=20 people and their families across Eastern Sydney these = past 30=20 years. We are grateful for the support of = the=20 community, funding bodies, individuals, foundations,=20 volunteers and other supporters throughout = the=20 years. Thankyou. News of = celebration=20 activities will follow in the coming weeks and = months. It=20 has become a tradition for the first issue of WAYS = & MEANS=20 each year to put the spotlight on some of=20 the programmes we offer young people who seek the = help of=20 our services. This time we have focussed = on what=20 we have learned are the critical factors to=20 providing education and training programmes=20 for disadvantaged young = people. I hope=20 you enjoy the reading. But first, a word about = the new=20 'earn or learn' federal government = policy. 2010 is=20 a new frontier for young people who are marginalised, = and for=20 those thinking about leaving school and for those=20 organisations in the community sector who work with = young=20 people. As we understand it: as of 1 January 2010, young people must stay at = school=20 until they complete Year 10, and they will be = required to=20 participate in approved education, training or = employment up=20 until the age of 17 years and, to be eligible for income support like the = Youth=20 Allowance, young people under the age of 21 must = either hold=20 a Yr 12 or equivalent qualification or be engaged in = 25=20 hours per week of approved education or training. = If=20 young people are not in education or training 25 = hours per=20 week as required, and they are not employed = they must=20 do other additional activities to meet the 25 hour = per week=20 participation requirement. While the=20 intention may be to ensure that young = people=20 up to the age of 17 have the best opportunity to = develop the=20 foundation skills necessary to transition into other=20 education, training and employment, aspects of = the=20 policy are not that clear. For = example there=20 are no definitive guidelines about what constitutes an = approved education or training programme for = young=20 people beyond Yr 10 and it appears at first glance = there is a=20 lack of flexibility about what constitutes an = 'approved=20 equivalent'. Furthermore, it is not clear = what will=20 happen if a young person is not able to meet their=20 participation requirements due to their personal = circumstances=20 and who will be eligible for exemptions from = participation and=20 how to apply for an exemption. What=20 this means for young people is of concern for those of = us at=20 WAYS who work with some of the most vulnerable of = young=20 people. One likely scenario is that some young people = will=20 fall between the cracks and be further marginalised = and=20 disadvantaged because they do not understand what is = required=20 of them, and the options available are = either not=20 suitable, or not available due to demand, or = unavailable for=20 some other reason. It=20 is important that those of us who work in = this=20 area do not forget our responsibility to be=20 advocates for the = vulnerable. Furthermore, it=20 is important that peak bodies like NCOSS and ACOSS=20 although primarily funded through=20 government sources, do not forget the role they = have,=20 which is to challenge and challenge = strongly=20 government policy when it makes those = vulnerable=20 more vulnerable and to do this without fear or=20 favour. THANKYOU =20 At=20 the end of 2009 a couple of great things happened that = we=20 wanted to say a huge thankyou for. Firstly, a = long time=20 supporter of the organisation Rebel = Penfold-Russell=20 held a Christmas party at which her guests through = raffles, a=20 silent auction and donations contributed a good = deal=20 to the work of WAYS. Secondly, we had an = out of=20 the blue phone call from Michelle Husband, = International=20 Claims Specialist from United Airlines = asking if we=20 would like the opportunity to take left over property=20 from international flights. Of course = we said=20 yes and this gave us an opportunity to give a range of = gifts=20 to young people for Christmas. Many of those = young=20 people gaining something they would not necessarily = have the=20 opportunity to receive. To Rebel and = United=20 Airlines thankyou, it was a real lift to the=20 organisations work. GOOD NEWS for WAYS = Education=20 =20 The=20 WAYS POEM school has been operating for seven years = and=20 operates as a non-government registered school for=20 the disadvantaged with the New South Wales = Board of=20 studies and the Commonwealth Department of Education=20 Employment and Workplace = Relations(DEEWR). =20 It is with great pleasure we can announce our success = in=20 obtaining, along with our partners The Salvation = Army=20 Oasis Youth Network and Rosemount Youth services, = funding from=20 DEEWR under the Connections Programme . This = funding is=20 aimed at ensuring highly disadvantaged young people = are given=20 access to good quality education and training. = This=20 programme will further enhance the services already = provided=20 by WAYS POEM and our Registered Training services. = To=20 find out how Connections can be of assistance to you=20 contact us on 93652500. SPOTLIGHT ON PRACTICE - = The critical=20 success factors for WAYS Education & Training=20 Programmes =20 The=20 reasons why young people drop out of mainstream = education and=20 training settings are many and varied. Some young=20 people tell us that mainstream school, TAFE = and=20 other training environments are 'too hard' 'they don't have enough time for me' 'I have trouble waking up on time' 'I can't concentrate so easy' 'its too noisy' 'they talk down to me' 'I can't keep up' 'Its boring' Here=20 at WAYS we do not interpret these comments as = a criticism=20 of schools, teachers and trainers, but see them as = signposts=20 about what needs to be taken into consideration when=20 developing a learning environment, course content and = delivery=20 methods for those young people who find = mainstream=20 environments difficult and not quite right for=20 now. The=20 young people who seek our help at WAYS have = aspirations and a=20 destination in mind. They did not intend to = become=20 unemployed or leave school with an = education level=20 below Yr 10. This drives the purpose = of our=20 education and training programmes which is to = make=20 learning possible again. We do this through the = creation=20 of an environment that = is supportive, creative in=20 approach, organised and is planned in such = a=20 way that success for young people means = they =20 want to learn again, where they can develop the = skills=20 necessary to problem solve, and =20 develop awareness and solutions to=20 the roadblocks to their=20 learning. What are some of the = critical=20 success factors? Organisation and staff: The=20 organisational context and staff have a vision = that is=20 about possibilities and one which offers = inspiration,=20 hope and a sense that all things are doable with the = right=20 kind of support and assistance. The staff we employ = are=20 passionate, creative, patient and kind. All = staff are=20 well trained and equipped to work with = the range=20 of needs that many of the young people = have. Organisational = Philosophy: Most=20 importantly here at WAYS we have a 'one stop shop' = service=20 philosophy which means young people have easy access = to a=20 range of services, activities and support to = help them=20 to be sustained in learning. This = includes easy=20 access to health, welfare and legal = services,=20 counselling and a range = recreational programmes. =20 Furthermore, if we don't have what is needed we = will=20 work closely with partners, other community = groups and=20 services to ensure that a young person's needs can = be=20 met. Staff to student ratio: = This=20 element is crucial. Small groups of young = people=20 working with staff to ensure adequate = attention and=20 integration of the knowledge shared. This = means that=20 staff have a range of roles with young = people. We=20 act as guide, coach, mentor, teacher,=20 trainer, and the boundary setter so that the=20 environment is safe, predictable, consistent, = creative, and=20 productive for all concerned. Individualised support: This = element=20 goes hand in hand with the staff to student = ratio. =20 Young people have individualised learning and = support=20 plans tailored to their needs. Some = young people=20 also have individual case = management. 'Long as it = takes': To=20 ensure that each young person is seen as an=20 individual we commit ourselves to a principle = of 'long=20 as it takes'. This does not mean there are no=20 boundaries, or anything goes, it means that we = remain=20 focused on the purpose of our programmes which is to = provide=20 a flexible and responsive learning environment where = the smallest of achievements are = recognised,=20 catch up sessions are built into = training=20 programmes, a study room with computer access = for=20 after class activities and the = opportunity to=20 work with a staff member to overcome the roadblocks = to=20 learning are provided. Promoting choices: The WAYS = environment=20 encourages students to be aware of the choices = they=20 are making about their behaviour. There is = endless=20 encouragement, guidance and coaching so = that=20 choices made mean young people have the best = possible=20 chance of being sustained in the learning =20 environment. The focus is new skills and = not the=20 repitition of old patterns of behaviour so that = the=20 potential for self sabotage gives way to = gaining of=20 knowledge, increased confidence and a sense of=20 acheivement. Participation: Each = education and training setting within WAYS = creates=20 opportunities to enable young people to have = input=20 to the aspects of the environment and = learning =20 they can have influence over. This is done=20 to enhance ownership of the learning = environment=20 and to develop a sense of responsibility for = themselves and=20 toward peers. This = includes =20 regular student led meetings where planning = and=20 problem solving together about the needs, = issues=20 and concerns in the learning environment. Accredited qualifications: It = is=20 important that young people have access to a=20 broad ranging curriculum that is accredited, = relevant,=20 useful and delivered in a way that is = applicable to=20 their developmental needs. Basic needs: The availability = of=20 breakfast and lunch is a must. It is well = known=20 that regular food helps concentration and in a youth = dedicated environment it helps the process of=20 engagement. Transition support and follow = up:=20 Planning for the transition from WAYS begins early = and is a=20 deliberate part of the delivery of our education and = training programmes. The conversation begins = something=20 like "your time here at WAYS is part = of achieving=20 your bigger goals. When you are = ready we=20 will work with you to help you make the next=20 steps". 'the door is always open': = This=20 principle is underpinned by the fact that some = young=20 people need a number of opportunities to make a = start before=20 they can continue. Captured by=20 the following statement. Matt said = "you=20 were the only ones that did not give up on me". = Matt=20 came to WAYS POEM when he was 16, he had a number of = goes at completing his goals. Matt, = now 22 is working full time and is about = to=20 start a TAFE certificate related to his work in a=20 refrigeration factory. This is one of = the=20 many, many heart warming stories of=20 achievement. In=20 conclusion, the provision of education and training = programmes=20 for disadvantaged young people is a challenge and=20 rewarding. With the success factors described we = think=20 we have an approach that is a = winner. To=20 find our more about WAYS Education and Training = programmes or=20 to talk in more detail with one of our staff = click on=20 the following links WAYS=20 POEM or call 93652500 WAYS=20 Youth Training or call 93889455	In This Issue VIEW=20 FROM THE TOP THANKYOU GOOD=20 NEWS for WAYS Education SPOTLIGHT=20 ON PRACTICE - The critical success factors for WAYS=20 Education & Training=20 Programmes WHAT'S ON Youth=20 Centre & Youth Week Parents=20 in Training Programme Certificate = II in Business Administration Traineeships= =20 in Retail & Business Administration VODAFONE & WAYS Annabel Savill=20 has applied to the Vodafone Make a Difference = programme=20 for an opportunity to work in the WAYS = Parents=20 in Training Programme over the next year. =20 To hear more about her application = click=20 here=20 and leave a comment to help Annabel = help=20 WAYS DONATE TO WAYS =20
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