SUPPORTING YOUNG AT RISK LEARNERS: ENGAGEMENT THROUGH ADAPTIVE VET PRACTICES Annette Foley

1. SUPPORTING YOUNG AT RISK LEARNERS: ENGAGEMENT THROUGH ADAPTIVE VET PRACTICES Annette Foley

2. Statistics • Fifteen percent of young people aged 15-19 years in Australia are classified as disengaged from education and training. • For those aged 20-24 years, 25.3 percent are ‘at risk’ • At the national level, the teenage fertility rate in 2009 was 17 babies per 1,000 for women aged 15-19 years in 2009 (ABS, 2009). This is around 11-12,000 babies born to teenage mothers every year.

3. Barriers • Young people can face a myriad of barriers that can impact their ability to connect to school: • Literacy and numeracy issues • External issues • Bullying • Mental illness • Teenage mothers often face barriers such as: • Access to acceptable, affordable childcare • transport problems • financial pressures • appropriate and safe housing • relationship issues • low self-esteem; and • bullying or feeling isolated at school (Bradbury, 2011).

4. Background • School VET pathways programs • ACE/VET pathways • Community VCAL • VET in Schools programs • General Education programs • School based apprenticeship programs

5. Out of school programs in Ballarat and region • Stepping Stones • Youth pathways programs • Community VCAL • Neighbourhood Houses (ACE) • Out of School • LinkUp • Young mum’s program • Young fathers program • Etc etc

6. Practical outcomes • Life skills • Cooking • Baby care • Financial management • Counselling • Health

7. Skills Based Outcomes • Back to school • Pathway to TAFE or ACE programs • Apprenticeships • Jobs

8. The Project • Case study using narrative analysis and involving interviewing • 5 young mothers between the ages of 16 and 21 years enrolled in an alternative ‘young mums’ program. In addition 5 adult educators involved in teaching in the ‘young mums’ were also interviewed. • 10 young males in youth transitions • 9 participants from Neighbourhood house program • 10 participants from out of school program • Teachers • The findings from this project inform/add to a larger ARC funded project looking at disengaged youth in regional Victoria

9. The projects aims • Understand the teaching and learning practices within the VET/ACE context • Pedagogical culture • Look at how VET/ACE education strategies work to engage disengaged school aged young people • Find out why these students connect with these programs and the teaching and learning styles but are disengaged from mainstream schooling. • What are the benefits to these students • Education Outcomes • Other Outcomes • Can the mainstream school system learn something

10. Findings The Mothers • The data showed a pedagogical culture that involved connecting students local community knowledge, interests and youth culture to their learning. ‘I like it here because its close to home, people know me here’ • Mothers spoke of feeling comfortable in the program • Feeling respected • Feeling connected ‘I feel more comfortable here. The teachers aren't like teachers their kind of our friends. I can talk to them you know. We respect each other.’

11. Learning about their babies needs ‘I have learnt about how to cook for my baby and take care of her better.’ • Mothers felt the program integrated literacy and numeracy with real life situations • ‘we get money to buy our food for the day’ • Mothers spoke of the learning space (neighbourhood house) as important to their feelings of being connected and welcomed ‘I love this house it really like home ..nothing like going to school. I used to be bullied at school.’

12. The Teachers • Teachers spoke of the importance of flexibility in their teaching approaches ‘We use individual working plans for each of the girls which helps us build on their individual needs.’ • Teachers spoke about the importance of taking time with students individually ‘There is a lot of one on one time with these students. It’s very intensive and important to build trust.’ • Self esteem Building ‘A great deal of our initial work with these girls is building their self esteem.’ • Building trust and respect

13. The learning spaces were seen as important to the success of the program ‘Our teaching and engagement strategy is linked to this house. We work very hard to make a comfortable environment so the girls feel safe with their babies.’ • The program was able to integrate teaching and learning with practical knowledge ‘We integrate the curriculum with practical stuff like cooking and shopping.’

14. Out of school programsstudents • Respect was a commonly used word when describing their experiences • The teachers here respect us…its not like school • I feel respected here ‘____’ treats us like we’re equal, she doesn’t look down at us. • Hands on activities was also important for the students • We make stuff here • Its like coming to work, I'm learning all about motors • This will help me get a job

15. The learning space • This doesn’t feel like school • It feels comfortable here • I’m safer and don’t feel scared to come • There’s no bullying

16. The Teachers • One-on-one teaching strategies • Flexible approaches • Activities linked to life and work skills • ‘make it interesting’ • ‘making it relevant for the kids’ • Finding a hook

17. The key messages • A pedagogy that mixes welfare and education approaches • Health professionals • Welfare workers • Secondary teachers • TAFE teachers

18. Personal approaches • One on one • Allowing ‘Timeout’ for students to care for babies/to cool off • Trust • Providing a learning space that caters for the special needs • Comfortable space • Neighbourhood house • Workshop • Mutual respect

19. Ownership of learning • Hands on vocational training opportunities • Access to TAFE courses • Access to ACE courses • Local industry

20. The debutant • Hook • Debutant • Canoeing • music

21. Contact details • A.Foley@Ballarat.edu.au • 03 53279764