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Celebrating Learning - Feb/Mar 2016 - Edition 25
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Welcome to the latest edition of Celebrating Learning, the bimonthly newsletter of the Brimbank Community Learning Strategy 2014-2017.

Highlights of this edition include: the new online Discover Learning in Brimbank course guide, the full listing of 2016 Brimbank Australia Day Awards winners, and plenty of useful data, resources and information about learning.

To share information about learning in Brimbank, visit the Learning & Information Exchange - an online community noticeboard to share upcoming learning events and programs.

For ideas, information or feedback about this newsletter, E: learning@brimbank.vic.gov.au
In this issue:
Learning in Brimbank Guide
What's On
Learning Information
Learning Research
Learning News
Brimbank Libraries
Learning Resources
Facebook
Facebook
Instagram
Instagram
Twitter
Twitter
Website
Website

The Discover Learning in Brimbank course guide is now online!

This new online format is a convenient way to discover low cost and no charge classes, courses and programs offered in Brimbank, including  arts, computers & technology and family activities. Browse by venue or category to find out what is happening in your community. Courses and activities are held in community centres, libraries, and recreation & leisure centres throughout Brimbank.

The new website will complement the Discover Learning in Brimbank printed guides which will still be available across the municipality. For more information E:daniellem@brimbank.vic.gov.au

Parent Forum: Unpacking Career Options for young people on the Autism Spectrum
 
This one day forum is presented to you by the Career Education Association of Victoria (CEAV) and Melton City Council, funded by the Department of Education and Training. The forum is open to all parents and carers of children on the Autism Spectrum. See the flyer here.
Thursday 18 February, 9am-2.30pm
West Waters Hotel and Entertainment Complex Ballroom
10-20 Lake Street, Caroline Springs
Register here for this free event. Please note places are limited.
Contact Leah Pappas or Amelia McCulloch Tel: 9810 6400 E: projectofficer@ceav.vic.edu.au
 

Pass IT On - Digital Literacy Program for Older Victorians

YouthNow’s Pass IT On program is a free technology program for older Brimbank residents held across Brimbank Libraries. Young volunteers are available to assist with learning about technology, while older participants share knowledge, experience or stories with the young volunteers. Sessions begin 9 February:
St. Albans Library: Tuesdays, 9.30 – 12.00 
Deer Park Library: Wednesdays, 9.30 – 12.00
Sunshine Library: Thursdays 9.30- 12.00 & 12.30 – 3.00
Sydenham Library: Fridays, 9.30- 12.00 & 12.30 – 3.00
See flyer here. Equipment available or bring your own. 
For bookings or enquiries, please contact YouthNow, Tel: 8311 5800 or E: info@youthnow.org.au

Embedding Indigenous Perspectives in Early Childhood: Putting this into best practice
 

With Denise Rundle as MC, this lively forum/workshop features Aboriginal Early Childhood practitioners Sue Atkinson Lopez, Annette Sax and Priscilla Reid-Loynes sharing experiences that embed Indigenous perspectives into early childhood programs.  This free forum includes practical examples that can be duplicated with young children. Run by the Associate Graduates in Early Childhood Studies.

 

Tuesday 23 February, 7-9pm

Melbourne Graduate School of Education - Theatre 230 / 234 Queensberry Street, Carlton

For more information visit: the AGECS website or register now, E: info@agecs.org.au 
 

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It's Harmony Day on 21 March, coinciding with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. For Harmony Day last year, Sunshine Harvester Primary School created a fantastic video of students sharing their linguistic and cultural diversity. See the video here.
Great work Sunshine Harvester and Happy 2016 Harmony Day!

2016 Brimbank Australia Day Award winners announced

 

The winners of the 2016 Brimbank Australia Day Awards were announced at a special ceremony on 18 January 2016, attended by award winners and nominees, their families and friends. 

Citizen of the Year: Despina Havelas

Young Citizen of the Year: Nyakeer Akoul

Community Wellbeing Awards: The Sunshine Hospital Visitor Guide

Environmental Achievement Award: Linda Roberts

Cultural Achievement Award: Debbie Qadri

Educator of the Year: Beatriz Castillo

Lifetime Achievement Award: Alan Dash

Essential Services Excellence: Margaret Wood and Malcolm Peacock, Red Cross.

 

Congratulations to Brimbank Educator of the Year, Beatriz Castillo! Beatriz migrated to Australia from Argentina in 1999. After learning English at the Sydenham Community Centre in 2000, she has remained a committed member of the community. Since 2010 Beatriz, has been a passionate and dedicated self-taught volunteer tutor at the same community centre, holding cooking classes attracting large numbers. She reaches out to people with disabilities and older people and assists in preventing possible social isolation for minority groups in her classes.

Culture Queenz dance program documentary

The Culture Queenz dance program is a culturally and gender specific dance and music program targeting young women who live, work, study or play in Brimbank from refugee/migrant backgrounds. Young women develop afro-beat dance skills, work together as a team and build confidence performing at public events. See a short documentary of the program here.
 
Pathways to Education program
 
Travellers Aid Australia’s Pathways to Education program provides student travel passes to young people who are experiencing financial difficulties to enable them to travel to school or other forms of training and education.
Referrals must be made by the schools, and the following criteria applies:
1. Students must attend secondary education in an alternative setting, namely community schools and secondary education at a tertiary institution
2. Student/their family is on low income and experience financial disadvantage
3. Student is committed to regular attendance and attendance is monitored by the school
4. Students must be studying full time and attend a school listed in the approved list of schools. Full time VCE and VCAL students studying at TAFE can apply, listing via PTV here

For more information, Tel:03 9670 2873 or E: er@travellersaid.org.au
Each year Mission Australia conducts Australia’s largest online youth survey for young people aged 15-19 years. This year the survey attracted nearly 19,000 respondents.
 
The focus of this year’s survey was to uncover what young people perceive to be the main barriers to success. The results revealed that academic ability, financial difficulty and a lack of job opportunities are believed to negatively affect a young person’s ability to achieve their goals in life.

Some highlights include:
* Almost three times the proportion of males indicated that they did not intend to complete Year 12 (5.3% compared with 1.8% of females)
* Young people continue to report that coping with stress and school/study problems are top issues of concern 
* Just over one in 10 respondents indicated that they saw family responsibilities and physical or mental health as barriers to achieving their study/work goals.

Read the full Mission Australia Youth Survey or Download infographic highlights here
How young people are faring report card
 
The Foundation for Young Australians’ recent report 'The New Work Order: ensuring young Australians have the skills and experience for the jobs of the future, not the past', describes issues ahead for young people as the world of work faces the biggest disruption since the industrial revolution, through technology, globalisation and more flexible employment. Read the infographic report card here.
 
Helping displaced older workers get back into employment: good practice guide

This good practice guide is based on the report Industry restructuring and job loss: helping older workers get back into employment. The aim of the research was to identify evidence-based practices that led to successful skills transfer, re-skilling, training and the attainment of new jobs for older workers displaced from often lower-skilled jobs in the manufacturing industries. This guide informs employers, employment placement agencies and related support services, training providers and overall coordinating agencies in the design of programs that help displaced older workers find new jobs.

Humanitarian settlement and bridging visa data

AMES Australia publishes quarterly Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS) data for Victoria, including the number of arrivals, family size, country of origin, and settlement locations. The statistics for July to September 2015 are now available here.
2015 NAPLAN national report

NAPLAN results are publicly reported through the NAPLAN national reports. Results are available for use by jurisdictions, non-government school sectors and schools. Read the 2015 national report here. 
Where's the best school to study VCE English, maths methods and sociology?
The Age
 

"Lena Hudson broke down in tears in the Keilor Downs College staffroom when she discovered how well her VCE students had performed. One in three students in her sociology class - or eight students- received a "high achiever" study score of 40 or more. A hard-working student even received a perfect score of 50."
My Brimbank: Alan Dash
The Star Weekly

"During 45 years at Brimbank, Alan Dash has championed local education. His dedication has been recognised with a lifetime achievement award."
VU relaunches TAFE as Victoria Polytechnic
The Star Weekly

 

"Victoria University hopes to revitalise TAFE training in the west with the launch of Victoria Polytechnic. University vocational education vice-president Grant Dreher, who will head the multi-campus Victoria Polytechnic following Tuesday’s launch, said a key aim was fostering relationships with industry."
State schools charge parents to secure a place for their children
Sydney Morning Herald

 
"They are meant to provide a "free" education, but state schools are charging parents hundreds of dollars to secure a place for their child. The Education Department has reprimanded Northcote High School after parents were asked to pay $270 to enrol their children at the inner-city school."
ATAR and university offers: a tale of two students
The Age

"Marwa has big plans for life after she completes a science course at Deakin University. She hopes to be accepted into medicine, qualify as a doctor and return to Sudan, where she was born, to open a health clinic."
 

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Encourage an interest in STEM subjects with international volunteer group Robogals for an action-packed afternoon of learning how to command electronic minions.
Beginners strongly encouraged. For more information and bookings, visit the Brimbank Libraries website.
Deer Park Library Wednesday 2 March, 4-5:30pm
Sunshine Library Wednesday 9 March, 4-5:30pm
Sydenham Library Wednesday 16 March, 4-5:30pm
 
Abe Nouk and Ali MC
Sudanese born Abe Nouk is a spoken-word poet, hip-hop fanatic, MC and author.  Ali MC is a Melbourne based musician, writer and photographer. Expect music, stories and spoken word as Abe and Ali chat about their work. Light refreshments provided.
St Albans Library: Wednesday 16 March, 6-7pm
  
International Food on the Internet
Learn how to search for diverse foods from around the world. Use library iPads and android tablets or bring your own.
Sunshine Library: Friday 18 March, 1-2pm
 

Feature Resource - AMES World Wide English

This online English learning resource is produced by the Adult Migrant Education Service of NSW, and consists of 3 programs - World Wide English, Living in Australia and Jobseekers. It contains relevant information and practical exercises for students to work through independently, or to be used in a class context. AMES World Wide English is available to all Brimbank Library members. Access it here.
 

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CMY Knowledge Hub

The Knowledge Hub holds information collected over more than two decades of working with young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds. It is aimed at workers and organisations looking for information about working with young people and the issues they face.
 

Why Digital Inclusion Matters


Digital inclusion ensures that no one is left behind in the move towards an increasingly digital world. Two issues often cited as barriers to digital inclusion are affordability and lack of digital literacy. Read more about why digital literacy matters from the Australian Communications and Consumer Action Network here. 
 

Homework Support in Brimbank

The Brimbank Homework Support listing has been updated for 2016. View the listing, along with recommended learning support websites on the Brimbank Learning Hub.
 

STEM Programme Index 2016

 

A new guide released by the Office of the Chief Scientist will help teachers and students access over 250 science, technology, engineering and mathematics programmes. The first national STEM Programme Index is an accessible guide to business, university, government and community-led STEM initiatives. It includes in-class, after school, holiday and online activities and resources, catering to a wide and growing range of students.
 

SchoolMate App


SchoolMate is an essential App for parents of school-aged children in Victoria, Australia. Produced by Victoria’s Department of Education and Training, SchoolMate will provide parents with a roadmap to help aid their child’s learning at home and at school. Read more here.
 

For more information about SchoolMate, contact: online.comms.unit@edumail.vic.gov.au

 

Choosing a VET provider

The Brimbank Learning & Employment Steering Committee has put together a checklist for choosing a VET provider. View the checklist on the Brimbank Learning Hub.
 

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Copyright © |2016| |Brimbank Libraries & Learning|, All rights reserved.


To submit articles or ideas, or to provide any feedback, please E: learning@brimbank.vic.gov.au

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