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‘At Risk’ Education Centre Needs Assistance: HallGippsland MP Peter Hall is calling for the development of a special funding model for the Blackwood Centre for Adolescent Development, which works with "at risk" students. By Peter Hall - 21st October 2005 - Back to News Mr Hall told State Parliament this week (October 19) that Blackwood, near Drouin in West Gippsland, was one of Australia's most recognised early intervention programs for students at risk of prematurely dropping out of secondary school.
However, he warned that the program’s viability was at risk because it did not readily fit into the traditional school funding model.
"Drouin Secondary College is regarded as the host college of Blackwood for predominantly administration and legal purposes," Mr Hall said.
"However, Blackwood cannot be regarded as a second campus of Drouin Secondary College, because students travel to attend there from a number of different schools.
"From a funding viewpoint, Blackwood does not fit into any of the existing funding models like community schools, secondary teaching units, the Alpine school or a second campus of a school."
Mr Hall told Parliament that the special funding model was needed to meet the needs of the program and ensure its viability.
It is also an important resource for the whole of Gippsland and the education sector. More than 400 students and their families, predominantly from across the greater Gippsland and Latrobe Valley region, have undertaken the Blackwood program in the past 11 years. Because of its reputation and level of recognition, Blackwood also plays a significant research, support and developmental role to other alternative settings and tertiary institutions across Australia.
"I note that the attendance rate (at Blackwood) of some of those difficult-to-engage-young people is in the order of 95 per cent or in some cases 100 per cent.
"These students, who are travelling from as far away as Bunyip or Sale to get to Blackwood, are getting up at 5 o'clock in the morning to go to school. To persuade a year 9 or year 10 kid -- who has probably got a history of truancy and behavioural problems -- to get up early to get to school is a terrific effort and speaks volumes for the program."
Mr Hall described the Blackwood model as a "powerful educational, leadership and personal development program." "After 11 years of operation, there is a matter of urgency: it needs to have a staffing and funding model developed that ensures the ongoing viability of the program. My request to the Minister for Education and Training is for the department, as a matter of urgency, to acknowledge and recognise that Blackwood is a unit in its own right and should be staffed accordingly."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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