As the North East Flexible Learning Network approaches the three-year anniversary of its expansion into Benalla and Seymour, the program has been recognised at a state level.
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The program was one of three finalists in the Victorian Education Excellence Awards – Outstanding Inclusive Education.
It began eight years ago with Wodonga Senior Secondary College principal Vern Hilditch and his colleague Huw Derwentsmith, who quickly became campus principal of the Wodonga Flexible Learning Centre.
“We were concerned about young people disengaging from school,” Mr Derwentsmith said.
“We went from having no facility in the first year, when we met with kids in libraries and wherever we could, to what we’re doing now.
“Three years ago in February we started in Seymour and Benalla – Shepparton started two years ago.
“There are about 400 students enrolled across the campuses.”
Mr Derwentsmith said some students came from out-of-home-care or economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
“In each campus we have a percentage that are engaged with youth justice, who are homeless and a high incidence of anxiety and depression,” he said.
“They come to us with those barriers, through support agencies.
“The programs we have in each centre come from the needs of the kids – if we have hospitality its because that’s an identified pathway for a student.”
Benalla campus principal Michele Ramage said common ground for many of the cohort was overcoming hardship.
“A lot of these young people suffered some sort of trauma and what we need to do as schools is recognise what the barriers are to them attending school and try and address those,” she said.
“We try to incorporate a really rich curriculum that will lead them on to employment, TAFE or training.”
Over the past 18 months collaboration has increased between the four campuses and Mrs Ramage said networking would keep growing.
Another goal is to further open the community’s mind about what education looks like.
“When we started, a lot of people thought we were a referral school for naughty kids – that’s not the case,” she said.
“We don’t seem to have that issue anymore … we are accepted in the community and are receiving more referrals.
“What I love seeing is young people turn into to confident young achievers.
“They often come to us with little self-confidence and watching them grow is just fantastic.”
