Special Initiatves
The Learning Link is an innovative adult education program developed by commUnity+ in partnership with schools in the Brimbank region. The objective of this program is to build the language and literacy skills of parents to help you gain employment and also support your participation in your children’s education.
Learning Link supports parents of school children in the Brimbank region. The project aims to address language barriers and enable parents to participate in their child’s school life and assist them to gain employment.
Benefits for children
- Increase the parents' ability to engage in the student’s school activity
- Increase the ability of the parent to assist with student’s homework and assist the student to achieve their goals
- Increase the parent’s ability to participate in the student’s emotional wellbeing and kept informed about any issues students may be facing in school
Benefits for parents
- Increase their English language skills
- Address social isolation and increase social participation
- Help parents to gain employment or other education pathways
- Build parents’ confidence in understanding their child’s education
Benefits for the whole community
- Increase in the participation of parents in school activities
- Addressing issues of family violence, social isolation, discrimination and other problems including housing or financial stress
- Empowerment of parents to participate in our community
Skills Reconnect
Skills Reconnect is an initiative spearheaded by the Victorian Government to tackle Victoria’s combined unemployment levels and skills shortages. This program is designed to offer education as a means of breaking the cycle of long term unemployment. It also gives young Victorians who may have fallen through the cracks in mainstream education a second chance to obtain a qualification. Participants in the program will be linked with a coach who will assist them with creating an individualised learning plan, and then helping them with the transition back to education. Participants are offered the support they need to successfully participate in education, training, and employment.
This program provides participants with a broad range of pathway options including completing accredited vocational training courses.
The Skills Reconnect program utilises a holistic case management framework which aims to engage learners with high needs. In order to assist them with reconnecting or re-engaging, in training or the workforce, this program will:
- acknowledge and address the participant's challenges and barriers like medical conditions, mental health issues, homelessness, etc.
- identify and highlight the participants’ existing skill level, long term, and short-term goals as well as areas of potential skills improvement.
- build strong support systems for the participants by referring and linking them to support agencies and training organizations according to their needs.
Workshop on Family Violence For Adult Trainers in the West
commUnity+ organised a professional development family violence workshop in October for all trainers who work with adult learners. The workshop was funded by the VDC Skills First Grants Program 2017.
The workshop was designed to equip the trainers with an understanding of family violence and the ability to address the concerns of adult learners experiencing family violence. It covered important topics including:
- What is family violence
- Indicators of family violence
- Impact of culture on family violence
- Legal and other support services for those affected by family violence
commUnity+ organised a professional development family violence workshop in October for all trainers who work with adult learners. The workshop was funded by the VDC Skills First Grants Program 2017
The workshop was designed to equip trainers with an understanding of family violence and the ability to address the concerns of adult learners experiencing family violence. It covered important topics including:
- What is family violence
- Indicators of family violence
- Impact of culture on family violence
- Legal and other support services for those affected by family violence
Over 50% of attendees completed an evaluation of the workshop with over 90% of the responses reporting that their knowledge, understanding, and confidence in assisting students who may be experiencing Family Violence increased after the workshop. More than 96% responded that the training exceeded.
Brimbank Melton Community Legal Centre collects data of all clients who are referred from the education to them on family violence issues. We have already seen a steady increase in referrals to the legal program following the workshops.
The workshops were held on 10 October and 27 October 2017 and included presentations by:
Scott Mills & Michelle Perry, No To Violence
Lucia Prinzi & Liz Alexander, inTouch
Greta Haywood, BMCLC
All the presentations can be viewed and downloaded by clicking the links below:
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CAIF 9 project at commUnity+
The Adult, Community, and Further Education (ACFE) Board's Capacity and Innovation Fund (CAIF) provides opportunities for Learn Local organisations to develop and implement projects designed to meet learner needs and to increase participation and attainment in pre-accredited and accredited training programs.
The CAIF project at commUnity+ targets women who are at risk and ensure they are supported to maximize participation in high-quality education programs and address equity and access.
The women at risk are working with service providers to co-design the pre-accredited programs, to ensure their barriers are addressed and to support the learners in meeting their needs and aspirations to pursue further education and employment. The course will be developed and delivered by a network of providers who are working together in their local catchment to ensure women can access these programs easily. The program will take into consideration access to transport, innovation-engaging programs to maximise their participation and address some of their life skills issues (financial literacy and knowledge of community support groups) to ensure the women have wrap-around services to support education pathways.
Based on the inputs and contributions of a range of stakeholders, collected during and research and consultation phase of the project, commUnity+ has compiled and released a set of factsheets. These factsheets will be used as guides, in training the adult trainers across the Learning for Employment consortium. Any other adult education provider is welcome to access these through the commUnity+ website.
Asylum Seeker VET Program
If you are referred to training under the Asylum Seeker VET Program, you must meet all eligibility criteria for the Skills First Program, except the citizenship/residency requirement.
You must present the following documents:
- Referral to Government Subsidised Training Form from either the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) or the Australian Red Cross (ARC), or
- Evidence of your entitlement to a valid Bridging Visa Class E (BVE), Safe Haven Enterprise visa (SHEV) or Temporary Protection visa (TPV).
Note: Your Visa Grant Notice or your current Visa Entitlement will be verified through Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) System.
You may be eligible for a concession fee if you present with a Referral to Government Subsidised Training form which was dated on or after 1st July 2016.
Retrenched employees
Retrenched employees must meet all eligibility criteria for a government-subsidised place, except the ‘upskilling’ requirement.
If you are referred to training under this provision, you must present with a Training Referral Letter issued by a Regional Manager, Industry Engagement from the Department of Education and Training.
Once you’re referred to training, you must commence training within 12 months of the date shown on the Training Referral Letter.
Automotive Supply Chain Training Initiative
If you are an automotive supply chain employee, you must meet all eligibility criteria for a government-subsidised place, except the ‘upskilling’ requirement.
If you are referred to training under this initiative, you must present with an Automotive Supply Chain Initiative referral letter issued by a Regional Manager, Industry Engagement from the Department of Education and Training.
Once you are referred to training, you must commence training within 12 months of the date shown on the Automotive Supply Chain Training Initiative referral letter.
Back to Work Scheme
Back to Work Scheme participants must meet all eligibility criteria for a government-subsidised place, except the ‘upskilling’ and ‘2 at a level in a lifetime’ requirement.
If you are referred to training under this scheme, you must present with an email issued by the State Revenue Office to your employer that confirms your status as a Back to Work participant.
