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For many young people living in care, aspiring to Uni or TAFE can seem overwhelming, perhaps due to disrupted schooling, or perhaps because other matters are a priority. There are ways to get to TAFE and Uni, with or without VCE, and with financial support and other support too eg coaching and mentoring at the Uni or TAFE, help with resume writing and work experience or other support. It is important to know what the options are before leaving school or finishing Year 12. Find out how Raising Expectations can assist young people and carers/parents on this journey. Today PCA Families Project Manager Sonia Wagner is joined by two members of the Raising Expectations program, Jo Humphries and Laura Cashman who work for the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare (Victoria's peak body for child and family services) to tell us more about the Raising Expectations program. Jo is the program manager for Raising Expectations and is an experienced program and project manager, coach, mentor and performance auditor and has been Raising Expectations program manager since early 2016. Jo strongly believes in the power of education to transform lives and the right of all people, regardless of circumstances, to be supported to access post-secondary education. Laura is the Project and Communications Officer at Raising Expectations. Laura has experience working on projects in the out-of-home care sector that raise awareness about the care experience, and is a social work and law student passionate about education and social justice.
00:00 - Start 01:38 - What is the Raising Expectations Program? 04:38 - There is support at Uni and TAFE from people that know what it feels like to be in care 05:38 - Success stories – people who have left care 07:03 - What other supports can help with reengagement at school? 08:50 - To get more young people into Uni you need to lift their aspiration. 11:15 - What about financial support and the Skills First Youth Access Initiative? 13:58 - Sarah is an example of someone moving through TAFE to Uni to Work 15:20 - Danny is an example of someone who accessed the Skills First Youth Access Initiative 16:40 - Where to start - open days, talking to a school career counsellor and other avenues? 19:55 - Contacting Raising Expectations 20:53 - What about Education Youth Foyers that provide home support? 22:46 - Its important to identify yourself as having been in care to access all supports available 26:35 - Building connections with TAFEs in 2021 to build connections for care leavers 29:21 - Keep on encouraging care leavers - more are completing VCE and going onto further education.
Sonia Wagner, PCA Families Project Manager
Joanna Humphries, Raising Expectations Program Manager
Laura Cashman, Raising Expectations Project and Communications Officer
0:00 Start
This is Sonia Wagner, representing PCA Families in one of our recordings designed to capture lived experience and best practice evidence based learning that assist kinship, permanent and adoptive parents/carers in supporting young people. We are a child safe organisation.
Being able to learn from peers and connect with those who may help us is particularly important. Today we are discussing how to support school leavers, particularly when there is school disengagement or young people are leaving care / school.
Before we do I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet. We pay respect to Elders past and present and express our intention to move together to a place of justice and partnership.
Today I’m joined by two members of Raising Expectations, Jo Humphries and Laura Cashman who work for the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare (Victoria's peak body for child and family services). Welcome.
Jo is the program manager for Raising Expectations and is an experienced program and project manager, coach, mentor and performance auditor and has been Raising Expectations program manager since early 2016. Jo strongly believes in the power of education to transform lives and the right of all people, regardless of circumstances, to be supported to access post-secondary education.
Laura is the Project and Communications Officer at Raising Expectations. Laura has experience working on projects in the out-of-home care sector that raise awareness about the care experience, and is a social work and law student passionate about education and social justice.
Welcome Jo and Laura.
1:38 What is the Raising Expectations Program and how does it relate to permanent or kinship care?
Raising Expectations supports young people in out of home care and care leavers to aspire to and access vocational and higher education.
Some of our research tells us that children and young people living in OOHC are at greater risk of poorer educational outcomes than those in the broader community, including risk of:
We see in our PCA Families that it can be a struggle to continue to engage with school after 16 years of age.
There are programs, pathways and options out there to help families and provide viable opportunities for young people to get to TAFE and University, like the Raising Expectations program. Can you tell us about the program and why it is important?
Raising expectations has been going for 5 years.
It was recognised that young people spending time in care were not going to university in the same way as other young people who have that opportunity because they have the support of their families.
So social and economic barriers for young people in care in getting to university have been significant.
This has been overlayed by a requirement to exit care on or before their 18th birthday.
There is an abrupt ending to school and really there isn’t the option to think about ‘can I do further education’ because young people have to think about how do they get a roof over their head, how they will survive. It’s all really dire stuff.
Fortunately, at the beginning of 2021 there has been a change in policy which means young people on child protection/care by secretary orders will have extended support to the age of 21 (foster care and residential care, not permanent care). This gives them the opportunity to finish school and not be thinking about ‘how am I going to cope in Years 11 and 12?’ So they have genuine options to think about going on to TAFE or Uni.
Raising Expectations has evolved over five years and its fantastic to see this significant policy change which is life-changing for many young people.
4:38 Know there is support at Uni or TAFE from people that know what it feels like to be in care
The other thing is that young people in care, for them to know there is someone at University or TAFE that has some understanding and doesn’t need to ask all the questions, that makes a big difference. To know that support is there if you need it is huge.
Often explaining your whole story can be triggering too.
5.38 Success stories – people who have left care
A big part of the program is recognising that with the right support young people are extremely capable of succeeding at TAFE and Uni and going on to great careers as well. We are lucky to work with care experienced people. We know that there are people who have grown up in care that are working in a variety of industries after TAFE or Uni and finding their own way in their careers. People doing fantastic things with their lives.
One man named Luke who grew up in care is now working as a home finance manager at Commonwealth Bank and is on the Board at Foster Carers Association Victoria so he is doing fantastic things with his life despite dealing with many obstacles.
It’s so good to hear those stories of people that have gone before.
7:03 So good to see hear this. We also see a lot of disengagement due to anxiety and developmental delay. Do you have support that helps with reengagement at school?
The Department of Education and Training have LOOKOUT and Navigator programs that help people to reengage and get support. Sometimes mainstream school doesn’t work for some people.
For some young people that struggle in a mainstream school environment, an alternative training or education option may work better. In some cases, once they are 16 the principal may grant an exemption for them to pursue the alternative training or education option.
We have worked with community sector organisations where they have been working with young people to do that. Sometimes that is an option.
There is also Skills First Reconnect program (a wrap around service offering young people who haven’t completed year 12 and who are disengaged from school for 14 weeks or more, the opportunity to have their learning and non-learning needs assessed and support services and workplace experience put in place, together with one on one mentoring, as part of a TAFE service).
Learn Locals is another program which is run across many locations in Victoria, where they offer small class sizes. For young people that might find the whole school environment too overwhelming that can be an option, together with the services they offer.
8:50 Raising Expectations focussed on getting more young people into Uni and to lift their aspiration.
We would say to carers and supporters of young people that it is important to aspire for them as they will find where they want to be at some point. It can take a while to find where your tribe is and where you want to be. It is about lifting their aspiration, with a focus on Uni, and saying that for all young people that want to study at Uni, we can link them into supports to help them succeed.
Since 2015 the Centre of Excellence in Child and Family Welfare has collaborated with La Trobe University and Federation University Australia. The two universities provide wrap around services and financial supports. In 2019 Swinburne came on board offering vocational education and higher education. All 3 universities have a point of contact for care leaver students, offer a range of financial supports and will make sure that young people are referred internally to the services and supports they need at their university. Ultimately TAFEs and Unis want the young people to succeed.
11:15 You mentioned financial support. Can you tell me more about that and in particular the Skills First Initiative?
We will provide some resources in the show notes. The Skills First Youth Access Initiative is run by the Department of Education and Training. You need to be under 24, at some point have been subject to a child protection order or youth justice order and be an Australian citizen. If you are eligible, it gives you access to over 800 courses on the Victorian Skills Gateway from VCAL and VCE through to Advanced Diploma and you don’t have to pay tuition fees. For many young people in care, getting to university via a TAFE pathway is often the way they do it. But that’s how many others do it too! It gives you the opportunity to build skills and confidence and get a stand-alone qualification. Then you might have a break, and then go on to Uni. Tuition fees are covered but not material costs. As long as you enrol by 24 you can do a second course provided the level is higher than your first course – again without paying tuition fees.
13:58 Sarah is an example of someone moving through TAFE to Uni to Work
For example, a young woman named Sarah didn’t complete VCE. Sarah has recently graduated from La Trobe University with a Masters of Social Work. She completed two Certificate IV’s in youth work and community work at TAFE and then went onto a Diploma. which built her academic skills. Even though she didn’t finish VCE, the TAFE courses prepared her for university and completing a Masters level qualification. Sarah is now a mental health social worker and is participating in research, working with academics on care leaver experience. TAFE is a great way to build skills and confidence to transfer to university or as an end point in itself. There are so many job opportunities that come out of completing TAFE courses.
15:20 Danny is an example of someone who accessed the Skills First Youth Access Initiative and Apprenticeship
Another example is Danny enrolled in a taster program at Swinburne and who went on to complete a plumbing apprenticeship. He is now a plumber. Last year he won the Youth Access Initiative Climate Action Centre Award. TAFE is a fantastic and sometimes underutilised pathway.
TAFE is a good way to complete shorter courses and a great way to try something out rather than a long term commitment.
16:40 So what’s the starting point? Is it about going to open days, going to a school counsellor or other avenues?
There are a few different avenues. Last night talking to my step son in Year 12 and he doesn’t know what to do. It does make it really difficult. The Department of Education and Training is beefing up their careers advice and support through schools and options for young people when they leave school so there are more options now.
LOOKOUT education careers advisors are also working with schools and have a specific focus on young people in care and organising trips to TAFEs and unis and offering experience days.
Skills & Jobs Centres are generally located within a TAFE, including one at RMIT. They also provide careers counselling, help writing resumes and more.
The TAFEs and Unis are now putting open days online and that makes it more accessible for young people. Rather than walking around and talking to lots of people you can identify your interests on the website and register for those things. It’s hard but important to put the work in to figure out what interests you.
myfutures website and Job Outlook website are helpful to work out the areas you are interested in. Bear in mind careers now for young people change multiple times during their lifetime.
At 16-18 it can feel overwhelming.
19:55 Contacting Raising Expectations
Yes they can contact us or call us and we will direct you to the best information sources and programs that can help.
We also offer a fortnightly newsletter where you can keep up to date as there is lots happening and its always changing. We will provide information about experience days and open days in the newsletter, particularly in the next few months at TAFEs. So head to the Raising Expectations website.
20:53 What about Education Youth Foyers that provides home support?
We can give you information about them. There are three main ones: Shepparton, Glen Waverley and Broadmeadows and are co-located with TAFES. For example, one young man living at Broadmeadows and studying at La Trobe in Bundoora. They are a great way of young people establishing themselves in their study and work. You should be able to google Foyers Victoria to find them. They provide 2 years accommodation for young people but there is a deal. The deal is for accommodation and support you have to be motivated and engaged in your study. And they offer psychological support.
22:46 Its important to identify yourself as having been in care
When we first started one of the things that does not exist at a Federal or State level is data on the number of care leavers at University. If you don’t know where they are how can you support them? So one of the requirements of the project when we started (funded by Sidney Myer Fund) was to identify and gather data on care leaver students. That is a bit tricky because getting enrolment forms changed at Uni is hard. There have been other ways universities have worked around it. We aren’t capturing all care leavers. Sometimes because they don’t identify as a care leaver because they always lived with Nan and Pop and they don’t think about that label applying to them. However, the last 5 years of data shows us that from 2015/16 there were 43 identified students at La Trobe Uni and Fed Uni. Now including Swinburne and expansion to Vocational Education, we are at around the 400 mark. There will be more care leaver students at other Unis whose information we aren’t capturing. There just isn’t a national system to capture that data at present. Ultimately we would want care leavers recognised and supported as an equity group.
When TAFEs and Uni’s identify their care leavers, there are opportunities for scholarships, bursaries and academic support directly from the TAFE or Uni. The TAFEs and Uni’s can offer support by phone and email and connect them into the services they have. If we do know who care leavers are we can give them the support they need.
26:35 Building connections with TAFEs in 2021 to build connections for care leavers
One of the things we are focused on is building connections with TAFEs so they can identify young people with a care background and provide the support to them. TAFEs have the support there but it’s making sure that young people are connected into that support. It’s also about making sure they feel they can access the support. Not uncommon to hear care leavers haven’t applied for a scholarship because they think someone else would be more deserving.
So a strong message would be if you have young people in Year 12, ensure they complete a SEAS (Special Entry Access Scheme) application, so that they can identify that they have lived in care and that way they will be connected into services. Also the university will consider that as part of their application to university. That’s generally done when Year 12 students submit their application through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) portal. All students apply through VTAC to the universities they wish to go to. They just complete the SEAS as well as it recognises disadvantage in many areas, not just for those in care.
29:21 Care leavers are extraordinary and many more are completing VCE and further education, so keep on encouraging them as it truly does make all the difference.
The young people and mature care leavers are really quite extraordinary. It’s encouraging that many more people are completing year 12. They are going on and doing double degrees and more.
A message for parents and carers is that when the system seems so overwhelming, and they seem disengaged, remember the Marcelle experience. Marcelle moved into care and had low self- esteem and motivation to stay engaged at school. The thing that made the most difference to her was her carers and teachers consistently believing in her and looking out for things she was interested in and channelling her attention that way. She was disengaged, acting out and not attending school often but the belief of others around her got her to finish year 12 and she is now doing very well for herself. Those little conversations and moments to show that you care can make a huge difference to young people. That support and being there for a young person can make a huge difference.
Really amazing thing that you can do for a young person, particularly when that young person has had to survive and manage so many things in their life. It’s understandable there may be a delay getting to that space. That’s ok most people’s education and career pathway is not linear. There is adolescence on top of that and its never time lost. Might make you a better person at what you are going on to do down the track. Always look for opportunities to reinforce and support young people keeping in mind Marcelle.
Thank you for your time today. We will get the resource list up. Families will find the content very valuable!
To anyone making the time to listen to this recording, thankyou for giving up your valuable time for the benefit of the young people in your life.
If you are a permanent care or parent needing help or support please contact PCA Families at or call us on 03 9020 1833.
Please subscribe or leave a comment, or share an idea for a future topic! Until next time have an amazing week!
Access Raising Expectatons Shownotes with Detailed Information on where to go for help
PCA Families acknowledges the First Nations peoples of all Country throughout Australia. We are grateful for continued connections to lands, waters, seas and communities. We pay respect to Elders past and present as we express our intention to move together to a place of justice and partnership. We acknowledge sovereignty has never been ceded and Australia was, and always will be, Aboriginal lands.
PCA Families has a zero tolerance of child abuse and we are committed to establishing and maintaining child safe environments.
