July 2018
Region: Regional WA Kwinana, Rockingham, Peel, Murray, and South West.
Liaison Officer’s Round-up
2018 has been a great year! In 2019 I will be welcoming some new schools including: Dunsborough Primary, Balingup Primary, The highlights for me have been: Brunswick Junction Primary, John Tonkin College (Mandurah), Comet Bay College and Warnbro • EdConnect winning Community Volunteer Community College. With three new high schools in Organisation of the year the Peel region I will be focussing on recruiting lots • Obtaining continuing Alcoa Foundation funding of new volunteer mentors to support year 7 & 8 for Peel and surrounds students as they transition into high school. If you • Working with the City of Mandurah on the know anyone who would be awesome in this role, Communities That Care project please feel free to pass on my contact details. • Hearing the wonderful stories of the huge difference you are making Another way you can help us to spread the word • Working with my EdConnect colleagues and about EdConnect is to like us on face book – we welcoming new ones post lots of interesting information and pictures of • Moving into a new office at Lotteries House, events across the country. Mandurah Finally, I can’t say thank you enough for the support I will be taking leave from Dec 19th until January you have provided to students who need it most. 15th. I hope you all have a lovely summer holidays You have made a real difference in your local too! community this year. If you haven’t already, please complete the end of I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas and year survey that has been sent to you. This is our summer break and I’m looking forward to seeing way of getting any feedback, identifying issues and you next year! updating which volunteers will be continuing in 2019.
Also in this issue: Your impact New office address 2019 catch ups and training Volunteer impact – Rockingham to Augusta
29 schools supported 2545 students supported
220 volunteers
391 volunteer hours a week
Equating to a total value of: ……………………………...... $1,197,506 returned to the community1 ………………………………………….
1. https://volunteeringwa.org.au/resources/volunteer-benefits-calculator/. EDCONNECT AUSTRALIA ALCOA FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2018 PAGE 9 Thank you! Here at EdConnect we have been working hard to process nearly 900 new Department of Education screening checks for our W.A. volunteers. This is a step that has been requested by the Department of Education and is going to further improve the safety of our program and give schools and parents additional confidence.
It’s been a massive task and I want to sincerely thank you for your support. Feedback? If you have been away or have not completed your screening form Suggestions? as yet, you will need to complete it prior to re-commencing at your Questions? school in the new year. Need to de-brief?
If you would like a paper copy of the form posted out please email Contact: [email protected] for a copy. If you need me to re-send Karen Barden the original email instructions please let me know. Rural Liaison Officer
Don’t forget to read the instructions, the $10 payment is covered by Monday to Friday EdConnect. Email: I will be happy to meet with you in order to complete the screening karen.barden@edconnect. forms. Please contact me if you would like an appointment in the new org.au year. Phone: 0438 028 646
Address: Room 6, I have moved! Lotteries House, 7 Anzac My new office is located at Lotteries House, 7 Anzac Place, Place, Mandurah WA 6210 Mandurah. I spend half my time out of the office so always make an appointment if you would like to come and see me.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Alan Thornton for his nomination in the Alcoa Peel Volunteer of the Year Awards! Alan has been an EdConnect volunteer at Falcon Primary School since 2013. He attends school three or four days a week providing learning support and mentoring for students at risk of not achieving their educational potential. Alan listens to maths tables for year 1, 4 and 5 students plus he individually mentors six students from pre- primary to year 5. Each year he provides around 300 hours of much needed one-on- one student support. Myself, Alan Thornton and Tiffany Hennessey, Deputy Thanks Alan! principal Falcon Primary School Lets catch up in 2019! Rural/ Peel Volunteer catch up’s are a great opportunity to meet other Schools 2019 volunteers and school coordinators, exchange tips and tricks and support those who are new to the volunteering role. I am pleased to be travelling across the regions in term 1 and look forward to seeing you at one of the following events.
If you have any friends who may be interested in volunteering Augusta Primary School with us please bring them along. Australind Senior High School Balingup Primary School Mandurah Brunswick Junction Primary School Date: Wednesday February 6th Bungaree Primary School Time: 10am-11.30am Venue: Meeting Room, Lotteries House, 7 Anzac Place, Boyup Brook District High School Mandurah (off Third Avenue) Bridgetown Primary School Busselton Senior High School Busselton Comet Bay College Date: Wednesday 13th February Time: 1.30pm-3pm Coodanup College Venue: TBC Cooloongup Primary School Cowaramup Primary School I will be holding lots more catch-ups during Terms 1 & 2 – I Dalyellup Primary School will email you with all the details of what is happening in your area in the new year. Djidi Djidi Aboriginal School Dunsborough Primary School Falcon Primary School New Schools Golden Bay Primary School Halls Head Primary School In 2019 I will be joined by the following new schools: John Tonkin College Koorana Primary School Dunsborough Primary School Leda Primary School Balingup Primary School Maidens Park Primary School Brunswick Junction Primary School Margaret River Primary School John Tonkin College, Mandurah Margaret River Senior High School Warnbro Community High School Meadow Springs Primary School Comet Bay College North Mandurah Primary School I am seeking new volunteers for all of these schools. Pinjarra Primary School Port Kennedy Primary School In Rockingham and Mandurah I will need volunteers to support Rockingham Beach Primary School year 7 & 8 students as they make the transition to high school. Settlers Primary School These young people need some extra support to develop their love of learning and enjoyment at school. Working with these Singleton Primary School students is not academic and the students all choose to Vasse Primary School participate in the program. It’s not as scary as you might think! Warnbro Community College Waroona District High School Do you know anyone who would make a great High School mentor? West Busselton Primary School EdConnect workshops Workshops are open to new volunteers and Is it time for a refresher? existing volunteers If you attended training more than 3 years ago who would like a please book in for a refresher. Our training refresher. package has been substantially updated and is available online or face-to-face. Training sessions Bookings are essential. are a great opportunity to learn some new skills and share your experiences with new volunteers. Please email me with your RSVP. Alternatively call 944 8646. Mentor Training Training workshops are also held Rockingham regularly in Maylands and are available through the EdConnect Date: Monday18th February online training portal. Time: 9.30am-2pm Venue: Upstairs Meeting Room, Gary Holland Community Centre, 19 Kent Street, Rockingham. Parking behind Dome, off Patterson Rd. Have you liked Morning tea provided. Please BYO lunch. us on Facebook? Please do as there is lots of Busselton interesting information and helpful links Date: Thursday 14th February Time: 9.30am - 2pm Venue: People Place, 19-21 Kent Street, Busselton. Parking at the centre, on the street or behind the closed medical centre opposite. Morning tea provided. Please BYO lunch. How to talk to students about alcohol use. Mandurah The Alcohol Think Again campaign Date: Thursday March 7th is asking adults in WA to say no to Time: 9.30am - 2pm drinking before 18 years. The Venue: Meeting Room, Lotteries House, 7 Anzac Terrace, website has some great videos Mandurah. Off Third Avenue. and resources that may be useful Morning tea provided. Please BYO lunch. in your conversations with students. Learning Support Training www. alcoholthinkagain.com.au
Mandurah
Date: Friday March 8th Time: 9am-12noon Venue: Meeting Room, Lotteries House, 7 Anzac Terrace, Mandurah. Off Third Avenue. Morning tea provided. EdConnect Australia and Alcoa Foundation partner to help students and volunteers
School children in the Peel region will receive additional support to successfully navigate emotional, social and academic issues thanks to a US$180,000 partnership between EdConnect Australia and the Alcoa Foundation. Alcoa has agreed to continue supporting delivery of EdConnect’s ‘Connecting Generations for School Success’ program in the Peel region for the next three years after first partnering with the organisation in 2016.
EdConnect Australia CEO Gerri Clay said the partnership would connect about 100 volunteers with the schools, where they would assist teachers and provide one-on-one student support. Ms Clay said local students would receive academic and social support while older generations would get an opportunity to stay active and connected with their communities. “We are pleased to be associated with the Alcoa Foundation and are looking forward to providing continued support in the Peel region,” she said.
Alcoa of Australia Chairman and Managing Director Michael Parker said the company was proud to support a program with cross generational benefits. “Supporting our young people to reach their potential is vital but so too is supporting other members of our community,” Mr Parker said. “EdConnect’s programs assist both students and older volunteers, who have so much to offer.”
Communities That Care
EdConnect is one of the organisations that been invited to participate in the City of Mandurah Communities That Care project.
Communities That Care is an evidence-based, community-change process for reducing youth problem behaviours, including harmful substance use, low academic achievement, early school leaving, sexual risk-taking, and violence. Working collaboratively we hope to make a real difference to youth in Mandurah.
Read more at www.communitiesthatcare.org.au Kim Savins Principal John Tonkin College, year 7 John Tonkin College students and Wendy Kennewell Project Officer Communities That Care Out and About
Rockingham Seniors and Carers Expo October Mandurah Seniors Expo November
Min Man School Coordinator and Chad, Myself and Susan Reeves Deputy principal Volunteer Mentor at Australind SHS at Dunsborough Primary
Visit www.edconnectaustralia.org.au or follow us facebook.com/EdConnectAustralia
Call us on: Victoria/New South Wales – 1800 668 550. Western Australia – 08 9444 8646
Or email us at [email protected] and we’ll be in touch.