Bulletin Week 20

Chairman Rob welcomed everyone, who all appeared refreshed after the rigors of the Swap Meet.  In particular our guest speakers Leanne Preece, the Principal of Weeroona College, and Anton Van Maanen, Deputy Principal were given a rousing welcome to our breakfast meeting.

As per usual Rob commenced proceedings with a pork joke, something about keeping pigs at home!

 

 

Rob introduced Leanne and Anton who spoke about the beginning of a new relationship with our club and the great team that they have in the school to work with us and the wider community.

Weeroona College now has two campuses, White Hills and Kangaroo Flat, where the Flexible Options Learning Program (FLO) is conducted. After commencing at Weeroona in 2009, Leanne recognized that there was a significant number of young people who were disadvantaged and therefore potentially missing out on education and training opportunities. After many meetings of the 4, 7-10 government schools, Bendigo SSC and Kalianna SS, a new model was established to create something different from the “norm”. In her own words, Leanne has been “banging on” about a potential new and different model to support these young people, so she put her hand up to facilitate and coordinate the new program.

Anton was appointed as the Campus Principal of the Kangaroo Flat Campus after working in the Frankston area, his skills and knowledge working with this cohort of young people was well established.

A well-documented process and curriculum has been developed to provide support for 60 students from Years 7 and up. Many of these young people have a tough physical and verbal exterior which belies their underlying fragility. There is a strong referral process from all schools, with cross checking and referencing undertaken before a student is accepted into the program. In can take up to 6 months or more to start to build up a relationship based on trust and respect.

 

It takes a long time and a lot of work to change the modelled behaviors of many of these young people, but the end results are well worth it.

 

All of the questions put to Leanne and Anton from the floor were answered with the detail and honesty, which was appreciated by all present.

The opportunity to visit the school and for members to become involved was tabled. This will be discussed in the future.

Thanks Leanne and Anton for great presentation on the program you have started and for the changes you are making to the lives of some of our young people in the Bendigo region.