Students who drop out of high school could still gain their HSC at the Glen Innes Youth Hub.
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Glen Innes Severn Council has endorsed a partnership between the council and the Aboriginal and Alternate Learning Faculty of the Southern Cross School of Distance Education which will nurture educational opportunities for at-risk local youth.
"A partnership between council and the Aboriginal and Alternate Learning Faculty of the Southern Cross School of Distance Education will offer a highly supportive and individualised education setting for students at risk of not completing their education at their local school," Mayor Carol Sparks said.
The partnership not only offers engagement and work readiness opportunities for the students, but also for other young people within the local region.
The faculty has a track record of successfully facilitating programs for eight years for students at a heightened risk of leaving education before completion.
It is expanding its operations to create 'community hubs' within communities and have identified the Glen Innes Severn Local Government Area as an area of need.
The community hubs are established as a re-engagement program for young people either not attending or at real risk of leaving school.
Students can complete a full NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) pattern of study and even complete their Higher School Certificate (HSC).
Further, many of the students work towards obtaining certificates that will allow them to transition into the workforce. The students do not need to identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and the program works in with the local school to support the students.
The faculty was impressed with the layout and facilities at The Youth Booth as its community hub location for Glen Innes.
A memorandum of understanding has been created between the parties for the use of this building each Thursday and Friday of the school term from 9am until 2.30pm.
"The partnership complements council's existing services for at-risk young people, however, has a strong focus on professional learning and education that will assist at-risk young people re-enter the education system or workforce," added Director, Corporate and Community Services, Anna Watt.
"The Southern Cross School of Distant Education Community Hub based at council's The Youth Booth in Glen Innes provides the opportunity to make a real difference to the education of at-risk young people within the LGA," council's general manager, Craig Bennett, said.
