Classroom Assistant - Kurnai Young Parents Program

Kurnai College is a multi-campus college in the Morwell and Churchill area of the Latrobe Valley, about 150 kilometres south-east of Melbourne.

The Kurnai College Statement of Purpose reads:

To build a Learning Community with a global perspective which promotes respect and achievement.

We define a Learning Community as a community where:

•       learning is our focus

•       all members of the College Community accept the responsibility for increasing their own learning

•       all members of the College Community accept the responsibility to assist others to increase their learning

The College’s Four Pillars underpin all aspects of our work. They are Engagement, Excellence, Work Ethic and Relationships.

The current Strategic Plan focuses on building teacher capacity through Professional Learning Teams, improved data literacy and assessment for learning practices. We also focus on creating positive learning environments through the Positive Behaviour Support framework incorporating a restorative approach that is informed by a knowledge of generational poverty and the Berry Street Education Model. The College values student, family, and teacher voice.

The College has moved to a collaborative approach to drive curriculum and pedagogical development. The college has trained a team of growth coaches to help build teacher capacity. The College will also provide instructional leadership development opportunities for teaching staff over the period of the current plan.

The College has developed a strong ICT network and are building our E-learning capacity at every opportunity.

We welcome all students to our college, and we are particularly proud of our efforts to be a more inclusive learning community. The College has been recognised for its work in forging links with the indigenous community and continues to welcome students from all backgrounds, working with all to achieve success. The College has recently changed its logo to better reflect with our Koorie connection and respect for the Gunai Kurnai people.

The College works hard to connect with our local community to increase the number of Kurnai students in further education and training. The College has three mainstream campuses with two year 7-10 campuses located at Morwell and Churchill, and a senior campus for years 11-12 co-located at Federation University in Churchill. The College also administrates two satellite campuses to cater for students at risk (LV FLO) and Young Parents (KYPP).

The College looks to the future with a sense of optimism and a positive frame of mind. With a stronger focus on our Kurnai identity and of belonging to one College with five campuses, combined with an understanding of, and commitment to, our purpose, we move confidently forward striving to provide the best possible learning opportunities for all members of our Learning Community.

The Kurnai Young Parents Program

Kurnai Young Parents Program (KYPP) offers young people with a family, and under the age of 21, the chance to achieve their Year 12 VCAL together with VET modules and other certificates.

We aim to provide Young Parents with essential numeracy and literacy skills and the opportunity to work towards a pathway through a varied VCAL and VET program.  The program aims to:

• Build Young Parents’ self-esteem, self-worth and confidence
• Build aspiration
• Equip Young Parents with essential literacy and numeracy skills
• Assist in developing a pathway forward in Young Parents’ lives, whether that be through further education, employment or career development
• Provide ongoing personal and parental support
• Provide positive role models

LVFLO

This position will commence at the Latrobe Valley Flexible Learning Option, LVFLO Campus; A Latrobe Network Partnership between Kurnai College, Traralgon College and Lowanna College. LVFLO is governed by the partnership’s Board of Management and is a joint approach to catering for students who are not in education, actively disengaging from education or who are at risk of disengaging from education.

Low socio-economic status impacts student engagement and wellbeing within the local government area of Latrobe; both Moe and Morwell are listed in the top ten most disadvantaged towns in Victoria.  Indigenous children and young people are over-represented in this disadvantaged group increasing levels of vulnerability.   The level of intergenerational disadvantage in the region is highlighted by the highest rates of adolescent self-harm and adolescent parenthood in Victoria.

LVFLO will cater for both indigenous and non-indigenous young people, offering a flexible and personalized approach to education pathways. The utilization of student focused core literacy and numeracy modules along with the use of art and health development as further motivating tools will build student capacity both academically, emotionally and physically.  

The flexible timetable of LVFLO allows for partnerships between community organisations and agencies to provide a holistic approach to the re-engagement of young people at risk.