VECO Online Guests: Harris van Beek & Eric Sidoti
Bright Futures and You!

Bright Futures for young Australians
interview with Harris van Beek

This article is reprinted with permission from the original published in the ASTF's official newsletter, The ASTF Networker. Visit the ASTF website to be added to the mailing list for The ASTF Networker.

I was thrilled to hear that a young man I met three years ago had recently topped his TAFE course. He had been someone whose life choices were considered significantly “at risk”.

This story is not unique. In fact it is remarkably consistent with others known to ASTF and a clear sign that SWL’s combination of learning in and out of school, is really making a direct and demonstrable difference to the futures of young Australians.

However, stories alone are not enough to ensure that the necessary changes to current practices and attitudes will be championed so that successful transitions for all are a part of everyday life rather than the result of chance or circumstance.

Bright futures for young Australians, the ASTF’s discussion paper on the future of transitions of the young as they move from school to post-school life was developed following consultation with a broad range of people across the country.

"What has become clear is the near universal recognition that it is essential to combine classroom learning with a wide range of learning outside the classroom."

It also takes into account the rich source of material provided from school-industry SWL programs operating over a number of years and specially commissioned research designed to illuminate processes, perceptions, developments and the many challenges that the implementation of new activity generates.

What has become clear is the near universal recognition that it is essential to combine classroom learning with a wide range of learning outside the classroom. But recognition is not enough. The challenge comes in identifying how to build on current good practice in workplace learning so that it becomes completely intertwined with daily school operations, rather than the add-on it so frequently relegated as at present.

In developing Bright Futures we examined why so many good new ideas in education have failed in the past. Three key factors emerged:

1. Education systems focussed too narrowly on financial and infrastructure issues, often the victim of Federal-State responsibility tussles.
2. The failure to recognise that major changes to long-standing educational practice require pilot projects to be followed through with a planned, whole-of-system change management strategy which includes equipping those who will lead the changes with essential skills and resources. 

3. Words flowed but not actions from stakeholders in conceptualising, planning and implementing the new processes.

In Bright futures for young Australians the ASTF wanted to present, not just the issues, but a way forward. The report stresses that making the new way of learning a reality, requires action in three inter-dependent areas. These are:

These three areas rely on each other. If only one or two are addressed the new learning will be dogged by difficulties. For example, many people feel that funding is the solution but the factors involved in that young man’s successful turn-around are not simply based on the dollars available to run the program. The message that comes through consistently is that other critical factors such as partnerships, within and outside school, based on trust, goodwill and positive benefits are also essential. The requirements for success are multi-dimensional.

A review of key findings in each of the three inter-dependent areas makes interesting reading.

Cultural change:
In too many local programs workplace learning operates without real support of the school leadership. In some of those schools SWL is accepted or tolerated while there are additional funds available and there is good news with which to be associated. Too often the school leadership would not contemplate shifting resources to maintain SWL. This sends messages about the value placed on learning outside the classroom.

Partnerships: 
By definition employers and other members of the community must be involved if there are to be opportunities to learn in workplaces and other parts of the community.

ASTF’s consistent observation is that the local programs most likely to be viable in the long-term are built on the foundation of a partnership.

".. partnerships are a key to successful SWL programs."

This is a richer cooperative arrangement than “consulting with” or “working with” others. Partnerships recognise that each of the key stakeholders have needs and that they expect to have those addressed through the arrangement.

In Bright Futures there is a call to recognise that partnerships are a key to successful SWL programs. The report presents recommendations for clear endorsement of the notion of partnerships as well as recognition that the establishment and maintenance of community learning partnerships requires resourcing and support.