REMOTE PATHWAY GRANTS
Transition From School
Why have Remote Pathway Grants?
With the increasing trend towards enterprise activities that create
employment, self-employment and participation opportunities within
communities and a strong focus on developing employability skills and
concrete experiences, activities funded by School Support Services through
the Remote Pathway Grants (RPGs) prepare students with a disability to
participate in community activities generated from this move.
These grants aim to fund and support flexible work experience and
community participation programs for students with a disability in remote
and very remote schools. Programs are developed locally in response to
local needs, with the objective of empowering and skilling students to
contribute to the community when they leave school. The development of
Individual Transition Planning (pathway planning) for students is an integral
part of the project.
What are they?
The programs funded through this project are inspired, negotiated and
developed within remote school communities and supportive of students
with a disability. These programs foster strong links with the broader
community, encouraging skill development in areas that provide realistic
pathways as students move from school to adult life. The activities
generated are dependent on the available resources, skill sets and
aspirations within the community. Employability skills are embedded within
the programs thus enabling the students to participate in community projects
and initiatives when they leave school.
How we do it
The Transition From School team support schools and communities to
identify possible opportunities, sharing the projects other communities have
initiated and supporting the schools to facilitate Individual Transition
Planning for the students in consultation with the family, community
members, and school community. Government and Non-Government
agencies are also consulted.
Approach and methodology:
Each of the funded activities, have an emphasis on explicit teaching and
modeling of employability skills that prepare students with a disability for
present and future participation in community projects and initiatives.
It is through student’s legitimate participation in work experience and
enterprise activities that experiential learning takes place and students
Transition From School
learn to operate within a community of practice1.
1
Projects are conceived within the school community and in
consultation with community members. The projects foster skill
development needed to engage in ongoing involvement in community
projects, whether paid or unpaid, when the students leave school.
Project outcomes:
This project has funded numerous community based work experience
and enterprise activities in various remote schools across the Northern
Territory. All activities have been locally generated creating realistic
pathways for students with disabilities.
Through student information available to us on the School Support
Services Database it is evident that many students with a disability are
disengaging from school at an early age. This project has a positive
impact on student engagement and retention and also in developing the
notion of transition and progression.
All RPG activities demonstrate inclusive programs and how school
communities can accommodate the obligations of the Disability
Standards for Education within core education provision. Many of the
activities are examples of a whole of community approach to
education and work experience programs.
All activities encourage innovation, allow for experiential,
cooperative and reflective learning that equips students to ‘identify,
create, initiate, and successfully manage personal, community,
business, and work opportunities, including working for themselves’.
(MCEETYA VET in Schools taskforce, Enterprise and Vocational
learning Working Group March 2001)
The activities funded in this project are all closely aligned with the
Australian Curriculum and will contribute to positive student outcomes
as mapped against the General Capabilities and key learning areas,
including English and SOSE. Through these activities students with a
disability benefit from the explicit teaching of employability skills and
work related attributes needed and valued in the community for
involvement in community employment.
Communities of practice: learning, meaning, and identity. By Etienne Wenger, Cambridge University
Press, 1998
Transition From School
An Individual Transition Plan (ITP) is developed for each student. A
person – centered approach is used in which the student’s strengths,
capabilities, interests and preferences are the focus. Outcomes and
goals are based on student and family’s vision for the future and their
choices, needs and preferences
A community audit is also conducted as part of the planning process.
This gives a comprehensive overview of local resources, services and
agencies available in the community. Appropriate natural supports and
mentors are also able to be identified through this process. These
planning activities give students, teachers and families valuable selfknowledge, understanding and networks to appropriately plan realistic
pathways with students.