OUR WORK

Youth Conversations

Youth Conversations is an initiative undertaken by Beyond the Bell and partners to offer a forum where young people can articulate their views about education, community and the pandemic. Youth Conversation Phase 2 was completed in 2022. Phase 3 is now being developed. Contact Rachel Wilks for more information – [email protected]

 

Positive Transitions to School

The Positive Transitions to School project commenced in 2020. The project aims to reduce barriers to school readiness for all children in the Great South Coast, thereby improving school engagement and attainment.

This project works directly with vulnerable families and model the success of Glenelg’s Stepping Stones to School pilot to increase inter-agency collaboration, improve relationships with families and improve access to early intervention where needed. The project also includes a campaign to disseminate key messages to inform parents / carers on factors affecting school readiness and how to help their children and seek support if concerned.

The Positive Transitions to School project’s goals are:

  1. To increase the knowledge, skills and networks of early childhood and primary school providers to respond to a child’s transition needs in the Southern Grampians, Corangamite and Moyne local government areas.
  2. To increase the number of vulnerable families accessing specialist support for children transitioning from kinder to primary school.
  3. To increase the understanding of families and community of the elements of school readiness in each of the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) domains.

Level Up

Level Up is designed to support 12 to 19 year old students at risk of disengaging with education. The program works in conjunction with secondary schools and agencies to build capacity in students to continue with their education or training in order to pursue employment and career pathways.

Level Up is designed to promote connection and engagement with education and learning, in line with Beyond the Bell’s vision.

Students in this initiative are divided into two cohorts:

12 to 14 years: This cohort investigates how their current schooling will connect to future pathways to employment or further education, with the goal to enhance the meaningfulness of education and training.

15 to 19 years: This cohort focuses more comprehensively on individual career pathways post school, including the education and training pathways to chosen careers.

Intended Outcomes:

  1. Increase student self-efficacy in learning,
  2. Increase student motivation to attend school,
  3. Build student knowledge if career pathways, including required education and/or training,
  4. Increase student self-efficacy in employment (15 to 19 year old cohort).

Hands up Casterton

Using a community-driven approach, Hands Up Casterton brings together community, local agencies and business to work to ensure children and young people in Casterton are thriving.

Hands Up Casterton will focus on building the foundations and enablers for change, including a strong focus on community connection, identifying champions, capacity building and understanding community needs.

 

Stepping Stones to School

The ground-breaking Stepping Stones to School program enhances relationships, processes, and workforce capacity in order to improve the kinder to school transition experiences of families and children.