MEDIA ALERT
FOR YOUR DIARY
For Thursday, 12 November 2009
Learning support for all disadvantaged students
EVENT: On 12 November the Brotherhood of St Laurence together with Melbourne Citymission, will
host a forum, ‘Partnering to learn: the role of community organisations in supporting disadvantaged
students’.
DATE: Thursday, 12 November, 2009
TIME: 9am-1.30pm
WHERE: Jasper Hotel, 489 Elizabeth St, Melbourne
This forum aims to advocate for the provision of learning support programs in all disadvantaged
communities. In the Brotherhood and Melbourne Citymission’s view, education is an important route
out of disadvantage and exclusion. However, many children and young people face significant
disadvantage within the education system. This can mean they fall behind, lose confidence and
motivation, and do not see school as a place where they can succeed.
Learning support (e.g. homework, tutoring) programs provide a fresh venue where students can make
friends, reconnect with learning, get help from tutors and catch up on work. They also offer a quiet
study space with books and equipment (like printing and Internet access) that can be lacking at home.
Programs are often run by community organisations in partnership with schools and while numbers
have grown exponentially, their success is threatened by lack of funding. In Victoria, a small number
of refugee-focussed programs receive funding from the Victorian government. While this is a great
start, Australia’s policy lags behind places like the United Kingdom whose extended schools program
will offer free study support in all disadvantaged communities in 2012.
At the forum these issues will be taken up in the keynote address by Rosalyn Black of The
Foundation for Young Australians and by representatives of the Department of Education and Early
Childhood Development, Learning Beyond the Bell program, Melbourne Citymission and the
Brotherhood of St Laurence.
Media inquiries:
Michael Horn on 0407 324 360
Grahame Whyte on 0410 221 574
NEWS 
