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SWEY Partnership – Community consultation on education

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How can we make it easy as possible for people in the Yarra Valley to get the skills they need to fill local jobs? SWEY wants to know!

SWEY (Seville, Woori Yallock, Mt Evelyn and Yarra Junction) is a partnership between Cire Services and Seville and Woori Community Houses.  With support from the Adult, Community and Further Education (ACFE) Board, we are gathering evidence about the state of employment education in our local area and how we can support more people to get the skills they need to work locally.  This means connecting with businesses to learn what their needs are and connecting with community members to determine how to make training as easy to access as possible.

SWEY is a two-part consultation.  Firstly, we want to gain information from community members (“learners”) about what barriers they face when considering a training program and how we can make it easier for people to get the skills they need close to home.  Secondly, we want to connect with businesses (“employers”) in the Warburton Highway corridor and beyond to determine what skills they most value and what types of training we can offer that will best serve their needs.

“The Yarra Valley region is a vibrant community with diverse business interests and a lot to offer, but we suffer from a lack of public transportation and we are far from major training centres in the city,” explains Erica German, the SWEY Project Manager, “Cire already offers the most accessible training in the region and by partnering with Seville and Woori Community Houses we are making sure that it is as easy as possible for local people to gain the skills that they need to get meaningful employment in the area.”

If you live, train, or work in the region, we want to hear from you!   What training programs would you like to see offered locally?  What can we do to make it easier for people to attend?  What supports can we put in place to make sure people succeed in their training programs?  Get in touch on our website, www.swey.org.au   where you can gain more information or fill in our short survey.  You can also find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sweypartnership

Check out the programs offered by our other SWEY partners on their websites:

Sevillecommhouse.org.au
Wooricommhouse.org.au

Cerini Centre inspires a vision

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At UYCH we are always looking to further support disadvantaged youth in the Upper Yarra.

We are currently undertaking a “Research Evaluation Project for Disadvantaged Youth in the Outer East”, funded by the Warburton and Yarra Junction Community Bank branches, which focuses on educational and social needs for youth aged 12 – 15 years who are at risk of disengaging.

The Cerini Centre had been used by UYCH for its VCAL and “Step Ahead” program students for eight years and the project will conduct a needs-based research evaluation of this cohort, in consultation with other stakeholders such as Yarra Ranges Council and Anchor.

“There is definitely a gap in the services available for youth in this age group” said CEO Gus Seremetis, “UYCH wants to change this to ensure these young people don’t slip through the cracks simply because they can’t access the educational programs to support them.”

The research project will review and evaluate existing provisions. The outcomes will identify and determine the strategic direction and service model UYCH will implement to develop a viable and sustainable program.

Geoff Vickers, Executive Officer of the Upper Yarra Community Enterprise, who operate the Warburton and Yarra Junction Community bank branches says, “ This project is integral to the future prospects for young people in our towns, and for the wellbeing and prosperity of our whole community.”

It is estimated that 120 – 150 local youth will benefit from this initiative along with their immediate and extended families.

Plans are underway to utilise facilities in the catchment and the Cerini Centre in Warburton is being considered. Father Charles Cerini was a passionate and tireless community member, who had a strong focus on community education, so as a legacy to his memory the Cerini complex is a fitting tribute.

If you would like to participate in a quick 5 minute survey that will assist this valuable project, click here.