Young people aged 17 to 24 can now enrol at a unique new Catholic school opening next year in the northern suburbs.
Excitement is building at Davoren Park, as Compass Catholic Community achieved significant milestones in the past month, with enrolments for 2022 opening, construction now well underway, and branding released.
Principal Kelly Bunyon said the response to Compass so far has been “overwhelmingly positive”.
“Everyone is really excited and very positive,” she said.
Compass is a part of a new education and community services ‘village’ for young people who may have faced barriers to living a life that is meaningful to them.
“If young people haven’t thrived in mainstream schooling, for whatever reason, then this school could be for them,” said Ms Bunyon.
“If young people have experienced any form of social, emotional, or behavioural difficulties which have become obstacles to their attendance and completion of schooling, then Compass offers a welcoming, supportive, flexible learning environment be the school that will work with students.”
Ms Bunyon said Compass is a registered school, with registered teachers, a true secondary school offering SACE and VET, but very flexible in how young people learn and how teachers will work with students.
“It’s a very different way of educating. We’re not going to have lessons or classes in subjects, it’s all project based,” she said.
“So young people will come and engage in ways that are interesting to them. It’s very much an adult learning environment.
“There will be no subjects, no bells, no uniforms and there will be free on-site childminding for students with pre-kindy aged children to help remove any barriers to coming to school.”
The school will also provide free breakfast in the kitchen hub every morning and a full-time social worker on site to support young people.
“Even the way students enrol is deliberately different. They are encouraged to reach out for a conversation in any way that is comfortable for them - they can have a conversation at a shopping centre, with their current social worker, or get in touch by text, phone call or social media,” Ms Bunyon said.
“And they can start any time of the school year, whenever they are ready."
“This is a genuinely different approach to some well-known challenges. There is so much possibility, energy and positivity in our community. Add to that the joy of working with students who are not required to be at school, but instead choose to engage out of personal drive and passion, there is nothing better.”
Information packs are available for potential students and the broader community.
See here for more information or call 8288 4900.
Three students from Catholic schools have been named among the winners in the 2021 Premier’s Anzac Spirit School Prize Competition.
