STORY - "Catalyst-Newcastle: Students of the world 'breaking the cycle"

The Catalyst program is an educationally focused initiative striving for the re-engagement of disadvantaged people with the community. The program is collaborative in nature and involves community, business, government and educational sectors. In Newcastle the partners are Mission Australia, the Sisters of St Joseph (Lochinvar) and Australian Catholic University.

According to Sr Louise Gannon rsj Catalyst is, “Profoundly of the gospel and profoundly countercultural because it focuses on building up people’s humanity.”

Catalyst enables disadvantaged Australians to access a wider range of choices and opportunities enjoyed by most members of society. It provides accredited university education in humanities through structured programs, lectures and assignments. This is what distinguishes it from other programs that focus on vocational or life skills training. “Education at all levels is important to all people,” Carol Skafte-Zauss from Mission Australia says. “People who experience disadvantage and become marginalised have different needs and require different types of support. In particular it is difficult for adults who have become marginalised to reconnect. Catalyst is not explicitly focused on helping people to gain a job. Its focus is increased self-confidence, effective networking and personal transformation through education,” said Carol.

Catalyst’s focus on the humanities “enables people who have experienced disadvantage and become marginalised to step back and to reflect on themselves as human beings and how our society works,” said Sr Louise. Catalyst Newcastle begins on 11 August with an Introduction to Ethics. Carol believes everyone is a student of the world and this particular course will enable participants to draw on their experience as the basis for their learning.

The program began in New York in 1997. Since Australian Catholic University brought it to Australia in 2003, it has been established in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Ballarat and Perth and now it is being offered in Newcastle. Catalyst runs within a community setting because it is a “community based program and the venue needs to provide a hospitable non-threatening space that is easily accessible by public transport,” said Sr Louise. Class size is restricted to a maximum of 15 people to enhance individual learning. Learning is transformational and the course is tailored to the needs of the individual group.

The invitation to become a Catalyst student will be extended through various welfare agencies and other venues providing support to disadvantaged people. An informal interview process will enable each person to determine whether or not Catalyst is right for them. “People who choose Catalyst need some degree of stability in their life, a certain literacy level and a commitment to this type of learning. We don’t want to set anyone up for failure,” Carol said. “The program is about helping people succeed. If you want to do it, you can do it.”

Catalyst Newcastle depends on the participation and support of a wide cross section of agencies, groups and individuals. Catholic Care has provided a venue and the Catholic Schools Office has donated ten computers. Individuals or groups of work colleagues who have a degree might like to apply to be a Learning Partner, someone who companions an individual student through the course.

Catalyst has had fantastic results in the past, which, hopefully will be reproduced in Newcastle. Sr Louise said, “My hope for Catalyst Newcastle is that it will be a catalyst, helping participants develop their human potential, imagine a different future and become more proactive in their own living so they can break out of whatever cycles might be keeping them where they don’t want to be.”

Students who continue their studies across four semesters graduate with a Certificate in Liberal Studies, enabling them to access further tertiary studies. Carol recalls a 24 year old woman who commented after the program that being homeless is not the individual’s fault. She said everyone she had met in the course was smart and had something to give to the community. The program gave these individuals an opportunity to do this. The majority of students came out of the program saying they now experienced a greater sense of self, better relationships with others, greater learning and a belief in their own futures. “Catalyst aims to help people become re-engaged with their reality: with their family and friends, in their neighbourhood and hopefully in a workplace,” said Sr Louise.

“On 3 September it is 125 years since the Foundation of the Lochinvar Josephites. One of the ways we want to mark this is by giving something significant to the community that has given us so much. Catalyst-Newcastle, along with Penola House in Hamilton, is our way of doing that, not alone but in collaboration with many others.”

For further information about Catalyst-Newcastle, or if your business or group would like to be involved, please contact
Sr Louise Gannon. P 0407 966 658 or E louise.gannon@ssjl.org.au
Carol Skafte-Zauss E skafte-zaussc@missionaustralia.com.au
To read the latest research paper on Catalyst visit http://www.ssjl.org.au/whats_new/

Jessie Brown

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