Opinion Articles

SOUL MATTERS: Marginalised can attend more than uni of life
By Carol Skafte-Zauss

It’s usually thought that university education is only available to people who have financial stability and a reasonably stable life. We don’t normally think of people experiencing homelessness and other forms of marginalisation and disadvantage as potential university students. However, I’m involved in a program which turns conventional notions about who can and cannot access university education on their heads, and I believe the whole community can benefit.

The Catalyst Clemente program is an educationally focused initiative which provides a purposeful university education that supports the re-engagement of marginalised people in our society. It emphasises the need to enable disadvantaged Australians to access a wider range of choices and opportunities.

12-15 students attend a lecture and learning partner session for a 12 week course on a humanities subject. In March 2009 we begin with an Introduction to Ethics, followed by courses that include literature, history, media studies, indigenous studies and drama.

Catalyst Clemente is an alternative to the forms of education traditionally provided to marginalised people. Usually vocational or ‘life skills’ courses are offered, with the aim of fostering employability, independent living and self-management skills. However, education can also enlighten, empower and fulfil.

Relevant education can lead to improvements in a range of competencies such as communication skills. Perhaps more significantly, it can lead to self-confidence, self-efficacy, self-understanding, civic engagement, a sense of belonging to a social group and substantive freedom.

Collaboration at all levels is another significant and encouraging dimension of this program. Catalyst Clemente is a partnership involving Mission Australia, the Sisters of St Joseph Lochinvar (a Catholic Religious Order), and the Australian Catholic University, with support from other community agencies and businesses. It will be funded through corporate sponsorship, financial support from the Sisters of St Joseph, and other contributions from Catholic Care, the Catholic Schools Office and other interested individuals and organisations.

Another inspiring and powerful collaboration is between the student and his or her learning partner. Volunteers from the business, community and corporate sectors meet with a student once a week. These volunteers are known as ‘learning partners’, reflecting the mutuality of learning that is ideal.

Learning partners are professionally briefed before the course begins. Their role is to assist the students in undertaking and completing their tasks, assignments and coursework, especially with regard to computing and written language skills.

For students, each 12 week course will lead to a Certificate of Achievement. Students who continue their studies across 4 semesters will graduate from ACU National with a Certificate in Liberal Studies, enabling them to access more readily further tertiary studies.

If you have some time to share, a degree, and would like to be involved as a learning partner or sponsor, I would love to hear from you. Just visit www.ssjl.org.au for more details.

My background in education makes me passionate about Catalyst Clemente and I am excited that it is beginning in Newcastle.

Carol Skafte-Zauss is the Hunter Homelessness Project Officer at Mission Australia and the Community-based Co-ordinator of Catalyst Clemente Newcastle. This article is submitted by the Churches Media Association www.cmahunter.com.au