ACE case studies

Rose

The biggest thing coming to the community college for me has been giving me the confidence to get back out in the world and be part of society.

Hi, my name's Rose. Life before community college was pretty quiet and a bit isolated.

I have had some challenges in my life. We've been through floods and cyclone and pandemic and it tends to isolate you when you live on your own.

Rhee

My name is Rhee. I work in the community college sector teaching visual arts. I've been working in this sector a few years now and cover a variety of visual arts subjects.

Rosa's journey in the community college, in the beginning there was a feeling of perhaps overwhelm or being unsure about how she would go with the content and the structure of the course and delivering the assessments through her determination and the support given by the community college.

Myself as the trainer, it was the support from the cohort, like it's a supportive group.

It gave Rose all of the tools and confidence really to keep pursuing, to keep turning up.

Rose

I had found the courses so valuable. Being part of a group, the learning, the support, it was just amazing.

I didn't even think that I'd be able to get in.

A friend applied and she encouraged me and I just really needed to be out there and to make something for myself to shift the isolation that I had been experiencing.

Rose

There's been a few moments and achievements in Rosa's creative journey in the course.

Rosa's application of paint alongside her understanding of colour produced really dynamic works that expressed real happiness and joy.

Rose

The assistance I got there was amazing.

The peer support is amazing. The community college assistance is just incredible.

That support system that is in place is invaluable. My advice would be to reach out, to talk to the outreach support workers that were friendly and helpful and professional.

I've actually made friends, which is really lovely. Sometimes not always easy to do that.

Rhee

Community colleges facilitate really positive learning experiences where challenges can be not only overcome, but especially in a creative arts practice. There's a development in a student's art practice.

One of the main guiding principles of the community college sector is not only inclusivity but it's student-centred. It's also a knowledge development that a student can take with them into whatever the next phase of their career or their pursuit is.

Rose

The skills I've gained have given me the confidence to enter. competitions and the feedback I've had is amazing.

The community college has changed my life quite phenomenally really. I feel comfortable in the classroom environment now which I didn't in the beginning.

The whole process has given me confidence and the skills and the tools to go forward. It just feels great.

I actually feel normal and I haven't felt normal for many years. The feeling is uplifting now.

I'm a happier person and probably enjoy life more.

Yusra

My name is Yusra. I’m from Iraq. I’m mum for two boys.

My son, older son, he’s in Wollongong Public School and there is a hub in that school. And the manager of this hub, her name is Evoon, and she advised me to come and join the courses.

At first, I make friends. If I stay at home, I don’t have any friends. But when I do the course, I can get friends.

The teachers, they are good helpers. and they treat us like friends. They support me so much, especially with me. I have a cancer in my thyroid. And when I came to class, I’m crying, The teacher, she supported me. They followed my situation and I’m good now. They support me so much.

At first, I was interested with the education support. Because I like to work with aged-care. And that helped me to finish the certificate. And I work now with a nursing home. Yeah. Yeah, I like this job.

At first, I feel so, so scared and afraid and I can’t say any word because I’m so shy. But when I see the teacher, she explains everything. She’s so easy. I feel comfortable with her.

Carla

Yusra accessed our classes through ACE funding and came to us to strengthen her foundation skills.

The ACE funding allows community colleges and training organisations to have trainers and assessors that can provide access to education in a really nurturing, friendly environment for learners that can’t ordinarily access education avenues. and improve their work skills towards employment.

It’s really gratifying to see them succeed.

Renee Chetty: 
Adult and community education allowed us to deliver this local programme that was purpose built for the area. It's important for Adult and Community Education to treat adults like adults. We allow them to grow and to flourish without barriers.

Turning Points was a programme where we Co designed we'd grow the music. We were looking at a programme to build around foundation skills that supported the learner in a more flexible way.

Lizzy Rutten:
Each course is completely different because of the people. The last couple that we've done it was for people, new migrants and people from refugee background.

So when I met Lena and Shahar at the college, we know that they're from refugee background so I know their story. They left like butterflies coming out of their cocoons and spreading their wings and learning an extensive amount of skills in that time.

Shaha Zaghla: 
My name is Shaha, I'm from Iraq.  Third of August 2014, when ISIS come to us and it was, it was so hard for us. My sister, she was kidnapped like ISIS take her.

Lina Hasan:
Me and my sister and my brother with one, my father and mother who are together. They take like everyone, anywhere. And they taken my sister. She was very young, Five years, she's old.

Shaha Zaghla: 
So I met Lena in high school when I arrived to Australia. After one year, I met her and we just became friends. I'm so lucky she's in my life.

Lina Hasan:
Yeah, she's my bestie.

Lizzy Rutten:
We talked about what makes us human and humanity and everybody shared a story about their mother. And that was just so profound for me as a facilitator because you never know where the song's going to come from and where it's going to lead to.

Students playing and singing music.

Lina Hasan:
After I finished Turning Points course, I studied new course it’s calling Workplace Skills. In the course Workplace Skills, I learn computer and communication.

Shaha Zaghla: 
The other thing I wanted to do is to help my community. The Yazidi community. So English skills in a community college course is helping me with my English and to become an interpreter.