Community Partnerships | Marginised Students
St. Paul’s School Community Partnerships
St. Paul’s School Community Partnerships has grown out of a response to important research commissioned by Brisbane Catholic Education and conducted by long term local advocate and community development worker, Fr Wally Dethlefs.
St. Paul’s School Community Partnerships
- seeks to engage with and develop a shared, sustainable community of difference, where families, staff, students and community can come together
- creates opportunities for families and local community to connect with the school community and each other
- encourages and nurtures relationships where all members feel empowered to be part of a shared community,
- is a place where the school community becomes involved as an important partner, rather than an isolated educational institution
- is embedded within the learning context and an integral part of school community
Community Partnerships are based on:
- Welcome
- Respect
- Relationships
- Reciprocity
- Opportunity
Community Partnerships:
- does not develop ways to ‘help’ or ‘fix’ the identified issues
- is not a service or ‘helping’ model.
The Role of Community Development in a school environment
Community Partnerships :
- plays a role in the total school community
- is not a ‘separate project’ within the school setting
Community Partnerships create a shared journey and changes within the whole school and local community.
Community Partnerships impact on :
- culture,
- learning,
- family/school/child relationships,
- isolation and fragmentation experienced by families and local community
Significant Actions
Community Partnerships has realised some significant actions to date which in turn develop the important roles of community in the school and school in the community. These actions are embedded within the school’s focus on learning that is natural, inclusive and authentic. These actions include :
- Community Food Garden for growing and sharing food
- Woodridge Arts Co-Operative;
- Logan Art Gallery Exhibitions;
- Active learning experiences utilising film as a medium in partnership with students and community members.
- Individual, group, class and community learning experiences utilising traditional, cultural and home-based knowledges within a food garden context.
- Supported Playgroup with Playgroups Queensland;
- Community Computer Club – PC Friends;
- ‘Raising Readers’ – community members supporting reading of early years students
Significant Partnerships
Partnerships with local community agencies include participation in networks, combined projects including ‘The Supported Playgroup’ with Playgroups Queensland, providing opportunities for parents and younger children to connect with each other and build meaningful relationships.
The partnership with Griffith University for purposes of research and evaluation.
Partnerships with members of local communities including various local African communities, and a local Burmese community.
Community Centre
The centre is utilised regularly for :
- Learning experiences,
- parent meetings (e.g. P&F and informal meetings),
- local community use (e.g. ACCESS workshops),
- various community, family, staff, and student activities,
- as a ‘drop in’ place
Emerging and unpredictable needs, strengths and opportunities are being embraced and supported through the collaborative efforts and ‘partnerships’ of School Administration and Leadership, Staff, Students, Families, Local Community and Community Partnerships Workers,.
Marginalised Students - Believe in us
Brisbane Catholic Education's (BCE) commitment to out-of-home and marginalised young people is a core component of our Catholic Christian story and of Catholic education itself.
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