Josie Howie - The Pavilion School
It was set up in a pavilion in West Heidelberg with 30 students but the floodgates opened and they now have 220 students with a further 20-40 on the waiting list at any time. The school is now in the old Preston East Primary School building and they also have another campus in Mill Park. Initially the school was intended to transition these kids back into the mainstream but this is not really viable so the kids complete their secondary schooling here.
The students mostly study VCAL but one student recently completed VCE and has just started a law degree.
The kids who attend this school need a lot of love and support but they also need firm boundaries. Most have experienced some sort of trauma and many have been in child protection. Many live in or close to poverty, with families suffering from multi-generational unemployment. Many are also part of the youth justice system. 70% of the kids suffer from significant mental health issues, more than 70% use drugs and alcohol and 20% are Koorie.
The school takes a human rights approach, with significant emphasis on connecting with the students. Classes are multi age/year level group on a social basis with around 15 students in each class, a teacher, social worker and integration aide. Lots of basic literacy and mathematics needs to be covered. Children are given lots of autonomy but the behavioural expectations are very strict.