Attachment - Sector Connect

Editor: [email protected]
Inside This Issue
Macarthur Jobs and
Training Expo
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Empowering Teen Girls4
Joining the Dots 5
Foundation Skills 5
Work Inspiration 6-7
F1 in Schools
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Soccer Tournament 9
Boys to Men 10
APRIL 2014
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Empowering Teen Girls
L to R: Kim White Camden Council, Dannielle Miller Enlighten Education, Amber Hope MWLP
and Pauline Kidd Camden Council
Dannielle Miller, one of Australia’s foremost educators, authors and media commentators on
teenagers enlightened a sold out audience of approximately 100 parents, teenage girls and
educators at a recent seminar held in Narellan Library. The seminar exposed the pain of the
teengirl world: the body image crises, low self-esteem and constant bombardment with toxic
and hypersexual media and marketing portrayals of women.
Dannielle revealed some shocking statistics of stressed, overwhelmed, exhausted and angry
girls binge drinking, self harming and often extreme dieting.
Drawing on years of experience as an educator and student welfare advocate, Dannielle
supplied the enthralled audience with tools to begin to turn this drastic behaviour around.
Speaking with great humour and compassion she had an amazing ability to connect with
everyone in the room – students, parents and educators alike.
Dannielle says “Girls cannot be what they cannot see.” She encourages all mums to set the
example and be OK with who you are. Mums should talk to their daughters - often – and face
to face in a safe place. They should help their daughters by staying informed, bombard them
with positive messages and offer them emotionally engaging alternatives.
It was powerful advice and left a huge impact on the audience. Feedback following the seminar
was very heartening. Mums wanted to get home and hug their daughters.
This free seminar would not have been possible without the sponsorship of Camden Council,
MWLP Partnership Brokers and MacarthurParents.com.au
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JOINING THE DOTS – NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN ABORIGINAL EMPLOYMENT
AND RELATED SUPPORT PROGRAMS IN CAMPBELLTOWN
The first PIE Forum for 2014 will be held on Tuesday 29 April at the Civic Hall Campbelltown,
from 9.30am-1.00pm.
This important Forum will bring together a number of key people responsible for a series of
current initiatives and reforms which will have a major impact on Aboriginal economic
participation in the Campbelltown region.
These will include (but not limited to) the Opportunity Hub announced as part of OCHRE - the
NSW government’s strategy for Aboriginal Affairs, the ‘Polly’ (Graham) Farmer Foundation/
University of Western Sydney project to support young Aboriginal students to achieve their
aspirations, current reforms to the TAFE funding model as well as showcasing a unique acquired
brain injury program offered by ARBIAS. It will also highlight other developments currently
underway and offer the opportunity for early engagement and collaboration with these.
Please come along and help us ‘join the dots’ for Aboriginal employment, education, training
and economic participation in your region.
All RSVPs should be sent ASAP to: [email protected]. Due to the
intervening Easter holiday, RSVP’s will need to be received no later than cob Tuesday 22
April 2014 to allow for catering and other arrangements.
We look forward to meeting with you at the Forum!
———————————————————————————————————————————————-
Short courses for 8 weeks run through Foundation Skills by Outreach with several
community partners.

Computing Skills to assist with studies or work--- Thursdays and Fridays

Developing language skills through Gardening -- Mondays and Thursdays

Communication for farm work -------------- Tuesdays
Contact Annie 46201866 or Sue 46271188
This is an opportunity to get a fees exempt course for those who cannot afford to pay.
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Macarthur Students Inspired to Work
Students with Janet Cranfield (SWSI Tafe) left & Peter Harper & Jessica Tailby (VISA) right
Work Inspiration is an Australia-wide, employer-led campaign that enhances work experience.
Each year thousands of young Australians take part in work experience but Work Inspiration
takes this experience to a whole new level.
Recently 10 students from three Macarthur High Schools (James Meehan, Campbelltown
Performing Arts High School and Robert Townsend) enjoyed a three day workshop at
Macquarie Fields TAFE to learn more about the Sign and Graphic Industry.
Passionate about art and design these Year 10 and 11 students learnt how their skills and
interests could fit into the industry. They visited three local companies and just one of their
assignments was to interview key people within the industry to learn how they got where they
are now; exposing the students to a vast array of career choices.
“It was great to see the level of interest displayed by the students and the time invested by
local companies Camden Signs, Signwerx and RIM Industries” said Peter Harper, General
Manager of the Visual Industries Suppliers Association (VISA). Peter added “This type of Work
Inspiration workshop helps to address skills shortages and get more students into our industry.”
Lee Osborne, Owner/Director, from Camden Signs motivated the students with words of advice.
“Stay focused and do what you love.”
Students designed their own Careers Boards and even got to design their own T shirts.
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Campbelltown Performing Arts High School student Jaime-Dean Dos-Santos was really
impressed with the workshop. “I was interested in learning how to turn a design idea into the
end product and I got to see that. Everyone has been friendly. I really appreciated the fact that
everyone was willing to give us their time”, he said.
Year 10 Robert Townsend student, Ra’ees Kruyer, said. “This really opened my eyes to the type
of work that is actually done. It was worthwhile and we definitely made a good connection with
business as the companies we visited are happy for us to contact them later in the year to
possibly come back and do work experience.”
L to R Jaime-Dean Dos-Santos, Ra’ees Kruyer and Jeremy Mortas
This workshop was possible thanks to the Visual Industries Suppliers Association (VISA), SWSI
Tafe and MWLP Partnership Brokers.
Details:
Janelle Henson, Partnership Broker at MWLP.
[email protected]
Ph 4625 1863 or email
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Magdalene High Students Race to World Championships
Gamma Rayzing Team with Magdalene High Teacher Mr Ian Gorrie
F1 in Schools is an international STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
competition that invites schools from all over the world to design, build and race miniature
Formula 1 cars made of balsa wood. These cars are capable of reaching speeds up to 80km/h.
Two teams from Magdalene High entered this year, representing the Macarthur Hub, and both
teams made it to the Nationals.
After two and half days of competition in Canberra last week Gamma Rayzing from Magdalene
Catholic High School were declared Overall Winners of the 2014 Australian REA Foundation F1
in Schools Professional Senior Class Champions and are now off to Abu Dhabi to compete in
November.
Teams were judged not only on the fastest car, but also on Engineering, Marketing, Pit Display,
Verbal Presentation, Design and Innovation.
This competition connects students to the engineering industry by making learning relevant and
fun.
Recently the Magdalene students took a day out of their holidays to visit CJD Equipment P/L,
Laserbond and Breseight Australia to learn more about these industries and look at ways they
could collaborate to incorporate latest technologies into their Formula 1 cars and it now
appears that this strategy definitely worked!
Laserbond and Breseight supported the teams by collaborating on engineering and latest
technologies.
Laserbond were so impressed with the students they offered to sponsor them together with
CJD Equipment and local Partnership Brokers MWLP – Linking Youth who were instrumental in
connecting the students to the industry.
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BOYS TO MEN
L to R Jesse, Michael Colling (from The BETTERMAN Foundation) and Brian
Michael Colling, author and CEO of The BETTERMAN Foundation, recently addressed a packed
house of educators, counselors, parents, carers and teen boys at the Narellan library.
The purpose of the seminar was to demonstrate how to empower young men across Macarthur,
regardless of circumstance, to make positive life choices to build happy and healthy futures.
Michael was compelling in revealing the
shocking statistics and challenges facing young
men today.
Topics included:
Identity – what does it mean to ‘be a man’
Risk taking
Peer pressure and mateship
Respect of women, each other and themselves
Mental first aid – supporting mates, asking for
help and where to find it
The seminar was informative, funny and at
times very hard hitting with some excellent
video footage of young men making some bad
choices and living with the consequences. Feedback from the seminar was outstanding. One dad
said “It’s tough being a dad. I thought the seminar was great. The videos were powerful and both
my son and I got a lot out of it.” His son commented “I hope dad learnt something. It’s tough
sometimes for my generation and there’s lots of peer pressure. I hope dad is more accepting.” To
learn more about The BETTERMAN Foundation or to take The BETTERMAN Pledge go to
www.betterman.org.au
The seminar was possible thanks to Camden Council, MWLP Linking Youth, Partnership Brokers
and MacarthurParents.com.au
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