Abstract:
This paper reports the development of the Access and Success initiative which is a University wide project designed to respond positively to the learning needs of young people in schools in the University's region. Recent research (Teese 2005, Wiseman 2006) shows students in Melbourne's west have lower aspirations, attendance, academic achievement, completion rates and higher unemployment and crime rates than elsewhere. Victoria University has established Access and Success to respond to this data and better meet learning needs of young people through partnership with local schools. The data profiles schools, identifying the special needs of individual schools, student and parent attitudes and expectations and engagement with and outcomes in access curriculum of mathematics, English, science and vocational education. The paper will discuss the methodology designed to work with schools to gather, report and interpret quantitative and qualitative data related to student retention, update of access curriculum and year 10-12 completion rates, as well as about school experience and learning outcomes over the next 3 years. This project provides a basis for growing educational capital through partnerships that are locally developed, achieve personal outcomes for individuals, have reciprocal benefits for all and provide individuals with authority to change their own lives.