Smart category

Presented by Griffith University

Winner

Foundations for Success: Guidelines for an early learning program in Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities
Indigenous Education and Training Futures Division
Department of Education and Training

Foundations for Success, released in October 2008, is a framework for planning, implementing and reflecting on a quality early learning program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children that encourages play-based environments, rich in both their home language and standard Australian English.

This key Queensland Government commitment ensures that children aged three-and-a-half to four-and-a-half years, living in 29 Cape York and Torres Strait communities and six other Aboriginal communities, have access to high quality and consistent early childhood education programs.

This framework reinforces personal and cultural identity, connects with family and community, and builds the foundations for children's successful learning. Moreover, it has been considered by industry experts as first class for its time, and is believed to have a lasting place in the area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early childhood.

The creation of a professional learning community, made up of educators (teachers, teacher aides, community teachers and assistants) from across remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities, has strengthened the professional capacity and leadership to enable the effective implementation of Foundations for Success.

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Highly Commended

Stand Tall, Walk Proud-Educating, Enriching, Enhancing
Woodridge State High School
Department of Education and Training

Woodridge State High School is a complex, low socioeconomic school with approximately 60 different cultural groups, including a large Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cohort, Special Education Program, English as a Second Language (ESL) Unit, and Intensive Language Unit for students without a knowledge of the English language.

The school creates strong educational foundations, ensuring improved student outcomes by targeting academic and vocational needs and improving school grounds and facilities. Students work within a focused culture of education and enrichment to create an engaging learning environment where they "stand tall and walk proud".

This award winning program has many successful outcomes including:

• 95 per cent of 2008 students graduated with OP or VET certificates
• 100 per cent of 2008 QTAC applicants received offers
• 100 per cent of the Year 12 students enrolled in Certificate I courses, 63 per cent in Certificate II and 25 per cent in Certificate III.

Finalist

Busway Driver Training Package
Infrastructure Investment-Busway Infrastructure, Portfolio Investment Division
Department of Transport and Main Roads

Busways are moving more people, more efficiently into and across the city via the South East Busway (completed in 2001) and the Inner Northern Busway (completed in 2008).

The two latest additions to the busway network-the first stages of the Northern Busway and Eastern Busway-have recently been completed. The construction of these major infrastructure projects prompted a review in late 2008 of the way in which thousands of bus drivers are trained to drive on new Brisbane busways and their response in an emergency.

This has resulted in an innovative approach to bus driver training that delivers not only significant time and cost savings to government by using the latest technology, but also sets a new benchmark in professional busway driver education which is a worldwide first.

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Finalist

FUTURES
Skills Tech Faculty, Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE
Department of Education and Training

The FUTURES program was developed to meet a pressing need within the Townsville community. This innovative ten month program focuses on long-term unemployed, underemployed, Indigenous and disadvantaged residents.

The core aim of the program is to break the cycle of disadvantage, which passes from one generation to the next. This cycle results in poor social outcomes that are both complex and difficult to address.

Industry demands skilled and productive workers from initial employment as an apprentice. FUTURES represents a strong partnership between industry, community and government. The program centres on providing unemployed and underemployed people with nationally recognised accredited training, literacy, numeracy and communication skills, and individual learning support to enter construction or engineering industry based apprenticeships.

The program uniquely focuses on the whole individual, assisting them to overcome personal and social barriers that previously made finding employment difficult. For some participants, the program has been life-changing - gaining a more positive outlook and increased self-esteem. Most importantly the program has had an enormous impact on future employment outcomes.

Last reviewed: 30 October, 2009

Last updated: 30 October, 2009

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