Rethinking how we educate Auckland’s most vulnerable youth

Rethinking how we educate Auckland’s most vulnerable youth

Education and justice leaders meet to scrutinize gaps and opportunities in Alternative Education

In 2015, over 1,000 young Aucklanders were enrolled in Alternative Education courses. Most had been suspended or excluded from the mainstream school system, and some data indicates that up to 90% of students may have some form of mental health or learning difficulty.

A cross-sector group of over 100 education and justice leaders are coming together today under the Alternative Education (Alt Ed) Steering Group banner to identify the gaps in delivery, barriers to success, areas for improvement and effective practices in the Alternative Education sector to ensure these vulnerable, high-need youth don’t fall further through the cracks.

Ahead of the Ministry of Education’s review of Alternative Education and related services later this year, which will include a review of current Alt Ed provision, the Alt Ed Steering Group is holding a meeting today (Tuesday 15 March) to examine youth transitions into and from Alternative Education provision, and how the sector can better meet the complex social, emotional, and health needs of students.

Steering Group Chair, Shirley Johnson, says at present, the education system for alternative learners is struggling to live up to its potential:

“Right now, Alternative Education providers are doing a lot with a little. It is often the last attempt at giving the most vulnerable learners in our communities another chance. Despite its importance, Alt Ed courses in Auckland are chronically under-resourced, often taught in old warehouses or the backs of churches by tutors who struggle to teach the curriculum as they lack the resources and professional development that they need.”

“Data indicates that the majority of students in Alt Ed have mental health or learning difficulties, so we cannot afford for those young people to miss out on a quality education experience - there’s simply too much at stake.

“The opportunity to equip these young learners with better literacy, improve their skills for relating to others, and even just providing them with plans and hope for the future, is significant. Let’s work harder to give these young adults the chance they deserve to succeed in life.”

The state of Auckland’s Alternative Education sector:

• Last year, 1,030 young people were enrolled in formal Alternative Education courses, across six different providers

• 59% of students were male and 41% female

• 55% of students were of Māori descent, 28% of Pasifika descent, 13% European/Pakeha, and 4% identified as Other

• The majority of students in Alt Ed have mental health or learning difficulties, including a lack of cognitive ability to process information

• Many students had been out of any form of education for one year prior.

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COMET AUCKLAND
15 March 2016

Johnson says there are a number of underlying factors creating the need for alternative education, as well as why it receives comparatively little funding.

“The time has come for key Auckland agencies and Central Government to collaborate and fundamentally rethink how we support and grow this positive movement, to ensure our most vulnerable young people don’t miss out on getting a shot at a decent education.”

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