Hands on Learning Program
This is new program at Sale College to assist disconnected students, from years 7 to 10, with an alternative approach to help them re-engage with the school experience.
It has been found that taking these students out of the classroom one day a week, connecting them to mentors and alternative peer groups in their own school, and then giving them practical and creative real activities, acts as a circuit breaker, alleviating the frustrations they have developed with mainstream schooling.
The Program Outcomes
- Increased self-esteem, motivation and confidence.
- Increased knowledge of their individual skills and talents.
- Strengthened links between HoL students, their school and the local community.
- More highly developed self-management and co-operative group skills.
- Increased awareness of the need for a more sustainable lifestyle.
What’s Happening Now
Since beginning in March this year our focus has been on setting up a ‘hut’ meeting place and tool and equipment storage space. We are also beginning works around the Guthridge campus such as more tables and seats for students in the grounds. Plans to up grade the dusty north-west courtyard is underway. It is also hoped that the students will embark on projects in the broader community.
Sale College Bike Maintenance Program
Affectionately referred to as "Pet's Shed", the program began in 2007 when College Chaplain Peter Caithness gained funding from School Focused Youth Services to build a 6m x 9m shed and equip it as a Bicycle Workshop. Students form the Guthridge Junior campus constructed the workshop under supervision and the program began in earnest in term 3 2007.
Members of the local community donated old or unwanted bicycles to the College and over a six week period, groups of ten students from Years 7 to 9 are taught how to restore a bike, and then complete the restoration of one of the donated bicycles.
Once complete, the bicycles are donated to a local charity for the benefit of the local community.
Additionally, in partnership with Guthridge Primary School, students from Sale College who have completed the Bike Maintenance Program, have the opportunity to mentor a Primary School Student in the repair of a bicycle, which is again donated to local charity. This mentoring program is performed under the supervision of adult volunteers from our community. This means that mentoring takes place on two levels: secondary student to primary student and also adult volunteer to both primary and secondary student.
We have also assisted Wurruk primary school as they began their Bike Ed program. On invitation from Wurruk Primary, students from our Bike Maintenance program traveled to Wurruk to inspect and repair where necessary, students bikes, ensuring they were in a safe state to undertake their Bike Safety lessons. The Sale College Bike Program also donated five restored bicycles to Wurruk Primary to assist them with their Bike Ed activities.
