Guidelines for the Delivery of Community VCAL

Published by the
Communications Division
for Youth Transitions Division
Department of Education and
Early Childhood Development

Melbourne
August 2009

Revised Edition September 2011

The copyright in this document is owned by the State of Victoria (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development), or in the case of some materials, by third parties (third party materials). No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, the National Education Access Licence for Schools (NEALS) (see below) or with permission.

/ An educational institution situated in Australia which is not conducted for profit, or a body responsible for administering such an institution, may copy and communicate the materials, other than third party materials, for the educational purposes of the institution.

Authorised by the Department of Education
and Early Childhood Development,
2 Treasury Place, East Melbourne, Victoria, 3002.
This document is also available on the internet at
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/sensecyouth/delivery/default.htm

Contents

1. Introduction

1.1 What is Community VCAL? 3

1.2 Purpose of these Guidelines 3

2. When is a Community VCAL Program Appropriate?

2.1 For Young People Not Attending School 5

2.2 For Students in School 5

3. Eligibility

3.1 Students 7

3.2 Schools 7

3.3 Providers 7

4. Establishing a Community VCAL program

4.1 Assessing the Need for the Development of a New Community VCAL Program 8

4.2 Gaining Approval for a Community VCAL Program 8

5. Engaging a Provider to Deliver the Community VCAL Program

5.1 Selecting the Program 9

5.2 Selecting the Provider 9

5.3 Engaging the Provider 10

6. Enrolment Procedures

6.1 Student Referral and Approval Processes 11

6.2 Recording Enrolment 14

6.3 Key Enrolment Dates 15

7. Accountabilities

7.1 Schools’ Accountabilities and Responsibilities 16

7.2 Providers’ Accountabilities and Responsibilities 17

8. Funding Arrangements

8.1 For government schools 19

8.2 For Providers 21

9. Advice and Support

9.1 Role of DEECD 22

9.2 Role of LLENs and Workplace Learning Coordinators 22

9.3 VCAA 23

9.4 VRQA 23

10. Questions and Answers

10.1 Satellite programs 25

10.2 Eligibility 25

10.3 Enrolment 26

10.4 Funding and Contractual Arrangements 26

10.5 Accountabilities and Responsibilities 28

Appendices

A1 Links to relevant DEECD documents 29

Glossary of Terms and Definitions

1. Introduction

Many secondary schools have introduced Senior Secondary re-engagement programs for senior secondary students both to retain students at high risk of disengaging from education and training and to re-engage students who have already left school. These programs are usually delivered entirely away from the school campus and may involve partnerships with external providers that are registered and authorised to deliver a senior secondary qualification. Senior Secondary re-engagement programs include a variety of programs that deliver a senior secondary qualification to participating students. For example they may include a Community VCAL program or a Satellite program that delivers either the VCAL or VCE.

In both Community VCAL and Satellite programs the entire senior secondary qualification is usually delivered at an external location to the school. Community VCAL differs from Satellite programs in that 100 percent of the VCAL is delivered by an external provider contracted by the school, whereas in a Satellite program the home school continues to deliver part or all of the qualification at the external location.

These Guidelines have been written specifically to provide a clear framework under which Community VCAL programs may operate. They have been derived in part from the established eligibility, program and funding requirements that all Senior Secondary re-engagement programs have met in order to receive funding for late enrolments past the February census date. Stakeholders should consider and apply appropriate parts of these guidelines to Satellite programs.

These Guidelines will be useful for each region as they seek to provide clear pathways for students at risk of disengagement or those young people who are already disengaged from education to have the opportunity to gain a year 12 or equivalent qualification.

1.1 What is Community VCAL?

‘Community VCAL’ refers to a form of the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) delivery that is tailored to the needs of students who have become disengaged from mainstream schooling, or are considered to be at significant risk of disengaging from mainstream schooling. In Community VCAL, students are enrolled at a government school (home school) but the program is delivered entirely by another education provider external to the school site.

Students enrolled in a Community VCAL program have often become disengaged from education for a range of reasons including: a poor fit between the student’s learning style and the learning environment in the school, homelessness, family breakdown, poverty, mental health issues, low self esteem, previous low attainment, or behavioural issues. The student’s ability to learn within a school setting can be affected by a number of these issues, so programs and individual student pathways have to be tailored to meet their needs.

1.2 Purpose of these Guidelines

These guidelines are intended for use by schools and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) Regional Offices and provide direction and advice on the five key areas.

The guidelines set the parameters under which Community VCAL programs will operate and are consistent with the criteria that all Senior Secondary re-engagement programs in the past, including satellite programs, have had to meet in order to be approved for operation and receive funding to support late enrolments.

These guidelines provide advice on:

· the role a Community VCAL program has in regional provision

· when it is appropriate for a new Community VCAL program to be established

· how to seek approval for a student’s referral to a Community VCAL program and the referral process

· eligibility criteria to be satisfied for a student to be a participant in a Community VCAL program

· how schools engage with an existing Community VCAL program

· funding and contractual arrangements for Community VCAL programs.

These guidelines are also intended to be used in conjunction with other DEECD publications:

Effective Schools are Engaging Schools: Student Engagement Policy Guidelines available at: http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/stuman/wellbeing/segpolicy.pdf

Strengthening Student Support Services Directions Paper available at: http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/stuman/wellbeing/segpolicy.pdf

The Effective Strategies to Increase School Completion Report available at:

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/sensecyouth/careertrans/EffectiveStrategies.htm

2. When is a Community VCAL Program Appropriate?

The VCAL is a senior secondary certificate.

Community VCAL programs are intended for those students who, for a range of reasons are at risk of disengaging from senior secondary education or who are already disengaged and for whom, returning to a mainstream school setting is not an appropriate option.

This section will outline the circumstances where Community VCAL is appropriate for a young person either in school, or not currently enrolled or not attending school. This section will also outline when Community VCAL is considered an appropriate option.

2.1 For Young People Not Attending School

For young people of 15 years to under 21 years of age in the community who are not currently enrolled in or not attending school, and who may not be suited to a mainstream school setting, a Community VCAL program can provide an opportunity to re-engage with education and training without re-entering the mainstream school system. However, Community VCAL programs are only appropriate for those disengaged young people who, for a range of reasons, might be unable to participate in a mainstream school setting.

2.2 For Students in School

Schools will already have strategies and processes in place to identify and respond to students who require additional assistance and support such as the strategies identified in the Effective Schools are Engaging Schools: Student Engagement Policy Guidelines, The Effective Strategies to Increase School Completion Report and the Strengthening Student Support Services Directions Paper (see Section 1.3).

Community VCAL is only appropriate for those students unable to remain in a mainstream school setting and when the school has previously exhausted all other options of supporting that student to remain in school in accordance with Student Wellbeing guidelines. Before referring a student to a Community VCAL program the school must have attempted to implement preventative and early intervention strategies to support the student’s engagement and address the student’s individual barriers to learning.

The decision to refer a student to a Community VCAL program can only be made when:

· all other avenues to retain the student in school have been explored

· referral to Community VCAL is in the student’s best interests and

· a Community VCAL program can appropriately meet the needs of the student

· the home school has sought information about, and is satisfied with, the quality of the Community VCAL program

· the school has liaised with the nominated DEECD Regional Office staff about the best option for the student.

Any final decision regarding a student’s referral to a Community VCAL program must be approved by the nominated DEECD Regional Office staff.

Alternatively, a school may consider the option of delivering a Satellite program for students at risk of disengagement. This may be a viable alternative in locations where no registered and authorised provider exists or no Community VCAL program is currently being delivered.

3. Eligibility

This section outlines the following:

· the eligibility criteria of students to be participants in a Community VCAL program

· the circumstances under which schools can appropriately refer students to a Community VCAL program and

· the eligibility of providers to deliver a Community VCAL program.

3.1 Students

Students are eligible to be participants in a Community VCAL program if:

· they have not attained Year 12 or equivalent

· they are over 15 years and under 21 years on 1 January each year

· they are not enrolled at a TAFE or ACE provider

· they are disengaged from education or have been assessed by their home school as being at high risk of disengagement

· they are unable to participate within a school setting

· the nominated DEECD Regional Office staff, in consultation with the school, is satisfied that all other options have been explored and that this is in the best interests of the student, and

· the student’s referral to a Community VCAL program has been approved by the nominated DEECD Regional Office staff.

Note: For information and advice regarding strategies, programs and processes to support students at risk of disengagement, see the Effective Schools are Engaging Schools: Student Engagement Policy Guidelines, The Effective Strategies to Increase School Completion Report and the Strengthening Student Support Services Directions Paper, as outlined in section 1.2.

3.2 Schools

Schools may only refer young people to a Community VCAL program if the program:

· has been approved by the nominated DEECD Regional Office staff

· is governed by a DEECD approved contractual arrangement between the school and provider.

Any school that wishes to enrol students in a Community VCAL program, and has not delivered the VCAL previously, will need to seek authorisation from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) before entering into a Community VCAL arrangement.

3.3 Providers

Any provider who is delivering 100 percent of the Community VCAL program must be both:

· registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) to deliver a senior secondary qualification and authorised by the VCAA to deliver VCAL.

· have capacity to meet the needs of the young people identified in section 3.1.

4. Establishing a Community VCAL program

Community VCAL programs are established according to student need and in line with other senior secondary provision. Young people no longer in school and some students enrolled in school may be recognised as having a need for a program such as Community VCAL. This need may be identified by schools, regional staff, LLENs, community service agencies or other stakeholders.

4.1 Assessing the Need for the Development of a New Community VCAL Program

Schools alone are not responsible for assessing the need for a new Community VCAL program. If there is interest by the school or other community organisations and stakeholders to create a program in the network in response to identified need, the region will work in partnership with these stakeholders, including LLENs.

After it has been established that a Community VCAL program will best meet the needs of young people in an area, nominated DEECD Regional Office staff will work to facilitate and develop a Community VCAL program in partnership with key stakeholders such as LLENs.

4.2 Gaining Approval for a Community VCAL Program

Nominated officers from the DEECD Regional Office are responsible for approving a new Community VCAL program in a region and monitoring the development of new and existing programs in consultation with the relevant LLEN.

Schools are not to engage a Community VCAL provider without the approval of the DEECD Regional Office.

5. Engaging a Provider to Deliver the Community VCAL Program

Engaging a Community VCAL provider requires the involvement and then ultimate approval of the nominated DEECD Regional Office staff. The process for this and other elements of engaging a provider to deliver the Community VCAL program is outlined below.

5.1 Selecting the Program

5.1.1 Availability of existing Community VCAL Programs

The school or DEECD Regional Office can usually provide information on the current and planned senior secondary provision in the local region. The relevant LLEN may be able to provide further information should clarification on a program be needed.

Section 4.1 outlines the process if there is a demonstrated need for a Community VCAL program in an area where no Community VCAL program exists.

5.1.2 Meeting student needs

A Community VCAL program is established according to student need. Young people no longer in school or young people currently enrolled in school, who have been assessed as being at risk and for whom Community VCAL is an appropriate option, are eligible for such a program. There is a range of tools and methods that can be used to assess student need for a Community VCAL program. The Student Mapping Tool can assist in both identifying at-risk indicators of a young person and the strategies to assist them and may be found at the following link: