Page 2295 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 5 June 2013
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
with our multicultural community. As I indicated in answer to a question from Ms Porter, this is one of their key, fundamental fundraising activities, so I want to support as much local association participation as possible, while being mindful also of the strong interest by other providers wanting to come in. So it is about having secure funding. Let us work with the community and secure the outyears.
Education—Canberra College cares program
DR BOURKE: My question is to the Minister for Education and Training and relates to the funding provided in the ACT budget for a new purpose-built facility for the Canberra College cares program. Can the minister inform the Assembly what new facilities this will provide to the staff and students of CCCares?
MS BURCH: I thank Dr Bourke for his interest in CCCares. The CCCares program is a long-standing and award winning program to support young mothers and some young dads that benefit from life changing education. The project that I announced last week will deliver on the government’s $14 million election commitment to transfer the award-winning Canberra College cares program from the former Stirling College site to the Woden campus of Canberra College.
This new facility will continue to provide essential education and support facilities for up to 170 pregnant or parenting students and their children from throughout the Canberra region. Its new facilities will have the capacity to support 80 students at any given time and provide learning spaces and facilities to support the latest educational and care practices for students and their children.
The integration of the new facility with other college facilities will allow CCCares students to participate in academic streams as well as vocational training courses. It will also provide better access for students to the full range of curriculum options available at Canberra College. It will also allow them to mix with their peers and to give them an opportunity to take part in a mainstream educational setting with access to the support they need to be great students and great parents.
The new facility will include purpose-built spaces. Students will have a state-of-the-art ICT environment; childcare areas, including play groups, playrooms, kitchen, laundry, sleeping rooms, age-appropriate bathrooms and change areas; external child play areas, play equipment, shade structures and outdoor furniture; counselling rooms for external agencies such as employment, case workers and Centrelink staff; full health clinic facilities, including two nurse consulting rooms; secondary medical services for children and adolescents who require medical or developmental assessment; allied health services, including assessment, intervention and consultation; health services for young mothers, including medical and counselling services; health interpreter services and cultural awareness training; and vocation certification in courses such as hospitality, retail, business, child care, hair and beauty, and IT.
Students at the college will also learn essential life skills for young parents. This includes home maintenance, financial management, home kitchen skills and assistance with developing a healthy family environment.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video