Page 660 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 2019
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The ACT Education Directorate provides introductory English programs at six school locations across Canberra. Introductory English Centres provide beginning English students with essential conversational and age-appropriate academic language to a functional level which prepares them for transition to mainstream classroom settings. In regards to English language training, Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) supports both broad and intensive approaches to English language acquisition.
Libraries ACT hosts friendly and informal English conversation groups at its branches. They are free and bookings are not required.
In addition, CIT ensures all vocational education programs contain activities to support language and literacy skill acquisition as identified in Australian Training Packages (Foundation Skills).
Programs offering intensive engagement in language acquisition are provided through CIT’s ACT Government profile funded English Language programs. These are nationally accredited qualifications and include levels of Certificate 1-4 in Spoken and Written English. English language is also offered as part of CIT’s Year 12 Program.
(2) Improved English literacy skills decreases social isolation and fosters social and economic well-being within the ACT community. The ACT Government provides funding to enable ACT Service Access Card holders, refugees and migrants to access English language classes free of charge. The ACT Government also supports women to access classes by providing grants to cover the cost of childcare to enable them to attend free English language classes.
The English conversation groups that Libraries ACT host, are open to anyone who wants to participate and improve their English language skills, their free and informal nature makes them a welcome opportunity for many.
CIT has an agreement with the Community Services Directorate (CSD) to waive fees for ACT Access Card holders (refugees). Any students on low income (Australian resident/ citizen or New Zealand citizen) are eligible to apply for ACT Government Fee Assistance each semester (up to 75 per cent of their invoice for the semester).
CIT also award and assist students with nominations for various scholarships.
(3)
(a) Funding provided in 2016-17 for the services and programs detailed above:
• Companion House was contracted by the CYFSP to the value of $402,510 (GST exclusive).
• MARSS was contracted by the Child, Youth and Family Services Program to the value of $56,465 (GST exclusive).
• MYS is contracted by the CYFSP to the value of $300,445 (GST exclusive).
(b) Funding provided in 2018-19:
• MARSS is contracted to the value of $40,000 (GST exclusive) to provide free English language programs to refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.
• CIT is contracted to the value of $10,000 (GST exclusive) to provide free English language classes to asylum seekers who hold an ACT Services Access Card.
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