Youth Transitions

Managed Individual Pathways - Case Studies

Galvin Park Secondary College, Werribee

Galvin Park Secondary College has approximately 1300 students enrolled in Years 7 to 12. It is located in Werribee in Melbourne’s western suburbs, in an area with high youth unemployment and traditionally below-average school completion rates. The school serves a community with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Mary Pateras has been a teacher at the school for 18 years. She became Careers Coordinator five years ago, in the same year that the MIPs program was first introduced, and launched into the development of an integrated, comprehensive approach to pathway and career planning. Looking back, Assistant Principal Peter Stone says, “One of the key factors has been that the staff fully support Mary. She has built up a bank of good will, she can get staff to give kids another chance or time to exit successfully – even those kids that have really burnt their bridges. We all have confidence that Mary is giving us the right advice.”

This support from other staff is evident in the way MIPs is embedded in senior schooling at Galvin Park. Mary sees herself as the facilitator of the program, and is quick to point out that “lots of teachers work really, really hard to make this happen.”

Good Practice Approach to MIPs

 

 

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Process to establish the goals and aspirations of students

The MIPs program begins with an intensive Careers Unit undertaken in Year 10 SOSE classes over 5 to 6 weeks (now part of the discipline strand of humanities – economics level 6 in the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS)). Each student receives a MIPs folder containing the information and resources they need to complete the Careers Unit, and the forms to capture their initial thinking about pathways directions.

First students undertake a computer-based interest measure test which feeds back information on personality type, strengths, and a list of possible careers that may be of interest. Students are also asked to document their personal, education and career goals. Using the Job Guide, students explore and document information about several possible career choices. From the pro formas provided, students develop a resume and also obtain two references from adults. All of these are stored in the MIPs folder.

As part of the Careers Unit, the school has drawn on local Rotary and Lions Club members to provide feedback on students’ resumes and mock letters of application. The school trialled mock interviews with these community members at their workplaces, but found many students did not take up the opportunity. Mary is now considering arranging mock interviews on the school premises.

The Careers Unit booklet (PDF - 1.1Mb) has been compiled from the best parts of a range of sources (with permission). Mary believes that presenting the material professionally increases the seriousness with which students approach their pathways planning. Folders, booklets and documents are developed with the help of the school’s Graphic Design staff and the Public Relations team.

Mary then spends two sessions with each class, team teaching with the SOSE teacher, to run through the post-Year 10 options (see Chart of Post-Year 10 Pathways (PDF - 38Kb)). The jargon associated with university entry, TAFE entry and employment is documented and explained.

Students are introduced to the VICTER Guide, a copy of which is also included in their MIPs folder. Students are given sample subject choices (Word - 212Kb) at Year 11 and 12 that form prerequisites for a range of university courses. Using a comprehensive Course Selection Handbook (Word - 210Kb) produced by the school, students then develop their own path including proposed subjects at Year 11 and 12.

The Careers Unit is assessed, with SOSE teachers noting whether the unit was completed. The list of proposed Year 11 subjects for each student is then subject to a ‘reality check’, with their maths and science teachers noting the VCE subjects in which they think the student is likely to succeed. All of this is then sent home for parents to consider and sign. Tutor Teachers (sometimes called student mentors or home group teachers in other schools) collect and review the forms, and the Careers Teacher checks to ensure that forms have been received from every student. Following this up is time-consuming, but is pursued until every student has a completed form in their MIPs folder.

The Careers Unit booklet contains a comprehensive list of University and TAFE Open Days that are scheduled to take place during the year. The Werribee River Careers Association (WRICA) also runs their own Careers and Employment Expo every year “because some of our students simply will not attend other Expos or Open Days – they won’t travel outside their comfort zone”. All Year 10 and 11 students are bussed, free of charge, to the WRICA Expo.

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Process to regularly review pathways plans

MIPs plans are central to the Year 11 Planning for Success day at Galvin Park. This one-day workshop, held at a nearby conference venue, includes sessions on values and behaviours, team-building, goal-setting, and planning to succeed.

Within this day (or soon after it) students complete a revised subject selection (PDF - 45Kb) for Year 12, which then undergoes the process described above of maths/science teacher recommendations and parent, Tutor Teacher, Careers Teacher and VCE Coordinator approval.

The first three days of Year 12 are spent at a camp, again involving team-building activities and information about the VCE. Part of the camp is devoted to careers and transition, with students demonstrating that they can use the VTAC Guide effectively, understand the process, and are still on track for the pathway described in their MIPs plan. An FAQ sheet and a course selection timetable for the year are included with the materials for this session, and each student is interviewed (Word - 25Kb) about their chosen pathway.

Later in Year 12, Mary has a one-on-one interview with each student in which they use the VTAC website to finalise post-Year 12 course preferences and complete a VTAC application form.

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Pathways plans to inform curriculum needs

“Is there a teacher at the school who doesn’t know about MIPs? Probably not,” says Mary. She speaks at many staff meetings and runs briefings for staff during the year. Year 10 SOSE and Year 11 English teachers make room for the completion of MIPs activities during their classes.

Assistant Principal Peter Stone suggests that the senior school is really built around the MIPs program, and Mary has input into a diverse range of senior school decisions including subject blocking.

The school offers alternative school pathways such as the Applied Learning Year 10 program and VCAL, as well as a range of VET in Schools subjects.

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Pathways planning through VELS

Galvin Park has plans to take up some of the terminology and to amend forms to accommodate appropriate VELS reporting categories.

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Close collaboration between the VCE, VCAL and VET coordinators and the MIPs coordinator

Mary is a full-time MIPs coordinator and Careers Teacher, as well as arranging work placements for all VET in Schools students. She is also a member of the Senior Office, which develops all VCE programs and takes a team-based approach to finding pathway solutions for individual students.

There is a separate Pathways Coordinator who monitors student progress and reports to parents if students are not succeeding in their schoolwork. An administrative assistant has also been dedicated to MIPs and the Senior Team.

Assistant Principal Peter Stone points out that MIPs is part of the language of the whole school. His own position description includes responsibility for pathways planning and securing positive destinations for students, and the School Council seeks regular data and reports on these matters. ‘Transitions and Pathways’ is a major arm of the new strategic plan being developed by the school.

All this means that if Mary left tomorrow it would ‘leave a huge hole’ in the school. The Pathways Coordinator does know the process well, but Peter believes the MIPs and Careers roles are much harder than people perceive and require a great deal of extra commitment. Galvin Park is hoping to devote 1.5 EFT staff to the role, to cope with the growing workload but also to ensure smooth transition in the case of staff turnover.

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Close collaboration between student welfare staff, integration staff, careers coordinators and the MIPs coordinator

While MIPs and careers education is completely integrated at Galvin Park, Mary and Peter agree that more could be done in integrating the school’s welfare processes with MIPs. Family and personal crises may pull a student off their proposed pathway, and this could be better addressed if the MIPs coordinator had some early notification. Reassuring students in crisis that options and pathways are still available to them could encourage students to continue their schooling, or to access the school’s support in beginning on another positive path.

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Encourages parental involvement

As noted above, parents are required to sign their child’s MIPs plan during Year 10 and Year 11. An information night for parents is held before the MIPs plan comes home, to ensure that parents understand the process and the form. There is room on the form for parents to make a comment, or to flag any changes (such as a plan to move interstate) that the school needs to take into consideration.

Parents are also invited to attend the Course Selection expo held by the school, where KLAs provide information and answer questions. Parents are invited to contact the school if they believe their student is at risk of leaving school early. If a student is referred to the MIPs coordinator by another party such as a teacher or year level coordinator, or a student indicates that they intend to leave school, the parents are informed (after a 24 hour window to allow the student to tell their parents first).

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Process for the identification, support and monitoring of students at risk of early school leaving

Assistant Principal Peter Stone admits that the school has not been effective at identifying at risk students before they decide to leave school. Next year Galvin Park is proposing to use the Brimbank-Melton LLEN tool for identifying students at risk, and Peter and Mary are hoping that this will facilitate earlier identification and promote a discussion about risk factors.

Once a student has been identified as at risk, Galvin Park works with a range of external agencies to offer support. The school’s welfare staff has a range of referral contacts for individuals and families. Representatives from the local Jobs Pathways Program provider have come to the school to meet with students (this program has since been replaced by the Youth Pathways program). Mary has found students places in the Westgate Community Initiatives Group (WCIG) intensive work skills programs. Some students have undertaken Year 10 in an alternative setting at CREATE.  Students are assisted to complete applications for apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs. The local Centrelink office has nominated a dedicated staff member to case manage all referrals from Galvin Park SC. Matchworx is a local employment agency that also supports early school leavers as they seek employment. A small number of students have transferred to undertake the Certificate II in Adult Education at Victoria University.

Mary makes appointments for students and their families, and if a student does not turn up for an appointment the agency lets Mary know.

“Mary won’t let them not have a destination,” says Peter Stone. “She literally follows every student. She advocates on their behalf with staff and school management to make sure they don’t leave until they have somewhere positive to go.”

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Supporting early school leavers for six months

Peter is particularly proud of the school’s knowledge of student destinations. “We only have a couple of school leavers with unknown destinations in any given year,” he says.

“And that’s the ones that won’t return phone calls,” adds Mary.

Galvin Park provided time release for one of its IT teachers to develop a built-for-purpose database. With this, Mary can call up a report on each student that includes academic progress, work experience placements, interviews with the Careers Teacher, contact with parents, and exit and destination data. Importantly, the database allows multiple destinations for one student which can accommodate the rapid transitions some students make after leaving school. Mary contacts all school leavers in May of the following year to confirm their destinations and offer additional support if required, and contacts them all once again later in the year.

Mary is available at the school during January, when offers from universities and TAFEs are being received (or not received). It is not uncommon for students to return to the school for assistance when a pathway does not work out as expected, even after two years of university study.

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Providing students with a copy of their MIPs plan when they leave school or change schools

The school retains the MIPs plans for each student during Years 10 and 11 simply to ensure they are not lost. It is explained to students that these are 3 year plans, and they will need them right through to the end of Year 12. At such a large school, finding storage space to accommodate these folders for all Year 10 and 11 students has been something of a challenge. Students are encouraged to lodge all certificates, references and relevant documents with their MIPs plan, and to keep their resume up to date, so that they can access them quickly at need.

After the plans have been reviewed at the beginning of Year 12, they are presented to the student to take home. They are asked to bring them in for their course selection interview with the Careers Teacher in third term.

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Recognising that retention and engagement issues begin prior to Year 10.

Although the school is divided into Middle School and Senior School, Peter Stone is determined to integrate Year 9s into the MIPs program. The school has obtained Leading Schools funding to undertake a school restructure to enhance teacher-student connectedness through the development of individual learning plans, and to increase retention through identification of early risk factors and effective interventions. The school already offers literacy and numeracy intervention in the middle years, and early school leavers are referred to Mary for support and assistance.

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How did you get here – tips for success?

  • Garnering the commitment of other staff to help kids find a good pathway.
  • Building a cohesive Senior Team, in which the MIPs Coordinator plays a central role.
  • Working with the support and interest of the Principal, School Council and school leadership team.
  • Giving the MIPs Coordinator flexibility in using the MIPs funding. At Galvin Park the MIPs funds have provided a full-time MIPs/Careers Coordinator, an allocation of administrative support, time release for the IT teacher to develop and support the MIPs database, comprehensive MIPs folders, guest speakers, the Course Selection Day, buses to ensure that students do not have to pay to obtain information about pathways, and subsidised the MIPs component of the Year 12 camp.
  • Having Mary in the position (says Peter Stone).

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What next – for your MIPs program over the next two years?

  • Identify at risk students before they are on their way to leaving school.
  • Reduce the number of students lost when Year 9 students transfer to the senior school.
  • Increase the staff allocation dedicated to MIPs and Careers.
  • Ongoing review and improvement of the MIPs program.