Lifting Educational Aspirations of Parents and Students (LEAPS)

LEAPS is a program that aims to increase the educational aspirations of students, their parents and family members through varied and on-going engagement in inspirational appropriate programs that promote exposure, awareness, understanding and access to educational and career opportunities and pathways.

The LEAPS program will engage students and their parents early in their school life and continue throughout their school career to:-

·         Inspire pre-tertiary students from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds to participate in higher education - the key goal of the project is to build:

o   Awareness and understanding of higher education;

o   Aspiration and expectation to participate;

o   Educational attainment and achievement to allow participation; and

o   Knowledge, information and choice about pathways, processes, financial assistance, and available academic and learning support mechanisms and opportunities

                 through the creation of shared experiences between the student and the parent/family member.

·         Develop sustainable programs between local public schools (with Priority School Program funding) and local University and TAFE institutions that exposes students and their families to the many further educational opportunities available to them; and

·         The program will be a continuous one across all school stages encompassing a ‘scaffolding approach’ – a program which is built up and provides support mechanisms along the way.

·         Encourage the inclusion of parent and community, working collaboratively, in the development of local LEAPS programs.

Further the LEAPS Program objectives align with current government policy and direction on increasing access to tertiary education for students from under represented backgrounds, including students from low SES, rural and indigenous communities, specifically:

·         20% of higher education enrolments from low SES students by 2020 (Bradley Review, 2008); and

·         Reduce the educational disadvantage of children and increase the successful transition from school to work and further study (COAG, 2008).

The LEAPS program will encompass (but not be limited to) the following criteria:-

·         An all-encompassing Kindergarten to Year 12 program – consistent exposure to programs and projects that exposes the student and their family to higher educational attainment and career opportunities ;

·         Parental involvement through on-going exposure and increased knowledge about higher education and career opportunities;

·         Partnerships between University, TAFE, high school, primary schools and other educational institutions – exposure to physical premises and activities, knowledge of courses available, “Maths and Science in Careers” workshops, etc;

·         Business and Industry involvement - to provide hands-on, up-to-date, real information on local career opportunities – ie industry tours, Business Life Cycle Challenge, ‘How did I get here’ presentations, etc;

·         Community organisations - assist is establishing long-term embedded projects within the LEAPS program including community and financial assistance programs – ie financial literacy and financial subsidies, grants, funds available ie Hastings Education Fund, Driver Mentor Programs.

Therefore the LEAPS program is thus represented as follows:-

Partnership Members

Department of Education and Training - Port Macquarie District Office

Hastings Public School P&C

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council

TAFE NSW North Coast Institute - Port Macquarie Campus

Partnership News

North Coast TAFE Northern Views - Summer 2010

Port Macquarie News - Wednesday November 10, 2010