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Making university education accessible to disadvantaged Australians

Tuesday, 05 August 2008 12:35

A group of disadvantaged Melburnians have graduated from a groundbreaking new university-style program developed by Mission Australia and Australian Catholic University (ACU National).

The Catalyst-Clemente program is a joint initiative seeking to promote self-confidence in people at risk of homelessness, physical and mental illness and addiction, by encouraging them to take control of their lives and bring about personal change through undergraduate education...

Mission Australia’s Catalyst-Clemente Project Coordinator, Cristiane Cunial, said Catalyst-Clemente had been an outstanding success in Melbourne.

“Catalyst-Clemente students are often dealing with extremely complex obstacles to furthering their education such as mental health issues and the risk of homelessness,” Ms Cunial said.

“It’s a huge achievement for people struggling with these challenges to be able to apply themselves to a university subject.”
Since April, students from around Melbourne have studied an Introduction to Sociology course, with teaching and content provided by ACU National.

Mission Australia in conjunction with ACU National began offering Catalyst-Clemente programs in Sydney in 2005 and this year marks the first group of students to complete a unit in the Catalyst-Clemente program in Melbourne.

“A total of eight students successfully completed a subject in the first semester of 2008, including all the university assessment tasks – an extraordinary success given the backgrounds of the participants,” Ms Cunial said.

“In addition to the benefits of improved self-esteem, the students also walk away with real communication, literacy and computer skills – along with credits for future study – which can only be a positive in terms of re-engaging with the community.

“The program also develops persistence in students. Those who haven’t succeeded in completing their assessment tasks the first time around are able to sign on for further study, finish their projects and build upon their skills in the second semester."

Associate Professor Peter Howard, National Leader of Clemente Australia at ACU National said there was an immediate and profound impact on the students who had taken the course.

“We’ve had students who have found purpose and direction in their lives since undertaking the course,” Associate Professor Howard said.

“Students constantly reflect on their own experiences of stigmatisation. They discuss this because they all have these issues in common which enables them to empathise with and support one another.”

Volunteer learning partners are key contributors to the program and are mostly recruited from the community, particularly the corporate sector. They meet students one-on-one each week over the duration of the course to provide support and mentoring.
One student said: “I couldn’t do it without my learning partner. I wouldn’t do it at all. I’d probably just walk out and say ‘see you later’. I really would. But with her, it’s good.”

Media inquiries: Phil Smith (03) 8317 0111 or 0407 860 528.

Available for Media interviews:
Paul Bird – Mission Australia, Victorian State Director
Cristiane Cunial – Mission Australia, Catalyst-Clemente Project Coordinator
Associate Professor Peter Howard – ACU National, National Leader, Clemente Australia

Facts about the Catalyst-Clemente program:

Catalyst-Clemente allows disadvantaged people to participate in undergraduate level humanities education.
Catalyst-Clemente is modelled on a successful initiative in the USA and is based on the belief that poverty is more than just exclusion from material goods – it’s also about social exclusion.
Catalyst-Clemente program is offered free of charge to all students.
Eight out of 16 students successfully completed a subject in the first semester.
Referrals for the course came from four external welfare centres as well as self referrals.
Two-thirds of the students were female with the youngest student aged 25-29 and the oldest 60-64.
No students were in paid employment, although one held down a voluntary position.
Levels of education among students were generally low, with only one student having completed an undergraduate degree.
Upon entering the course, the students’ social participation wasn’t very high, with a large percentage getting together with friends and relatives only once a month.
Students had identified opportunities for further education as a result of taking the course, while some said that learning was a goal in itself.
Three participants of the course were homeless, four rented public housing, one rented privately and one was a homeowner.

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