Community Colleges Australia (CCA) has announced the shortlist for the first-ever “Community Education Innovation Prize”, honouring the innovative programs developed by the community education sector.
The judging panel has selected a shortlist of eight submissions (listed in alphabetical order):
ACE Community Colleges (Lismore NSW), “Licensed and On Board”: free driving lessons for Aboriginal people to obtain their license.
Central Coast Community College (Ourimbah NSW), “The College Renewal Project”: new emerging career courses, high speed internet connection, upgraded classrooms and Indigenous murals.
Coffs Coast Community College (Coffs Harbour NSW), “My Story, My Life”: Digital Storytelling for Young People from Refugee Backgrounds.
Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Community College (Hornsby NSW), “Innovating Through Local Collaboration”: TripleH-FM Radio, Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Women’s Shelter, Small Biz Matters and Boyd Office Management.
Kiama Community College (Kiama NSW), “NextGEN Digital Development”: This employability program develops young people who are at risk of becoming long term unemployed to provide digital services to businesses.
Port Macquarie Community College (Port Macquarie NSW), “Integrating Community Mental Health and Adult Community Education Programs”: five integrated and linked community mental health programs.
South Coast Careers College (Eurobodalla Adult Education Centre, Bateman’s Bay NSW), “Dreaming Book Series”: Captures and records significant local Indigenous history, through the production of books with Indigenous Elders and Community members.
Western Riverina Community College (Griffith NSW), “Vocational Certification Verification Portal”: allows a potential employer to electronically verify in real time the qualification and/or units achieved.
The prize-giving takes place at the CCA Conference “Gala Awards Dinner” on the evening of Wednesday 19 October 2016 in Sydney.
The winners and "honourable mentions" are being judged on four criteria:
- Evidence of innovative practice
- Community benefit relative to the size of the project
- Ability of the project to provide a model for similar organisations
- Communication of the project’s background, goals, activities and outcomes
