Leading alternative education provider for disengaged youth, The BUSY Schools, held their official opening of its Coolangatta campus yesterday with Senator, the Honourable Anthony Chisholm (Senator for Queensland, Assistant Minister for Education, Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate) in attendance to officially open the school during the ceremony.

“It was a pleasure to open The BUSY Schools campus in Coolangatta this morning. For some students, a formal or traditional education just isn’t the right learning environment for them, that’s where BUSY schools can help. It’s a place where students are given the individual support they need to build a pathway to a career or further study.”

The Coolangatta campus opened in 2022 to meet the growing demand for alternative schooling throughout Queensland for the many students who, for a variety of reasons, do not succeed in the mainstream schooling system.

CEO of The BUSY Schools Lee Aitken said the Coolangatta campus has provided Gold Coast and Northern NSW students with the opportunity to engage with their learning in ways that are suited to their individual needs.

“We seek to understand the needs of the students to help re-engage them through a personalised approach for academic and employment outcomes,” he said.

The BUSY Schools, an independent senior secondary Special Assistance School network, provide individualised learning support, career planning development, and additional vocational training to year 11 and 12 students, with 728 students already enrolled throughout the state, and with that number expected to rise.

The BUSY Schools are an initiative of The BUSY Group, a not-for-profit organisation that delivers a range of employment, apprenticeship support and skills training for job seekers throughout Queensland, and reinvests into the community through initiatives like The BUSY Schools.

Paul Miles, Managing Director of the BUSY Group said the official opening of the Coolangatta school was another significant step in supporting the Gold Coast community.

“The BUSY Schools recognises the need to support all young people to make the best start to their career. The BUSY Schools offer students who may not otherwise thrive in mainstream schooling a better chance at fulfilling their education, skills and career goals.”

The BUSY Schools launched their first campus in Cairns in 2020, which proved to be a resounding success. Since then, further campuses have opened in Salisbury, Shailer Park, Coolangatta, and more recently in Brisbane City and Southport Girls+. A new campus in Cleveland is also planned to open in early May.

L-R: Dr Kamal Dhaliwal, Chair of The BUSY Schools with student, Marley, from the Coolangatta campus, and Senator, the Honourable Anthony Chisholm, Senator for Queensland, Assistant Minister for Education, Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate.

Do you fancy yourself a bit of a Michael Jordan on the court? Or are you more of an experienced Nerf hoop-shooter on the back of your bathroom or office door?

For the month of June, we challenge you to hit the courts or set up your own hoop (even if it is a mini hoop in your loungeroom) and let’s see how many baskets you can sink—all while raising money for a great cause. Finesse your hoop-shooting skills and support The BUSY Schools as we launch our month-long fundraiser. In addition, we will be holding a corporate event on the morning of 21st June at Carrara Stadium for business teams, and it’s guaranteed to get competitive!

About The BUSY Schools
The BUSY Schools offers a progressive alternative learning option for senior high school students in Years 11 and 12 who, for a variety of reasons (including bullying, mental health, disruptive home lives and more), have disengaged from school. The BUSY Schools currently has seven campuses throughout Queensland and we’ve already supported hundreds of young people (who may otherwise have fallen through the cracks) to complete their schooling and go onto career paths or further study. Our campuses offer no fees, and all costs are covered for students.

The BUSY Schools is a registered charity and all funds raised will help The BUSY Schools continue to establish new campuses where they are needed most.

We want to encourage more young people to stay in school and find the best start for their career paths. Find out more about The BUSY Schools.

There are many ways you can support The BUSY Schools Basketball Challenge:

It costs nothing to register yourself and then fundraise individually or create / join a team. Set your goal for how many baskets you can sink in June and how much money you would like to raise during the month, and away you go! Whether you set aside an hour a day or an hour a week to ‘shoot hoops’, you’re doing good! The bonus? You could win a prize just for registering, plus you’ll get fitter and fine-tune your hoop-shootin’ skills—all while supporting a great cause. Look at you go! What a champion! Find out more or Register Now

Spread the word to all your contacts: family, friends, colleagues, business networks and everyone you know. Ask them to sponsor your efforts (or register themselves or join your team) to ensure our fundraising month raises as much money as possible for The BUSY Schools.

If you’re a business in the Gold Coast or Brisbane regions, register a team for the corporate event  – 21^st June, 9am-12pm at Carrara Stadium.
We are requesting a contribution of $1,500 from each business to register their hoop and the battle begins on the reserved courts, with each team having their own half-court. Whoever can sink the most baskets within 4,400 seconds (that’s 1 hour, 13 minutes and 19 seconds) wins the glory! Why 4,400? That number represents the number of Queensland students in 2022 who needed support from special assistance schools so they could re-engage with their education.

If your business is looking for a worthwhile end-of-year cause that is tax-deductible, why not involve your staff and register a team today? Register for the Corporate Event

Register Today or Learn More

You can learn more about The Basketball Challenge and the corporate event at Carrara Stadium on our fundraising website: www.basketballchallenge.com.au

There’s not long now until June!

Want to talk to someone about how you can support The BUSY Schools?

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Megan Connors, Corporate Partnerships Manager for The BUSY Group M: 0477 014 545 | E: Megan.Connors@thebusygroup.com.au

The BUSY Schools is thrilled to announce a new charity partnership with von Bibra Auto Group.

With four dealerships including von Bibra Ferry Rd, Ashmore, Robina and Helensvale, the new partnership encourages von Bibra customers to nominate The BUSY Schools as a charitable recipient who will then receive $20 from each von Bibra car purchase.

Lee Aitken, CEO of The BUSY Schools said, “This is a wonderful demonstration of von Bibra’s support for young people on the Gold Coast who are being supported through The BUSY Schools to re-engage with their senior high school education and get the best start in their career paths. We are grateful to Wade at von Bibra and his team for being so committed to our cause.”

The BUSY Schools is a network of seven special assistance schools in Queensland with an education model focused on taking the time to provide individual support for students who would otherwise struggle in the traditional education system. With smaller classrooms and a flexible learning environment which provides opportunities to explore vocational career paths while also attaining their QCE, students who had previously disengaged from school due to a variety of reasons that include bullying, difficult home lives and many other reasons, are supported to re-engage with their education and their future. The BUSY Schools has already supported hundreds of young people, who may otherwise have ‘fallen through the cracks’, to graduate from high school and start career paths or go onto further study.

There are no fees for students to attend The BUSY Schools, with all costs covered (including uniforms, study resources and more). Therefore, support from corporate supporters such as von Bibra Auto Group is incredibly important for The BUSY Schools to operate current campuses and establish new campuses where they are needed most.

If your business is looking for a worthwhile sponsorship opportunity that improves outcomes for young people in Queensland, you can contact Megan Connors, Corporate Partnership Manager on 0477 014 545 or email megan.connors@thebusygroup.com.au

For more information on how you can support The BUSY Schools visit https://www.busyschools.qld.edu.au/donations/

Last week, The BUSY Schools were excited to welcome the von Bibra team to our Coolangatta campus to film a new Tiktok video, celebrating the new sponsorship partnership. View the video on our TikTok channel.

Since their first school opened in 2020, The BUSY Schools has supported hundreds of young people to complete their schooling, find career paths or progress to tertiary education. The success of the schools and engagement with local communities to support outcomes for disengaged youth has propelled their seventh campus in Queensland to open in Cleveland this year, in time for Term 2, 2023.

The BUSY Schools are independent Special Assistance Schools providing an alternative school option for Year 11 and 12 students who have disengaged from mainstream education. With smaller classroom sizes and a highly supportive environment, The BUSY Schools educational program combines academic studies, vocational training, and personal and professional development to support the social, educational and employment outcomes of young people. All costs are covered at The BUSY Schools and there are no fees for students.

The Redland City community consulted with The BUSY Schools in early 2021 to outline issues with youth disengagement, school refusals and the need for more alternative education solutions in the area. Thanks to this collaborative community-focused approach, in particular the close consultation with the local education leaders, The BUSY Schools was able to respond by establishing the Cleveland campus in 2023.

The Redland community highlighted the rising number of ‘school refusals’ and youth who were disengaging from education. According to a recent ABC 7.30 report, since COVID, a rise in ‘school refusals’ (students are motivated to attend school but cannot due to anxiety and other mental health issues), has concerned educators around the country and resulted in a parliamentary inquiry.

Alternative education models which offer small campus, smaller classroom environments and highly personalised teaching and learning experiences such as The BUSY Schools are ensuring these students maintain their chances of completing high school.

Alex is a prime example of the kind of student The BUSY Schools support.  After experiencing issues with mental health and bullying at his previous school, Alex had disengaged with his education. When his mother Emily found out about The BUSY Schools and suggested this as an option, things began to change for the better following his enrolment with The BUSY Schools Shailer Park campus.

His mother Emily quickly noticed a difference in Alex stating, “Since being at The BUSY Schools, I’ve noticed a general improvement in Alex’s attitude, health and wellbeing, and his positivity about the future.”

Alex went on to graduate in 2022 with straight A’s and this year he has enrolled at JMC Academy to continue his studies in a Diploma in Film and Television.

The BUSY Schools will open their seventh school in Cleveland in time for Term 2, 2023. The school will offer the same successful educational formula as other BUSY Schools campuses throughout Queensland which include Cairns, Coolangatta, Salisbury, Shailer Park and Brisbane City, along with Southport Girls+ school which is also set to open for Term 2, 2023.

CEO for The BUSY Schools, Lee Aitken, stated, “We are excited to open our seventh campus in Cleveland this year, to enable us to support more young people to reengage with their education, complete high school and make meaningful progress in their careers. We are very pleased to have had the opportunity to collaborate closely with the local community for their needs, and ultimately provide support for the young people of Redland City. We expect there to be a large interest in Year 11 enrolments for the Cleveland campus and encourage people to enquire as early as possible.”

The BUSY Schools new Cleveland campus will be located at 32 Enterprise Street, Cleveland Qld 4163.

All inquiries are welcome – contact 1300 176 451 or email cleveland@busyschools.com.au

Alternatively, you can make an enrolment enquiry through our website.

Embracing and valuing diversity of the school community is one of the cornerstones of The BUSY Schools success in reengaging young people to complete high school. A new BUSY Schools campus in Southport, opening in April 2023, is set to extend this support to female students, including all students who identify as female.

The BUSY Schools are a network of independent Special Assistance Schools providing an alternative school option for Year 11 and 12’s who have disengaged from mainstream education. The BUSY Schools educational program combines academic studies, vocational training, and personal development to support the social, educational and employment outcomes of young people. All costs are covered at The BUSY Schools, there are no fees for students.

The Southport campus will be The BUSY School’s sixth campus in Queensland and will offer a unique support for female students. When assessing the community need at the northern end of the Gold Coast, The BUSY Schools identified the opportunity to better support disengaged female students, including any student who identifies as female such as non-binary and transitioning students who prefer to attend a ‘girls’ school. The BUSY Schools anticipate a higher than average volume of enrolments at this campus of transgender, transitioning and gender fluid young people who will be supported to reengage and complete their senior schooling.

The BUSY Schools campuses provide a supportive, inclusive learning environment that combine learning, training, practical experience and recreational activities with a focus on academic and employment outcomes. The new campus in Southport will open in term two (17 April), 2023 at 139 Nerang Street in an engaging and newly refurbished site.

The BUSY Schools work closely with local schools and the community for an inclusive and mutually beneficial approach to providing supportive, alternative education for students most in need. The BUSY Schools program is often a student’s last chance to complete high school. Disengagement is often a result of anxiety-based school avoidance and The BUSY Schools Southport campus aims to address this by providing smaller classroom sizes, access to health and learning supports, and education that aims to ensure students complete their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), while also commencing on their career paths.

CEO for The BUSY Schools, Lee Aitken, stated, “We recognised the need for an all-girl campus in the area which included the support of students who identify as female and who may have very specific and unique support needs due to the issues they are encountering.

“The BUSY Schools has already supported hundreds of young people who were previously disengaged from their education to graduate and find a meaningful career pathway or progress to further study. These are students who otherwise may have fallen through the cracks.

“The schools are really making a difference for young people in Queensland (and Northern NSW) and we are excited to be able to continue establishing these schools where more young people are given the opportunity to succeed with their education and ongoing career paths.”

Amanda, mother of Billie, a former student of The BUSY Schools, said that when her daughter started disengaging from her education leading up to her final year of schooling and wanted to drop out before completing her QCE, she looked at other education options for her daughter.

Hearing great things about The BUSY Schools, they approached their local campus to see if Billie would fit the criteria for attending so she could complete her senior schooling. Once Billie started at The BUSY Schools, her mother was amazed at the turnaround in her daughter’s education, with Billie completing her QCE at the end of 2022.

Amanda said of the school, “The culture of the school is like a community of people wrapped around the students in support of their learning and success. Billie’s grades improved unbelievably. I am very impressed and would recommend it to anyone.”

Enrolments are open for The BUSY Schools Southport Girls + campus for year 11 students and the school will be opening in Term 2, 2023. Make an enquiry

Find out more and watch what people say about The BUSY Schools. 

When Billie started disengaging from her education leading up to her final year of schooling and wanted to drop out before completing her QCE, her mother Amanda looked at other education options for her daughter.

Hearing great things about The BUSY Schools, they approached their Cairns campus to see if Billie would fit the criteria for attending so she could complete her senior schooling. Billie was accepted and once starting at The BUSY School campus, her mother was amazed at the turnaround in her daughter’s education.

Amanda said of the school, “The culture of the school is like a community of people wrapped around the students in support of their learning and success. Billie’s grades improved unbelievably. I am very impressed and would recommend it to anyone.”

At the end of Year 12 Billie graduated with her QCE and she is now taking a year off to decide her next direction and further study. Currently Billie is working in the catering industry which is keeping her busy.

When asked what Amanda would say to other parents whose children are struggling with traditional schooling, she stated, “Definitely give The BUSY Schools a try. It works!

“As I looked around at the graduation ceremony, at all the graduates seated with their family and friends, I realised that without the effort and extra support put in by all members of The BUSY Schools team, not all these students would be here tonight.”

Naomi Vucas, Principal at The BUSY Schools Cairns campus, said “Since our Cairns campus opened in 2020, we’ve supported over 80 students to complete their schooling and move into career pathways, and across our Queensland campuses we’ve assisted hundreds of young people. As mentioned by Billie’s mother Amanda, many of these students may not otherwise have finished their schooling or found their career path. All the staff here are so incredibly honoured to be in the position where we are contributing to better futures for young people. We wish Billie, and all our graduating students, the very best in their future endeavours!”

Amanda with her daugther Billie who graduated in 2022.

Paige, a Year 12 student at The BUSY Schools – Salisbury, has big hopes for the school and intends to do everything in her power to ensure it remains a place where students feel they belong and have a say.

Prior to coming to The BUSY Schools, Paige did not feel supported with traditional schooling, so she sat down with her mother to discuss alternative options. That’s when she decided The BUSY Schools would be the best solution.

The BUSY Schools offers an alternative learning and supportive environment to re-engage students with a focus on vocational pathways while also completing their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE).

Since arriving at The BUSY Schools, Paige has achieved many outcomes including receiving The Principal Award for 2022, gaining a Certificate II in Hospitality, a Certificate III in Hospitality and Business, and becoming student leader for 2023.

“Coming here, I really want to do my teachers proud and strive for my best, especially with being student leader,” said Paige.

The responsibilities of Student Leader include having frequent meetings with the Campus Principal, continuously checking in with students and teachers about any concerns they may have or thoughts as to how they can help improve the school, and always making sure the students feel heard.

“I really want to make this school the best it can be because not only are the students deserving of a school that treats them well, but the staff also deserve the best working environment,” Paige stated.

With a passion for cooking, baking and all things hospitality, Paige is currently doing a school-based traineeship at KFC which is a great career pathway towards her ultimate dream of one day owning a café.

With all that she has achieved so far in her BUSY Schools experience, Paige has discovered that “I wasn’t failing school; school was failing me.”

Liza Page, Campus Principal at The BUSY Schools Salisbury campus, stated, “Mainstream schooling isn’t the only option out there. The BUSY Schools is a great alternative for students like Paige who have become disengaged from their learning.”

“Paige is an awesome leader, she stepped up straight away and is on the ball with everything.”

Find out more and watch what people say about The BUSY Schools. 

After experiencing issues with mental health and bullying at his previous school, Alex spent most of 2021 bouncing from job to job in Hospitality and Retail due to the impacts of COVID-19.

It wasn’t until his mother, Emily, suggested going back to school to finish Year 12 that they discovered BUSY Schools Shailer Park and how they could assist Alex with reengaging in education.

The BUSY Schools offers Year 11 and 12 students an alternative learning solution and the opportunity to re-engage with education and complete senior school, while getting a head-start into employment.

“The flexible schooling really did help, especially with being able to make it to health appointments,” said Emily.

Alex was always a smart teenager; he just hadn’t found an environment where he felt comfortable and confident in himself and his abilities.

The BUSY Schools focus on providing students with a safe and supportive environment where they can work towards their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) – as well as find a pathway to future employment.

“Since being at The BUSY Schools, I’ve noticed a general improvement in Alex’s attitude, health and wellbeing, and positivity about the future,” Emily further stated.

This year, Alex graduated with straight A’s, a First Aid certificate and is heading to the JMC Academy in February 2023, to study a Diploma in Film & TV.

His mother couldn’t be prouder and stated, “I was very impressed to hear there was a next step after school and am proud to see him taking an active interest in his future.”

Shane Blood, Principal at The BUSY Schools Shailer Park campus, stated, “Here at The BUSY Schools, we aim to progress our students into employment or further training or education following graduation.

“Alex has come so far since starting with us here at The BUSY Schools and we wish him the best of luck next year with his further studies.”

Find out more and watch what people say about The BUSY Schools. 

Alex and his cockatiel, Lavernius, who also loved The BUSY Schools.

There are very few high schools that invoke overwhelming praise from students, parents and teachers alike but, during the recent graduation period for 2022, this was the case for The BUSY Schools.

The BUSY Schools is an initiative of The BUSY Group, a not-for-profit organisation offering a range of apprenticeship, employment, training and career support programs. The BUSY Group has opened four BUSY Schools throughout Queensland – in Cairns, Shailer Park, Salisbury and Coolangatta – and are set to open further campuses in 2023, including a Brisbane City campus opening in time for Term 1, January 2023.  The schools offer an alternative senior high education (Years 11 and 12) for students who are not thriving with traditional schooling. In a relaxed but supportive environment, they aim to re-engage students with education so as to complete their QCE and move onto career pathways or further study.

During the recent Year 12 graduation period for three of the four campuses (except Coolangatta which opened in 2022 for Year 11 students who will graduate Year 12 in 2023), 161 students graduated with their Senior Education Profile (SEP), with 62.1% graduating with their QCE and approximately 75% of them gaining one or more Vocational Education and Training Qualifications.

Many of the students had previously disengaged from schooling for a variety of reasons. One parent put it succinctly when discussing her graduating daughter’s progress since coming to the school, “If you had told me twelve months ago that she would be where she is now, I wouldn’t of believed you”.

Another parent, obviously welling with pride (and holding back the tears) stated, “I’m so proud of him, I couldn’t be more proud of him, the man he is today, my son!”

While one parent believes it’s the dynamic between the teachers and the students that is key, stating, “The teachers are more like friends than teachers. The kids get to be themselves, they can open up and be accepted for who they are”.

Graduating students also had many positive things to say about their school and the difference it had made for them. Just some of the comments from students included:

“It’s a great school and I’m not just saying that, it really is a great school. They’ve helped me so much and I’m so thankful to everyone here”.

“Never thought I’d say I would miss school but I’m definitely going to miss BUSY Schools”.

“There should be more of them. Everywhere there is a high school, there should be a BUSY Schools as well.”

Shane Blood, Principal at The BUSY Schools, Shailer Park campus stated, “The best part of my job is coming here and seeing the interactions between the teachers and the students and just seeing how happy they are. The feedback from parents is very, very positive. They may have struggled to get their kids to school for many, many years. Since coming to The BUSY Schools, that’s not a problem for them anymore”.

Leigh Hollands, Youth Worker at The BUSY Schools Shailer Park, stated, “The students think they’re lucky for everything BUSY Schools has provided. I think I’m lucky for what they’ve brought me since they started. To see the change in them, I think we’re the lucky ones!”

Some students spoke of how they struggled with the culture of traditional schools before moving to The BUSY Schools, while others spoke of how the teachers at The BUSY Schools gave them the confidence to try for subjects they previously considered themselves failures in.

“Learning math is important…but whether you pass or fail, that doesn’t affect your value as a human…” their math teacher asserted. This statement sums up what so many students seemed to appreciate about The BUSY Schools — a space where they feel valued and accepted for who they are.

Graduating Year 12 students celebrating with staff and family at their end of year formal.

Find out more and watch what people say about The BUSY Schools 

In the first week of July each year, National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.

Each year has a theme and this year’s is ‘Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up’. As a nation, it calls for us to continue to Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! for systemic change and keep rallying around our mob, our Elders, our communities. Whether it’s seeking proper environmental, cultural and heritage protections, Constitutional change, a comprehensive process of truth-telling, working towards treaties, or calling out racism—we must do it together.

You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across the country. These events aim to educate all of us of the country we stand on, the language, history and achievements of our First Nations people.

National NAIDOC Week Awards Ceremony

National NAIDOC Week’s premiere event is the National NAIDOC Week Awards Ceremony which showcases Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander excellence. Every year, a different focus city is chosen to host the National NAIDOC Awards Ceremony.

Previous National NAIDOC Week Award Winners come from many different communities within Australia and have different backgrounds, however they are all part of NAIDOC history and share remarkable achievements.

One such winner was the Koori Mail, Australia’s only fully indigenous-owned and managed newspaper with a circulation of approximately 10,000 and an estimated readership across Australia of close to 100,000.

In its citation, the National NAIDOC Committee said that the Koori Mail is the only fully Indigenous-owned and managed newspaper in Australia. ‘Founded by a Walbunja businessman, Owen Carriage, the Koori Mail first went to print in May 1991. Published in both printed form and digitally each fortnight, it is a trusted voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

‘Based in Lismore, New South Wales, the Koori Mail was significantly impacted by the floods this year, affecting both the organisation and those who worked for it. However, the paper immediately pivoted to distribute emergency information and provide disaster relief. Their coordination and leadership provided support to First Nations people and the wider community in and around Lismore during this difficult time.’ The support included setting up a street kitchen and serving food to community members, many who had lost everything in the floods. The Koori Maiil is a a fine example to us all of what it truly means to ‘Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up!’

References:

Echo Newspaper

NAIDOC Week 2022