Celebrating 10 years of partnership
In 2009 the Melbourne Graduate School of Education (The University of Melbourne) and the Catholic Education Office Melbourne / Catholic Education Commission of Victoria celebrate the 10th anniversary of collaboration in a strategic whole-school approach to promoting student wellbeing. A key element of this partnership has been the sponsorship of teachers, principals and Student Wellbeing Coordinators from Victorian Catholic primary and secondary schools to complete postgraduate study in student wellbeing, originally in the Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Studies (Student Welfare) and in more recent years the Master of Education (Student Wellbeing). This partnership has been further strengthened through collaboration in a number of research activities, professional development, publications and the Student Wellbeing Action Partnership (SWAP) website.
The 10th anniversary of this partnership was formally celebrated at an official event at the Ian Potter Museum of Art. Hosted by Professor Field Rickards (Dean, Melbourne Graduate School of Education) the event drew together representatives from the Catholic Education Office Melbourne, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Catholic Education Commission of Victoria, graduates of the post-graduate courses in student wellbeing as well as representatives from other universities, schools and partner organisations.
“Today, the Catholic system, through its sponsorship of teachers into the student wellbeing course, has had a direct and positive impact on dozens of schools, hundreds of teachers, and the lives of thousands of students. With some 800 teachers having graduated in Student Wellbeing over the past ten years, the system is demonstrating world class practice in creating schools as core social centres,” Professor Field Rickards said.
Professor Susan Elliott (Acting Provost, The University of Melbourne) spoke about the power of professional learning and credentialed training in building the capacity of a system to make positive impacts on the lives of young people. Maria Kirkwood (Assistant Director, Religious Education and Pastoral Care) spoke about the strength of the partnership in working collaboratively to improve learning outcomes for students as well as strengthening school and community partnerships. There was also a multimedia display during the night in one of the gallery spaces with a series of short films profiling the partnership as well as student performances from the 2009 CEOM Student Wellbeing Drama Festival. A number of these films are also available on the SWAP website.
Left to Right - Maria Kirkwood (CEOM Assistant Director - Religious Education and Pastoral Care), Desma Strong (MGSE), Professor Field Rickards (Dean, MGSE), Mary Tobin (CEOM Manager – Student Wellbeing), Professor Susan Elliott (Acting Provost, The University of Melbourne) and Elizabeth Freeman (MGSE)
Partnership timeline
1999 – First cohort of Catholic school teachers sponsored by the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV) to undertake the Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Studies (Student Welfare) as part of the CECV Youth Services Strategy.
2000 – 2002 - The Effectiveness of Student Welfare Professional Development as a Strategy for Whole School Student Welfare, Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention (Australian Research Council Strategic Partnerships with Industry Grant) The University of Melbourne in collaboration with the Catholic Education Office Melbourne.
2006 – First cohort of Catholic school teachers sponsored by the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV) to undertake the new Master of Education (Student Wellbeing).
2006 – 2007 - Enhancing Wellbeing and Learning in the Middle Years Classrooms (Australian Research Council Linkage Grant) University of Melbourne in collaboration with the Catholic Education Office Melbourne.
2007-2009 - Creating Culturally Respectful Primary Schools: Enhancing Relationships through Strategic Professional Learning (Australian Research Council Linkage Grant) The University of Melbourne and La Trobe University in collaboration with the Catholic Education Office Melbourne Scanlon Foundation, Australian Psychological Society, Haig Street Primary School and St Anthony's Primary School, Alphington.
2007 – Launch of the SWAP (Student Wellbeing Action Partnership) website on the Melbourne Graduate School of Education website.
2008 – Partners in the Learning Better Together study tour (Santa Fe, New Mexico) in collaboration with Australian Catholic University, the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and the Centre for RelationaLearning.
2009 – Celebration of the 10th anniversary of the partnership between The University of Melbourne and the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria.
