Benalla Victoria

2007 Report - Dropping Off the Edge: the distribution of disadvantage in Australia by Professor Tony Vinson showed Benalla in the ‘Top 40’ that no one wants to make - the 40 most disadvantaged towns in Victoria 2015 Dropping Off The Edge Report – Benalla remains in the top 40 most disadvantaged Victorian towns.

Dominant characteristics of Victoria’s multiply- disadvantaged locations Unemployment incl. long-term unemployment Low family income; rental assistance Family violence, child maltreatment Criminal convictions and prison admissions Disability Psychiatric admissions

Social disadvantage impacts adversely on educational attainment Vinson 2007 – “It is difficult to deny the centrality of limited education and its impact on the acquisition of economic and life skills in the making and sustaining of disadvantage in Australia.” Vinson 2015 – “A focus on community level change should be a mandatory requirement of projects intended to strengthen multiply disadvantaged communities.”

Education Benalla Program families – community – schools Formal schooling is only one component of the educational environment in any district; cross- sectoral partnerships (schools, community groups, government agencies, businesses) are crucial to achieving desired outcomes

The first five years of EBP

Developing the capacity of families and children

Improving the wellbeing of young people

Developing the capacity of young people

Developing the capacity of community volunteers

Working with many other agencies and organisations to achieve positive change

What have we learnt? Vulnerable children and families need multiple contacts and interventions to help them to thrive Everyone in our community has a role to play in giving our children better life chances and choices Working together across agencies helps us achieve our own organisational goals more effectively as well as producing better outcomes for our community Parents can learn from other parents, partners can learn from other partners, communities can learn form other communities Keep the focus on people not processes; collaborate, don’t compete Communicate.... Communicate.... Communicate.....

Whole of community

Child by child

2015 University of Melbourne Evaluation In the light of: its success to date; the depth and intensity surrounding its establishment; the rigour and topicality of its research base; its realistic time-frame; its preparedness to self-reflect, formally evaluate and act on the learnings gathered over the course of program delivery; the diversity and richness of its 120 partnerships; its clear and well-defined objectives; its capacity to maximise its volunteer skill base; high quality and energised staffing; its vision, commitment and sense of a ‘bigger picture’..... It is only reasonable to argue that the EBP represents ‘Best Practice’ in the area of philanthropy-driven collective impact community intervention.

DICK AND VERA BERTALLI EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

Shop 10, Cecily Court, 66 Nunn Street, Benalla Phone: (03)