The role of community education in Australian regional and rural economic development

Vocational education and training (VET) is particularly important in rural and regional Australia, because of the economic and business structure of most regional and rural areas. This policy paper from Community Colleges Australia examines the role that community education organisations play in regional and rural Australia through providing accredited VET. The paper notes that, although there are many good examples of community education regional development partnerships around Australia, there is little consistency in the approaches, little understanding of the models that have developed, and little knowledge of how to build on these experiences to enhance Australian regional and rural economic development. The paper concludes that it is time for a significant investigation into these approaches, supporting pilot and other projects that will assist community providers in regional and rural Australia.

Community Colleges Australia proposes a number of recommendations for Commonwealth, state and territory governments: (1) set up pilot funding programs that enable community education providers to fulfil their potential; (2) increase funding for community education organisations for 'community service obligation' (CSO) activities that serve vulnerable and disadvantaged learners; (3) provide infrastructure funding to modernise physical facilities and to provide high-quality digital connectivity; (4) utilise regional and rural community education providers to do what they do best: engage with vulnerable and disadvantaged Australians, especially young people, supporting a system of traineeships and pathways to jobs and other learning; (5) develop a coordinated national-state-territory policy statement on the value and place of adult and community education, updating the 2008 Ministerial statement, a statement that acknowledges the complementary role that community providers play; (6) acknowledge the importance and value by funding proper professional development and staff training for community sector providers, with particular attention to the training needs of staff working for regional and rural providers; (7) examine all VET funding programs to ensure that community providers are not disadvantaged by regulations, short time-frames and limited horizons (such as one-year) funding cycles; (8) request the National Centre for Vocational Education Research to collect and publish data on regional and rural student outcomes and provider comparisons; and (9) provide funding to Community Colleges Australia to undertake pertinent research.

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