Since its conception over 20 years ago The Island has endeavoured to provide young people with an alternative to mainstream education. Many of these young people have had negative school experiences and The Island aims to give relevant and appropriate training enabling the students to present themselves as positively as possible to prospective employers. And in this way many employers recognise The Island as a good source of well skilled young people who want to work. (The Island, 2005)
I thought it was one of those factory places until I walked in. I thought it would be an actual school. I didn’t know it would be in building like this … I thought it would be bigger … like a huge school with a yard or field … like a huge TAFE. It looked weird. There was no way I was going back to my old school. (Students in (Broadribb, 2004, 43 - 44)
Students completing equipment “Tool Shed” |
What strikes you first about The Island is how it is unlike any other school most people have any experience with – and on reflection this is perhaps what makes The Island both as successful as it is and perhaps is also its greatest drawback. The stereotype of “school” and “schooling” is so deeply embedded in popular consciousness.
Like other “schools” featured in the DSF Learning Choices program The Island is not a mainstream setting, nor a regular school. In fact of its staff of some 15 only one (the Manager) is a qualified teacher!
From its exterior The Island appears like many of the other light industrial factories in the vicinity; located opposite a popular local “watering hole” this reused textile warehouse opens into a reception area – the noise of industry is everywhere – music blaring, machines humming, engines turning over, saws buzzing; and above it all the voices of people working at their jobs. When you enter you are struck by how much like a workplace it really is – the items manufactured here are proudly displayed for potential customers to purchase or order. There are none of the trappings you regularly find in a school reception area – honour boards, portraits of principals, pennants or the latest trophy are all conspicuous by their absence. In their stead is a notice board with work rosters, OHS notices and a table tennis and table soccer game regularly used by both students and staff. Staff and students share the same entrances, same spaces including toilets –there is no staff room.
| They soon stop calling the instructors “sir, sir!” They quickly learn to trust us – nothing is locked up here even the offices are open. We are to be trusted and we say what we mean and we mean what we say. (Staff) |
So more correctly then The Island is not a school – it is made up of various workshops – it does not have classrooms in any accepted sense of the term – it uses tradespeople as instructors – not teachers, to work together with its students. The students are given the opportunity to ‘break free from previous negative experiences associated with schooling’ (Broadribb, 2004, 52) while experiencing mateship, teamwork, getting the job done and occupational health and safety issues. Moreover because The Island is not a school but a genuine workplace it has been able to establish strong links with industry partners. While this has led to some important sponsorships, equally of value is support for industry transition of the students through on-going successful placements.
The Island is about a process of re-engaging kids into learning so that they see that this is not just another place they are not going to succeed in. The aim is for them to stop resisting alternate agendas that the students “learnt” at school. |
