Thinking outside the box inspires great art

Seven Catalyst Clemente students unveiled their acrylics, oils and pencil drawings last Thursday night at the opening of a new art exhibition at Brisbane’s Australian Catholic University (ACU).

The class has just completed 2D Studies and Art, one of four units they have to finish to obtain a Certificate in Liberal Studies through the innovative learning program Mission Australia has run with ACU in Brisbane since 2006.

Joining students at the Catalyst Clemente Art Exhibition opening were Prof Lindsay Farrell, ACU’s Acting Associate Vice Chancellor; Prof Jude Butcher, Director of the Institute for Advancing Community Engagement, and our State Director Queensland, Penny Gillespie, who spoke to students and guests.

“The fact is, we don’t all fit into a specific mould and the system doesn’t work for everyone,” Ms Gillespie said at the launch. “But at Mission Australia, we believe it shouldn’t be the case that those who ‘don’t fit’ should miss out.

“What we can see here tonight is the kind of results you can achieve – the remarkable talent you can unearth – when you start thinking outside the box to give everyone a chance at learning.”

Three Catalyst students – Chris, Pamela and Luke – also shared how the program had transformed their lives:

After suffering an acute brain injury, Chris had been socially isolated for many years and struggled to connect with others. Chris, who has completed his second Catalyst unit, explained how the program had given him a love of art and he now is a prolific painter.

His classmate Luke told guests how, over the course of his decade-long struggle with mental illness he’d cut himself off from the outside world. Thanks to Catalyst Clemente he now has a new lease on life, is enjoying volunteer work and is about to complete his fourth semester of study.

Finally, Pamela was presented with her complete graduation certificate on the night for completing the Catalyst program. Pamela thanked all the staff at ACU, Mission Australia and Minter Ellison Lawyers, who are involved in the program. She told guests she had been blown away by the experience,

Catalyst offers marginalised people, many of whom are dealing with mental health issues or disabilities and are socially disadvantaged, the opportunity to undertake free accredited university courses in humanities subjects. The program helps participants overcome self-esteem, mental health and confidence issues, interact and plan for a positive future.

Subjects are taught by lecturers from ACU National and students team up with volunteer learning partners such as Minter Ellison Lawyers, who provide fortnightly individual support and academic assistance to students as part of its Community Investment Program.

The program, which is made possible thanks to community generosity, involves four unit semesters of study, with classes held for three hours each week for 12 weeks.

After each unit, students are awarded Certificates of Attainment and on completion of all four, they are awarded Certificates in Liberal Arts and given credit points towards further university studies.

Congratulations to all our Brisbane students, including Rhonda, Josephine and Naomi, who have finished their first unit, and Amanda, who has completed two units.

If you would like to support Catalyst Clemente in Brisbane, please call MaryAnne Morgan on (07) 3394 8152.

Further reading:

• Catalyst students celebrate learning
• Learning life lessons through Catalyst Clemente

Catalyst students celebrate learning

Celebration is one of our values at Mission Australia (along with compassion, integrity, respect and perseverance), so we always welcome the opportunity to mark significant achievements with get-togethers.

Last month, seven of our Catalyst Clemente Melbourne students celebrated the completion of their Australian Indigenous History unit, provided by Mission Australia in partnership with the Australian Catholic University (ACU).

The students were joined by Jude Butcher, Director of the Institute for Advancing Community Engagement, ACU; Mission Australia CEO Toby Hall, and many proud family members, friends, lecturers, Learning Partners and Mission Australia staff at ACU’s Melbourne campus.

On congratulating the class, course lecturer Dr Noah Riseman said the quality of work produced by the Catalyst Clemente students often exceeded his expectations.

Towards the end of the night, guests were treated to a musical recital by Mood Swingers, a vocal group from St Mary’s House of Welcome. Among the singers were 2011 Catalyst graduate Darren and past student Suzanne.

Current student Michael also delivered a beautiful poem about his experience with Catalyst Clemente. Born in the Philippines, he moved to Geelong at age 16. Coming from a very tight-knit, densely populated community to a regional area of Australia was a huge culture shock. Getting through Year 12 was especially difficult for Michael, as he was constantly bullied.

He was later diagnosed with mental health issues and fell into psychosis in 2003. His mental health then rapidly declined.

Michael moved to Melbourne in 2005 and, after an intense fall-out with his family, found himself living on the streets. He found semi-permanent accommodation in Richmond for the next two years, before moving into The Fintry Community. That’s where he heard about Catalyst Clemente from a former student.

At the recent Catalyst celebration, Michael beautifully expressed his thoughts on the value of education and the life-changing program:

"Education. It provides a unique form of freedom once learned can never be taken away. Writing, reading and research. The truth. The workload, its all part of the process. A process of which that requires dedication and commitment. At the end, a rewarding career. The age of digital technology. Revolutionising the way information is gathered and stored. The late nights and the insomnia. I wonder if I’m going to pass or get a good grade. Time management is the key. Do the reading and participate. Asked questions and make relevant comments. Take notes in the lecture, it will help you study. The level of academic ability. If you are passionate on what you are doing, you will be successful. Chose wisely on your degree, deferring is always the difficult thing. On campus and online. Some people prefer one over the other. To me personally it’s a bit of both actually. I never thought I’d end up at the Australian Catholic University, even though I did my primary school studies at St. Francis of Assisi in the Philippines.

"Chivalry is not dead. You will learn that in university with the proper learning partner. A God send who will help you on your way. How do I reference, ask them and they are more than happy to show ya. Mission Australia. Where would I be without the guiding light? Perhaps still asking questions where there is no answer. A free education and delicious food from Nicole and Layla.

"The program that help people study. What a great idea. Higher education at the ACU. I feel that I can build an empire of true Christian values. All you need is faith and your Mac Book computer. Finally to the teachers and coordinators thank you for the time and effort, I did my best to repay in academia. Who said that learning is not fun, maybe it’s just the voice of negativity, which thanks to university has become a lot quieter. All the best and enjoy the celebration."

Melbourne’s Catalyst Clemente students are now enjoying a well-deserved break until mid August, when they will begin the Introduction to Media Studies. A first-time inclusion in Catalyst Clemente, it is anticipated the subject will add a new dimension to the program, giving the students the opportunity to participate in a more ‘hands on’ and interactive approach to world of the humanities.

Further reading:

• Learning Life Lessons Through Catalyst Clemente
• A Catalyst for changing women’s lives
• Survey reveals stark difference in outlook between homeless and non-homeless youth

Learning life lessons through Catalyst Clemente

When asked why she volunteers, Catalyst Clemente Learning Partner Sarah Carter has a simple answer – she loves helping people to help themselves.

A Reservoir Engineer with Woodside Energy, which is a strong corporate supporter of our services in Western Australia, Sarah has been involved with the Catalyst Clemente program since it was introduced to Mission Australia’s Wattle House two years ago.

Delivered in Perth in partnership with Edith Cowan University, this accessible program enables people who have experienced significant challenges in life, including homelessness, to participate in undergraduate level humanities education. It caters for the particular needs of students by combining education with social support.

Learning Partners like Sarah are recruited from corporate partners and the wider community, and play a vital role in the program. As a Learning Partner, Sarah supports and assists students at weekly study evenings during the semester and with essay writing, research and course material interpretation.

Team Leader Community Development and Catalyst Clemente Coordinator, Mario Gomes, said he has been impressed by Sarah’s unfailing commitment to the program over the past two years, despite the demands of her family and working life.

“She has been with us from the start and has renewed her commitment unit after unit,” he said. “On one occasion, she was very busy at work, but came all the way out to Maddington for the Catalyst learning evening, then went back to her office to complete her work! Sarah had her first baby last year, so we really appreciate the time she gives is valuable.

But for Sarah, the satisfaction she receives from volunteering at Wattle House make it worth the effort: “It is not difficult juggling volunteering with my paid work but I have found it more difficult to fit in spending time with my son, Henry,” she said. “Ultimately, I really enjoy my volunteering time and so try to fit this in around our family routine - my husband helps by picking up the slack at home!

“The most rewarding thing about volunteering is the opportunity to be involved in the greater community doing something that helps others and that is not just about me,” Sarah said.

“Also seeing students graduate from their four subjects as part of the program and move on to further university study or different challenges in their lives with so much more confidence and motivation. The students become great examples for their family and children and end up not just changing their lives but those around them as well.

Mario said its this positive attitude that makes Catalyst volunteers like Sarah an integral part of the program: “Our six Learning Partner volunteers are extraordinary. So often they tell me that they get more out of volunteering that the Catalyst Clemente students do,” he said. “I think that’s because it’s very tangible work. The volunteers help the students to get results and feel so proud to be a part of their success – it’s very interactive.”

For Sarah, student graduation ceremonies are the highpoints of her volunteering year. Seeing the sense of achievement on the faces of the students, she said, make her efforts worthwhile.

“There is so much to gain from getting involved in your community through volunteering activities and I’d recommend it to anyone,” she said. “It is also really important to use volunteering as a way to help people help themselves, which is what the Catalyst Clemente program is all about.”

Find out about current volunteering opportunities at Mission Australia’s Wattle House at our WA Volunteering Opportunities page.

Further reading:

• Woodside volunteers freshen up YASS for Christmas
• Promoting social inclusion: Emerging evidence from the Catalyst-Clemente program
• World opens up for WA Catalyst graduates
  

A catalyst for changing women’s lives

On this 100th International Women’s Day we’d like to celebrate our Catalyst Clemente education program, which is empowering women across the nation.

Catalyst Clemente offers free, socially supported university education in the humanities for people who are experiencing significant life challenges.

The philosophy of the program is that study in the humanities can act as a catalyst for social inclusion, intellectual engagement and positive change in the lives of participants.

Delivered in a community setting, just over half of the Catalyst participants (52 per cent) are women.

“The program is life-changing for the students and it’s great to see them realise their own potential,” said Sarah Spiker, Mission Australia Project Officer Catalyst Clemente and Communities for Children.

“One of the key benefits for the women who participate is the confidence they gain, which translates into all aspects of their lives, such as parenting, social engagement and the workforce.”

No one believes this more than Karen*, a single working mother and grandmother from Adelaide who last week commenced her third semester in the program.

Karen had to leave school at 14 due to a disruptive home life, which was marred by alcoholism and verbal abuse. “It’s hard to study when someone is ranting at home,” she said.

She waited 26 years – when her youngest child was seven – to return to study.

“Learning always felt like a luxury – something out of my grasp,” she said. “I had always enjoyed learning at school, then TAFE, but it seemed life always got in the way. I’ve since learned that if people can find a peaceful, safe place they can relax and study – you just need that place to open your mind.

“Catalyst has been fantastic. It’s given me the chance to first of all entertain the thought that I deserve to study and then allowed me to turn that into a reality,” said Karen, who is one of 11 Adelaide students enrolled in the 2011 program.

With support from volunteer learning partners and professional lecturers, women like Karen are gaining communication, writing and research skills – as well as a thirst for learning.

Last year she completed the ‘Short Stories and Their Writers’ and ‘Australia and The World’ courses. This semester she will study drama.

Mission Australia has operated Catalyst Clemente since 2005 and now offers the program in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth Adelaide, Ballarat, Newcastle and Campbelltown in partnership with various community agencies and educational institutions.

In Adelaide the program is delivered in partnership with Flinders University.

*Name has been changed.

World opens up for WA Catalyst graduates

A dream has come true for three students of Mission Australia’s Catalyst Clemente program in Western Australia who last week received their University Certificates in Humanities and Arts.

Dressed in graduation regalia, Beverley, Loralei and Amanda joined about 400 Edith Cowan University (ECU) graduates at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre last Sunday.

Before the ceremony, the trio gathered with family and friends at Mission Australia’s Wattle House, which provides support services for people facing significant life challenges. From there, they were all transported by bus to the graduation venue, with several past and present Catalyst students coming along to cheer the women on.

Catalyst Clemente is a free educational program for people who have experienced significant barriers to education. Now run from five Mission Australia sites in partnership with educational institutions, it was established in Western Australia in 2008 in association with Edith Cowan University and sponsored by Woodside Energy. Weekly lectures, which are held at Wattle House, are supplemented by one learning evening each week.

The three Catalyst graduates all agreed that the program had been a journey in self-empowerment.

“I feel like I used to float through life,” said Beverley. “I didn’t have direction, whereas now I know what I want and I now have the avenue to get there.”

Two of the graduates plan to pursue further study at ECU, while the other is studying Community Services at TAFE.

Mission Australia’s WA Catalyst Coordinator Mario Gomes was invited to be the occasional speaker at the graduation event. He thanked ECU for its commitment to the program and urged the graduates to give back to the community no matter what career, profession or business they planned to pursue.

In his well-received address, Mario fondly spoke of the “students, who are the real stars of the program. Their commitment and persistence in the face of all adversity is truly inspirational”.

One student, he told guests, was a young mother of three when she enrolled. She gave birth to her fourth child during her studies and then attended lectures with her baby in the pram.

“Another student,” Mario added, “is a grandmother who had battled through self-doubt and health issues while the third is a sole parent of three children who also overcame personal obstacles to reach this amazing milestone.”

“It was an excellent opportunity to speak about the program and the inspirational stories of the students,” Mario said this week. “As I reminded graduates on the day, ‘Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars’.”

Above image courtesy of Phillips & Father

Melbourne's Catalyst Clemente students celebrate

Proud family members, friends, educators and Mission Australia staff recently joined students of Catalyst Clemente Melbourne to celebrate the end of the educational program's final semester for 2010.

Ten students who studied the Introduction to Sociology unit marked the completion of a challenging and exciting semester, with one graduating with a Certificate in Liberal Studies on completion of four semesters.

Recent graduate Stephanie said that apart from all the written pieces, assessments and theory, Catalyst Clemente had changed her life and will definitely transform her future for the better.

Catalyst Clemente is a free educational program for people who have experienced significant barriers to education. It is run from eight Mission Australia sites in partnership with educational institutions, including the Australian Catholic University (ACU).

At the celebration, ACU Lecturer Sue Rechter shared the unique contribution of each of the students, and was then presented with a rose plant to remember them by.

Ms Rechter said she loved coming to the Monday afternoon lectures because, of all the students she taught, those in the Catalyst Clemente program were her "favourites".

Grant Levy, a first-time Learning Partner from Lander and Rogers Lawyers, said he found his experience with Catalyst Clemente both challenging and rewarding.

Although students are taking a break from lectures and Learning Partner sessions until March, they remain excited at their prospects within and beyond the program.

Above photo:  Semester two students, December 2010

Past news - Catalyst Clemente

Milestone for the Catalyst Clemente program

Left to Right:  Alex Prudnicki, Jeanne-Marie Thomasz (Manager MA), Nerissa Blake, Susan Ash (Associate Professor ECU), Anita Welsh, Mario Gomes (Catalyst Coordinator, MA), Tasha La Mer.  Photography by Phillips & Father  

Mission Australia’s Catalyst Clemente (Catalyst) program provides tertiary education in arts and the humanities to assist marginalised people escape cycles of poverty and homelessness.

Catalyst reached a memorable milestone when four of its students graduated from the 2009 program.

On the 31st January Alex Prudnicki, Anita Welsh, Nerissa Blake and Tasha La Mer received their certificates during the formal Edith Cowan University (ECU) Graduation Ceremony at the Perth Convention Centre. Three of these graduates are enrolled for further tertiary study at ECU in 2010.

The graduates were supported on the night by fellow students, family and friends, staff and academia from Mission Australia, Woodside, ECU and Curtin University. Claire Brown, the original program co-ordinator from ECU also travelled from interstate to see the students graduate.

True to its name, the program has proven for another year that it can be a catalyst for change and social inclusion.

Through the learning of the arts and humanities, students are empowered to think about and reflect on the world in which they live. In turn, this intellectual engagement can promote a broader re-engagement with society, and encourage students to take action in their own lives - as seen in recent survey responses from the students:

“My confidence – I have posture. I smile more. I have goals now that I’d like to meet. I’m not as ashamed. Now I feel my life has a purpose. It has given me self worth.”

“It has given me a new and different attitude towards education and myself.”

Their stories are evidence of the empowerment and hope that opportunities like this can provide.

Mission Australia now offers Catalyst in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. The program is also offered by other community services agencies in NSW (Sydney, Newcastle and Campbelltown), Ballarat (VIC) and Canberra.

The graduation event is a commendable achievement for the four graduates, acknowledged with immense pride by all who have been involved in developing and delivering Catalyst Clemente in WA. It also provides tremendous encouragement and motivation for the students who are currently engaged in the program.

New University program a catalyst for change for disadvantaged South Australians

A new partnership between Flinders University and Mission Australia will promote learning and self-confidence among a group of disenfranchised and marginalised South Australians.

The relationship – formalised in an agreement to be signed by both parties today – brings to Flinders University the internationally acclaimed Catalyst Clemente (Catalyst) program.

Mission Australia State Director, Jillian Paull and Flinders University Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Barber will sign the agreement at Mission Australia’s State Office today.

Ms Paull said Catalyst would begin in South Australia with around 12 participants sourced from Mission Australia services and other local organisations such as Housing SA and Families SA.

She said Catalyst had proved valuable in increasing the social and economic participation of disadvantaged Australians since it was introduced in NSW in 2005.

“Catalyst helps students identify new possibilities for their lives – possibilities they may have believed were out of their reach,” Ms Paull said.

“The idea behind Catalyst is that poverty is more than just exclusion from material goods – it’s also about social exclusion.

“The way out of poverty is to give people access to more than just a wage or vocational training - it’s about engaging them in activities that lead to social interaction, learning and community participation.

“Catalyst uses the arts and humanities – such as literature, drama – to do just that. It builds participants’ self-esteem and creates a feeling of community engagement.”

Professor Barber said Flinders University was pleased to be the South Australian partner in the program.

South Australia’s first class of Catalyst students will enrol in a “Short Stories and Their Writers” subject to be offered at Noarlunga Centre.

Students will be required to attend once a week for 12 weeks for the short stories lecture and tutorial and a 90-minute learning and counselling session with their mentors. A complementary IT course will also be offered.

Each participant who successfully completes the subject will receive a certificate of completion. Those who complete four subjects will receive non-award certificates from Flinders University.

“This program is an example of how looking for new ways to deal with social problems – and the collaboration between community agencies that results from innovative thinking – can achieve significant results for people who may otherwise not have access to services most of us take for granted,” Professor Barber said.

“The potential of education, including higher education, to change lives is well accepted, and we are satisfied South Australia’s Catalyst program will lead to similar successful outcomes as have been achieved elsewhere.”

Ms Paull said Catalyst Clemente began in New York in 1997.

“The founder, Earl Shorris, believed that tertiary-level education in the humanities could assist socially disenfranchised or marginalised people out of cycles of poverty and homelessness,” she said.

“Humanities subjects are used because they require people to think about, become engaged in and reflect on what they are learning and how it relates to the world in which they live.”

More than 150 students in NSW, Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria have been exposed to tertiary-level subjects including Australian history, philosophy, Australian literature, art history, politics and media since Catalyst began in Australia in 2005.

Ms Paull said many of the students had achieved credits, distinctions and high distinctions, and some had been motivated to enrol in fulltime university study.

“The success of the program proves that for many people, all it takes is a start for their lives to be transformed,” she said.

Catalyst Clemente students have much to celebrate

Mission Australia's Catalyst Clemente program in Melbourne recently held its end-of-year celebration, marking the close of a challenging and inspiring semester studying Art History and Design Theory.

For two students in particular, there was even more cause to celebrate as they became the first two Catalyst Clemente students in Melbourne to graduate with a Certificate in Liberal Studies from the Australian Catholic University (ACU).

The Catalyst Clemente program assists disadvantaged students through their tertiary education. Offered in partnership with ACU the program provides a supported study environment, with extra guidance provided by volunteers on a weekly basis.  For more information on this unique service download the latest Social Policy Report:  Enhancing participation: New possibilities for disadvantaged Australians - click here.

As the first graduates of the program, the two young students have much to celebrate - one mentioned that Catalyst Clemente has helped her through difficult times over the last two years, but provides a key goal to focus on. She will take up studies in 2010 having recently enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts program at university, and hopes to study sociology.  The other student is transferring into training in Landscape Architecture and looks forward to building his career in that field.

Catayst-Clemente program - For further reading click here

---

A touching highlight of the celebration was the poem recital from one student, expressing her thoughts of Catalyst Clemente:

Catalyst Clemente

Is a journey away

From the disadvantages

Of every day

With learning partners

And ACU staff

And Mission Australia

The work’s cut in half

Four units in all

That’s all it takes

To learn essay writing

And iron out mistakes

It’s education

That keeps on going

For adult people

Who keep on growing

‘Til one day we’ll sit

Upon a chair

In a bachelor degree

All going somewhere

As the tree is formed

So the twig is bent

This Catalyst Clemente

Is heaven sent

David Malouf visits Mission Australia Centre

Author David Malouf at the
Mission Australia Centre, Surry Hills

One of Australia's greatest authors, David Malouf, visited the Mission Australia Centre in Sydney's Surry Hills yesterday to take part in a groundbreaking program which offers university-accredited study to support and inspire disadvantaged and marginalised people.

The Catalyst-Clemente program is a joint initiative between the Australian Catholic University (ACU) and Mission Australia and uses the Arts and Humanities - eg: literature, drama - to build participants' self-esteem, create a feeling of community engagement and develop new possibilities for the future.

The visit - which had been kindly arranged the Australian Catholic University - coincided with the current Catalyst intake's study of one of Mr Malouf's best known novels, the Booker Prize-shortlisted, Remembering Babylon.

Class members had the unique opportunity to ask Mr Malouf a range of questions related to the novel and it's structure, formation of characters and writing style.

Catalyst-Clemente is based on the belief that poverty is more than just exclusion from material goods - it's also about social exclusion.

Accordingly, the way out of poverty is about giving people access to more than just a wage or vocational training, it's also about engaging them in activities that lead to social interaction, learning and community participation.

Since beginning in 2003, Catalyst-Clemente is now offered in Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra, Perth, Melbourne and with Adelaide soon to follow.