When our education system fails, it isn’t just the individual that is held back but the entire community. When we invest in people to develop their skills and capabilities we all benefit from a stronger economy and society.
Although we face the challenges of communication and cultural difficulties with many of our Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander peoples and those Australians who have slipped through the gaps, we are at a time when our working lives and economy is changing rapidly and education is the pathway to our progress.
We have an obligation and a responsibility to make lifelong learning a reality by giving everyone the opportunity to access education through-out their lives. To meet this obligation I propose we support our libraries by providing not just the books and resources but additional utility rooms for classes, online testing and vocational educational provision.
I propose that we create a Council volunteer program whereby students undergoing the training and supervision of educators can provide public services.
The following certificate’s, diploma and Bachelor practical applications could be supervised, assessed and revised in order to meet a both the needs of the public and that of Council.
Such practical application could be volunteered in –
Holistic Training at a number of Council run facilities
Water Aerobics
Massage
Horticulture
Tree-pruning
Gardening
Power tools
Typing
Basic computer skills
Web design and graphic
Video
Office programs
MYOB and Quiken book keeping
Security
Security system installations
First aid and resuscitation
And plenty more
Those having completed said programs could be placed on a City of Darwin Volunteer Recognition program whereby employers and the public could be provided the evidence of that person/s contribution to society and good standing in the community.
But we don’t just provide it for teen’s to adults I propose we create a City of Darwin Learn for life program in conjunction with our libraries providing joint access to education providers and the public.
Just as every Adult and young person can contribute, we know that as a society it really starts when we are young. The provision of reading and arithmetic programs at every public library can be strengthened by the provision of school partnership programs bringing youth into the public libraries and providing them the opportunity to meet authors, artists and cultural story tellers to better educate on Darwin and its history and surrounds.
I propose a renovation and expansion of our Casuarina Library or a discussion with the Center management of the Casuarina Square complex to provide a learning and education centre in the Northern suburbs to enrich the lives and lifestyle of the community.
I propose that in the future as part of the Rate payers pack for any persons purchasing a property in the Darwin and surrounding Area’s the provision of 24 free hours of educational access be provided per annum per rate payer transferable to their children or family for the use in an certificate course held through the City of Darwin Libraries system.
Note : Written and Authorized by Sam Wilks. The views included may not be those of others mentioned in the article but are those of Sam Wilks. If you have other idea’s feel free to comment below. Idea’s and differing opinion is recognition of a free and just democratic society. A Society I am happy to live in. Please however try not to be abusive or discriminative, you may be. But if I feel that your opinion may be harmful or is reported as being harmful, I will delete it.