Media Releases

The McAuley Champagnat Programme (MCP), part of Notre Dame College in Shepparton, has received $100,000 in State Government funding as part of the Coalition Government’s $5-million Local Solutions Year 12 Retention Fund.

State Member for Shepparton Jeanette Powell visited the school recently to meet with several of the students in the program and talk to the program director Peter Chalkley about the funding.

“I know MCP will use this money well, as they are already doing a terrific job in keeping students who are identified as “at-risk” in education with a view to getting them into meaningful employment,” Mrs Powell said.

Notre Dame’s MCP was among 37 schools state-wide to share in the Victorian Coalition Government’s $5 million Local Solutions Year 12 Retention Fund.

Mrs Powell said Notre Dame’s MCP had received the funds for its Growing Hope Project.

“The Growing Hope Project is an agricultural and horticultural education program which will enable the delivery of Certificate II Agriculture and Certificate II Horticulture,” Mrs Powell said.

“The project will provide opportunities for students to experience a sense of enterprise, as well as allowing those students undertaking Certificate II Engineering to apply their training to a farm setting.

“Importantly, it will also deliver therapeutic benefits for student wellbeing and improve training options via links to VCAL.

“This is very important targeted funding aimed at encouraging more students to complete their schooling through to Year 12.

“Finishing Year 12 increases the likelihood of students gaining meaningful employment,” Mrs Powell said.

Minister for Education, Martin Dixon said while the number of metropolitan students finishing school is going up, the Government wants to ensure the same opportunities are available to rural and regional students.

“Almost nine out of 10 metropolitan students are finishing school, but nearly a third of country students are leaving school early, and these new grants are a step toward addressing this issue.”

Of the schools receiving funding, 27 are government schools, eight are Catholic and two are independent.