Western Australia
The aim of the Flexible Schools is to respond to the complex needs of young people who have been disenfranchised from mainstream education. Each school achieves this aim by building honest and authentic relationships with young people and their families, while supporting and celebrating the uniqueness and dignity of each individual young person. Flexible Schools provide holistic learning experiences that address the social needs of young people and promote their emotional, cognitive, spiritual and academic development. The purpose of the learning experiences is to empower young people to take personal responsibility for their actions and learning, achieve greater autonomy and self-reliance and to engage in the transition to further education and/or employment. Our work is part of Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA). EREA is charged with continuing the educational mission of Edmund Rice in Australia.
Edmund Rice, a successful businessman in the early 1800s engaged with the poor street kids on the docks of Waterford, Ireland. This early beginning soon developed into what was to become the Christian Brothers schools, firstly in Ireland then around the world. Some 180 years later a small group of Christian Brothers and other staff began engaging with young people who had been rejected by mainstream education. This work developed into the Centre Education Program which became a registered school and the first Flexible Learning Centre of what would become Edmund Rice Education Australia. Today Flexible Schools’ South Australia and Western Australia region caters for over 250 students (aged between 12 and 20 years of age) offering them an exciting and diversified curriculum designed to encourage and support re-engagement with the education system as well as support them to achieve positive educational and wellbeing outcomes. Our Flexible Schools are privileged to work in partnership with the Catholic Education Offices in South Australia and Western Australia. It is through this support we are able to build the capacity of our staff and young people to “have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10.
SA & WA Regional Office
213 Grange Road, Findon SA 5023
PO BOX 1190, Flinders Park SA 5025
Regional Director – Paula Bacchiella paula.bacchiella@ereafsn.edu.au