Wednesday 20 August 2008
Reporter Ian Johnson
Our guest speaker was Peter Howard an Associate Professor at the Australian Catholic University. Peter was introduced by Keith Stockall. Peter’s subject was Clemente Australia.
Clemente Australia combines the national resources of higher education and community welfare agencies in providing the means by which marginalized Australians can access purposeful higher education in a community setting with necessary support services readily available.
Peter started his talk by giving us examples of homeless individuals living on the streets wishing to engage with society. Michael asks everyone on George Street if they have “Got a match?” so that he can engage in conversation. John wishes to remain sleeping on the steps of a church as he gets to meet lots of people. Peter advised us that there are 189,000 people in Australia who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
There are many reasons for people disengaging from society. Peter gave us the example of Larry who lost everything through gambling. With the assistance of Clemente he is now enrolled for a Doctorate at the University of Western Sydney doing a thesis on public housing. He also advised us of Lizzy who withdrew from social contact after her daughter committed suicide twenty years ago. Again with the assistance of Clemente she has reengaged with people through learning. Peter also pointed out that this disengagement can occur to people across the whole range of socio-economic status groups.
The Chinese say that people in such circumstances need “a walking stick to help them along” and Peter advised us that Clemente is such an aid. Clemente Australia commenced in 2003 at Surry Hills with eight students. Students study one subject from the humanities each semester. After completing four subjects students graduate and this can create a pathway to further tertiary education. There are now nine sites across Australia where students are taught. In the five years that it has been operating Clemente has had one hundred students participate and ten graduates.
An integral part of Clemente is the involvement of corporate /community learning partners. Some large corporations have become involved. A learning partner assists a student for two hours each week. The learning partners also learn from the experience and often change their view of the homeless and marginalized.
In conclusion Peter stated that there are a lot of marginalized people who want to learn and we have to be smart enough to present them with the means of going about it. Peter was thanked by Tony Lanzafame.
