Year 12 student Bailey has always wanted to be a teacher. Throughout Year 11 and 12 she has been working towards that dream by completing a Certificate III and IV in Education Support and work-based placements at her old primary school and more recently at Mater Christi.

The hard work and commitment of our 2020 Intermediate VCAL students was recently recognised through the annual statewide VCAL Achievement Awards. These awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of young people around Victoria who participate in and complete a VCAL qualification, also acknowledging the exceptional efforts of committed teachers and community partners involved in the program.

Choosing the VCAL program gave Laura the confidence to step out of her comfort zone, try new things and develop skills for the future.

“I’m so thankful for the opportunities VCAL has presented. It was the best decision
I’ve made.

Within the senior VCAL program, each student must complete a self-directed project reflecting on their TAFE or VET course or develop a project they are interested in.

This year I undertook a Certificate III in Allied Health and chose to develop my project linking with my TAFE course, at VFA Institute.

During the pandemic this year, I decided to make masks and learn about running a small business.

I asked  Mrs Mugridge if she could  help me do the activity using the skills we are learning in our Certificate II Small Business class and arrange to have the money I raise donated to St Vincent de Paul.

In Semester One, Year 11 and Year 12 VCAL students completed a community-based project focused on giving back to the less fortunate.

Every fortnight, we either made healthy sweet treats or reusable bags from donated fabric. During Term 1, we passed the treats and bags on to Mr. Sarris who donates his time to help out the Vinnies Soup Kitchen.

The focus of the VCAL Main Event this year was environmental sustainability, specifically our oceans and waterways.

The day went very smoothly and was organized effectively. As convener, my job was to organize and run the event as this task contributes to my Senior Project competency.

A lifelong love of animals and a desire to protect them will soon launch a career for Year 12 student Monique, thanks to opportunities she gained through the VCAL Program.

Following volunteer and work experience opportunities at a local wildlife shelter, Monique discovered a particular interest in reptiles.

On 13 May, two Senior School students showcased their leadership skills by running a VCAL Camp in the city.

We stayed at the Nunnery in Fitzroy, a good location that made it easy to get around.

On the first day we went to the Melbourne Museum to complete a ‘Road to Zero’ experience.

In 2019 the VCAL class have been working on Small Business projects. This year we decided to create Mother’s Day gifts, selling them to local primary schools for their Mother’s Day stalls.

Within the class, we split up into groups and created dreamcatchers, potted plants, bath bombs and diffusers.