Chapter 4 continued
The organisation of ace provision in the states and territories
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
The promotion of adult and community education in South Australia is
provided for under the Vocational Education Employment and Training
(VEET) Act 1994. The Act established a Vocational Education, Employment
and Training Board and two Councils, the Accreditation and Registration
Council (ARC) and the Adult and Community Education Council (ACEC). As
the third element of the VEET board structure, the ACEC was established
in recognition of the role played by the Adult Education Sector, both
as a community service and as a contributor to vocational skill formation
in many areas. [1] Its role is to `provide
the support and strategic direction for the development of adult and community
education' and to advise the Minister on the allocation of grants and
other matters related to the area. [2]
Members are elected and appointed as members in their own right rather
than as representatives of organisations. [3]
In 1994, the South Australian Department for Employment, Training and
Further Education established an Adult Community Education Unit. The `Unit
is responsible for the development and administration of a state wide
ACE system involving strategic planning consistent with the National Policy
on Adult Community Education in conjunction with the Adult Community Education
Council'. [4]
The Adult Community Education Unit is implementing a number of measures
to build links with ACE providers. These include the support, by means
of a grant, of three community based regional ACE officers. The Unit has
also established informal links with existing networks. Although there
are a number of connections between providers, two major regional networks
have emerged. Comprised of ACE and VET providers, TAFE, libraries, local
government and other agencies, these voluntary networks `enhance knowledge
about pathways and educational opportunities which exist for clients at
a regional level'. [5] There is clearly
the potential for such networks to have input into the policy development
and decision making processes.
A mapping project carried out in 1996 by ACEC identified a broad range
of providers of ACE. The survey found that in 1995:
- approximately 350,781 people attended ACE courses
- 14, 214 ACE courses were delivered
- 3,565 volunteers were engaged in the delivery of ACE
- approximately 1,936 part time instructors were engaged in the delivery
of ACE. [6]
Major providers include WEA, TAFE and the University of the Third Age.
Community organisations, community centres/neighbourhood houses, church
groups, schools, universities and social and sporting clubs also deliver
ACE. Of the 324 organisations who identified themselves as being
ACE providers, approximately 25 per cent would not traditionally be recognised
as such. They included private and commercial providers, Skillshares and
labour market organisations. [7]
ACEC's Action Plan 1997 identifies as a priority the `provision of lifelong
learning opportunities by reaching clients of greatest need'. [8]
Government funding for ACE primarily comes from the State which currently
provides some funding for approximately 100 community based providers.
With the exception of WEA which receives a fixed grant, funding is distributed
by means of small grants on the basis of application. `In 1995 a total
of $245,000 was distributed between approximately 70 providers for general
education and special community projects. Grants totalling $257,000 supported
regional coordinators and funded approximately 60 providers to deliver
community based language and literacy programs'. [9]
There has been no increase in the base budget for ACE provision over the
past five years' [10] although there
has been an increase in access to funding for programs such as professional
development and research programs. [11]
ANTA provides some funds for literacy provision in the community. To
date, no other ANTA funds have flowed to ACE in South Australia. Pilot
programs are now being run with community providers to assist them become
registered providers and eligible for other Commonwealth funds. [12]
ACE's involvement in VET in South Australia is largely undeveloped. Seven
of the community-based providers funded by the ACE Unit are registered
to deliver accredited programs though the Committee understands that as
yet none of these are receiving ANTA funding.
It is difficult to determine accurately the number of other providers
who are involved in the delivery of VET. Many of the organisations surveyed
in the mapping project who identified themselves as ACE providers were
commercial providers or Skillshares or labour market or other organisations
not traditionally recognised as being ACE providers. Although many organisations
surveyed in the mapping project claimed to be registered providers, the
lack of supporting documentary evidence suggests the prevalence of a serious
misunderstanding of what is involved in being a registered provider of
accredited curriculum. [13]
Many of the elements of the ACEC's strategic plan are designed to strengthen
the role of ACE in the VET sector. Such strategies included measures to
increase the amount of VET funding directed to the ACE, the registration
of providers of accredited programs and the improvement of credit transfer
and recognition arrangements between ACE and other education sectors and
industry training providers. [14] The
Council has established formal links with the VEET Board `to provide a
collaborative approach to enhancing educational and employment opportunities
for South Australians'. [15]
The ACEC Action Plan for 1997 identifies as a priority the promotion
of `the extent to which the sector is currently contributing to the vocational
education and training sector and the State's equity and social justice
initiatives'. [16]
In 1995 South Australia introduced the collection of data according to
Australian Vocational Educational Training Management Information Statistical
Standards(AVETMISS).
Footnotes
[1] South Australian Government. Annual Report
of the Vocational Education, Employment and Training Board, 1995,
p 6
[2] Submission no 86, vol 6, p 76 (SA Government)
[3] Transcript of evidence, Adelaide,
p 422 (Ms O'Leary)
[4] Submission no 86, vol 6, p 76 (SA government)
[5] Submission no 86, vol 6, p 77 (SA government)
[6] ACEC. Path-finder directory: Mapping
the adult community education sector in South Australia, 1996, p 1
[7] ACEC. Path-finder directory, pp 2-3
[8] South Australian Government. Training
South Australia's Future1997 State Training Profile, Appendix 5
[9] ACEC. Pathways, p 6
[10] Submission no 86, vol 6, p 76 (SA government)
[11] Transcript of evidence, Adelaide,
p 414 (Ms O'Leary)
[12] Transcript of evidence, Adelaide,
pp 416, 417 (Ms O'Leary)
[13] ACEC. Path-finder directory, p
19
[14] South Australian Government. Annual
Report of the Vocational Education, Employment and Training Board, 1995,
p 20
[15] South Australian Government. Annual
Report of the Vocational Education, Employment and Training Board, 1995,
p 18
[16] South Australian Government. Training
South Australia's Future1997 State Training Profile, Appendix 5