Media Release
June 25 2008
Northern Community Summit online and on target
Momentum is gathering for the education-based Northern Community
Summit and now contributing ideas and finding out more information about
the summit is only a click or two away.
The summit website went live last week and is already accepting expressions of interest for attendance at the August event. You can log here.
UniSA Pro Vice Chancellor Strategy and Planning, Professor Hilary Winchester says the new website will answer a lot of questions about the summit but most importantly will give people a chance to register their ideas and their interest in attending the summit itself.
“As a university we are keen to make the connections between education and community development,” Prof Winchester says. “We want to work with the community to strengthen educational networks to meet the skills needs in the North.”
And UniSA Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Høj says it is appropriate that the University is helping to spearhead a refocus on the power of education and improved community collaboration to change lives.
“Everyone agrees that the SA government and other individual groups and organisations have created opportunities in new emerging industries in the North,” Prof Høj said.
“However for a better future to materialise for the northern communities we need broader participation.
“History shows that successful community transformation is never just a job for governments, instead it is vital that there is a partnership between education providers, employers and the community.”
Professor Høj says the silver lining in the northern community story is that there are untapped resources.
“There is enormous potential for transformation in the North - our challenge and task is to make the connection real between that untapped potential and the emerging opportunities. Vibrant partnerships between industry and the community can be transformative.”
Professor Winchester says the enthusiasm for the Northern Community Summit is evident from the sheer number of enquiries.
“We know that not everyone who is interested in the summit will be able to be there but in receiving online expressions of interest from people and groups we’ll have another connection with the community and people will have genuine input into building networks and ideas for improved educational pathways,” she said.
“We also want to bring some positive attention to all the good things happening in the northern community from government, community and individuals. We can learn from and build on these successes.
“Personally I believe education is the lynch-pin for success and worldwide research would support that.”
And beyond the research, there are tangible local examples of the networks and opportunities education can build to inspire and support individual success.
CEO of the Port Adelaide Football Club John James says the summit captures some important concepts that the Club has been supporting for many years.
James grew up at Ingle Farm, was educated in the northern suburbs and believes the summit has huge potential to have a positive impact.
“I’m from a working class background and it was the combination of sport and education that was the key to success and achievement for me and now I am keen to take part in the summit so that together we can help to make Northern Adelaide a powerhouse for the future.”
Professor Winchester says the strength and diversity of community support focussing on education and partnerships is inspiring.
“We will be looking at education from a much broader perspective than simply school to university or TAFE so that we include performing arts, sports, and entrepreneurship, technical and life skills,” she said.
“I want to see what more we can do to improve educational outcomes for all sectors of the community from pre-schoolers right through to people retraining to return to work or a different career.”
The Northern Community Summit will be held on August 1 2008 at the Playford Civic Centre, Playford Boulevard, Elizabeth from 9 am to 4.30pm.
Media contact
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Michèle Nardelli office (08) 8302 0966 mobile 0418 823 673
email michele.nardelli@unisa.edu.au