Aspire High: Impacting Student Aspirations In A Regional Community

Abstract

This paper provides initial evidence of the effectiveness of an educational program in a Tasmanian regional community that has experienced ongoing industrial restructuring. In response to these changes, community and civic leaders adopted a multifaceted strategic plan to address employment needs and opportunities. Part of this plan involved targeting school children to help them explore a broader range of educational and career options. The program, Aspire High, involves Year 5 children visiting workplaces, the local Year 11 and 12 college, the local technical college, and a local university campus. This paper reports results from student interviews and surveys. While it is difficult to attribute changes in students’ attitudes and aspirations solely to Aspire High, it is evident that they were enthusiastic about the program. Secondary findings showed that students become less positive towards school by Year 8, and that boys are less likely to be positive towards school and more likely to choose a traditionally gendered occupation.

A systematic review of effective local, community or peer‐delivered interventions to improve well‐being and employment in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia

“…All five mixed-methods studies provided adequate rationale for this combined approach, but the interpretation of the integrated qualitative and quantitative components was not evident in three of these studies. 43,44,48 All five mixed-method studies also failed to clearly provide evidence of divergences and inconsistencies between the two methods. Low participation numbers were of concern for two qualitative studies 31,32 Explore the experiences and attitudes of employees within a regional Australian small to medium-sized enterprise, to evaluate their barriers and facilitators to participation within the workplace health promotion program LifeMAP 10 health staff within a small workplace trialling the LifeMap program.…”

“…45,46 An ageing population and the needs of older community members were considered in interventions focused on: (a) information technology training 32 ; (b) social organisations for men, known as Men's Sheds 44,47 ; (c) financial counselling 48 ; and (d) an Indigenous Australian community training program for carers of ageing clients or family. 38 Preparing school students for employment was evaluated and reported by two studies, 36,43 with each highlighting the importance of social well-being. Community wellbeing studies and evaluations were also present with a focus on building social capital via community gardens 37 and a mental health initiative encompassing a natural disaster-impacted community.…”

“…Employment or career development-centred studies were limited 36,42 ; although five studies with a well-being focus 35,41,43,45,46…”

Supporting children’s career aspirations under changing career conditions: a systematic review of intervention approaches

“…Aside from reference to current employment challenges in the target group, some studies with sector non-specific objectives described historical changes in the target population's local job market when articulating a case for intervention. Reaburn et al (2017) described the lower levels of disposable income and higher unemployment rates among Tasmanians, as well as the closing down of formerly prominent industries such as forestry and manufacturing over past decades. Future job market changes were not referred to in these interventions.…”

“…Though many studies did not provide an explicit definition of career aspirations, those that did often defined career aspirations as a person's career goals or plans (Piesch et al, 2020;Reaburn et al, 2017). Studies used career aspiration measurement categories ranging from binary categories such as high and low prestige occupations, to occupational aspirations labelled by multiple types or sectors (e.g., arts, science, agriculture), as well as studies reporting participants' discrete occupational aspirations (e.g., nurse, teacher; Figure 3).…”