Allambi Care’s Parker Jackson and Timeka Capizzi recently gave a fantastic presentation on “Enhancing education for vulnerable youth through innovating settings” at the Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA) conference in Sydney on 5-7 June, 2024.
The presentation explored two innovative education spaces, the Allambi Care Learning Centre and North Academy. Both settings prioritise strengths-based and trauma-informed practices to create inclusive educational environments utilising the North Education Model (formerly known as Learning Without Walls). The model recognises the impact of trauma, developmental conditions, and mental health on learning. Doing school differently is in their DNA and is a driving force behind the initiatives.
The Allambi Care Learning Centre, with its 17-year history, offers programs such as distance education facilitation, project-based learning, literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional support. North Academy, a new initiative, extends this model to support vulnerable youth in an independent school setting at West Wallsend. Both spaces operate under the North Education Model, emphasising trauma-informed principles and providing a unique blend of education and therapeutic wellbeing support.