The year is certainly marching on and here we are in April. Our committee has been busy planning for our upcoming AGM to be held in May 2025 with a date and our guest speaker to be confirmed this week. Watch this space. Consider how you may contribute to the VALBEC Committee - we rely on a keen set of diverse members who bring their skills and talents to the committee and then great things happen! Our PL sessions grow in strength and the other key focus area is working with the ACAL conference committee team for our joint Conference to be held in September on 4th and 5th. There are a wealth of great speakers and those proposing a poster session to share their VET L&N skills and knowledge. Take a look at our upcoming PL sessions in and around the term holidays and Easter break.
Deborah Mullen, VALBEC President
VALBEC Membership
You can join or renew online.
https://valbec.org.au/membership/
If you join in August, September or October, deduct 50%. Renewal falls due the following February.
Members receive:
- Fine Print two times a year – a high quality journal for discussion and debate about good practice, theory and policy issues. Feedback and contributions are actively sought from members about content and issues.
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eVALBEC – our e-mail communication keeping members informed of professional development activities, general committee activities and more up to date policy changes.
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Discounts for the Annual Conference and other VALBEC statewide professional development.
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Issues-based forums.
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Focus on significant policy issues impacting on the field.
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Free numeracy resources.
A VALBEC (Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Educational Council) Professional Learning session presented by Jane Barbieri.
ADHD can present unique challenges for adult learners, particularly in areas like organisation, time management, attention, and emotional regulation. These challenges often impact engagement, participation, and persistence in learning—yet with the right strategies and support, students with ADHD can thrive.
In this practical session, ADHD coach and educator Jane Barbieri will offer an overview of how ADHD may show up in adult learners and share simple, effective strategies teachers can use to better support them. The session will focus on understanding common barriers, fostering inclusive learning environments, and providing structure and flexibility to enable success.
Whether you’re new to this topic or looking to deepen your understanding, this session will offer clear, actionable insights relevant to the adult learning context.
Jane Barbieri is an ADHD coach, educational consultant, and tertiary educator with over 20 years of experience working in university and TAFE settings both in Australia and internationally. In addition to her teaching background, Jane works directly with students through one-on-one ADHD coaching, supporting them to develop strategies for organisation, time management, and academic success. She is passionate about empowering learners by supporting their strengths, breaking down barriers to education, and promoting inclusive practices that enable all students to thrive. Jane also brings lived experience as a parent of neurodivergent teens, offering both professional and personal insight into supporting diverse learners.
Jane brings a practical, compassionate, and strengths-based approach to supporting neurodivergent individuals and the educators who work with them.
We look forward to seeing you there.
VALBEC PL Forums Team
Who: Jane Barbieri
When: Thursday, 30th April 2025, 5.30-6.30 pm AEST
Where: Zoom
Cost: VALBEC Members Free; non-Members $10
ADCET UDL Symposium 2025 - Registrations now open Wed 25 June (registration desk opens 12:30 pm); and Thu 26 June 2025 (full day), University of Sydney
"Navigating Authentic Assessment and Learning in a Digital World".
Further information on how to register or submit an abstract
34th National Vocational Education and Training (VET) Research Conference ‘No Frills’ - Gold Coast, 9 - 11 July 2025
Click here for further information about presenting at No Frill 2025.
International Specialised Skills Fellowships
The Victorian Skills Authority works in partnership with the International Specialised Skills Institute by funding the International VET Practitioner Fellowships. The Fellowship program focuses on developing opportunities within the VET sector to assist in building an Education State in Victoria that produces excellence and reduces the impact of disadvantage. In addition, the program is funded to support the priorities of Skills First, including developing capacity and capability, innovative training practices and increasing teacher quality within the VET sector as well as building industry capability and developing Victoria’s current and future workforce. More info here
The 2025 VicTESOL International Conference will take place on 15 August 2025 at the Pullman Melbourne On The Park. This premier event will bring together national and international educators, researchers, and program leaders to explore advancements in the TESOL field. With attendees spanning sectors such as schools, universities, and industry, the conference will foster collaboration and innovation. It will include networking opportunities, a reception, and insights into cutting-edge research, practice, and services supporting diverse multilingual learners. More info here
Tabletop English: Beginner group activities
The latest resources from The Book Next Door - Each resource has 12 different sets of activities (10 activities in each set), covering reading, writing, spelling, speaking and listening – but all with some interactive component, encouraging learners to have meaningful mini-conversations. The activities are aimed at learners who are still developing literacy skills in English and may need to take time to respond to text (so speed is not part of the activity). More info here
Word Wheel
Word wheel is a fun vocabulary game for pre-intermediate and above students
https://www.eslkidsgames.com/word-wheel
The CGEA re-accredited curriculum is currently sitting with VRQA to be assigned unit codes and final sign off. CGEA curriculum available on Training.gov.au. https://training.gov.au/
Implementation guide is currently being up-dated. It will reflect new ways that CGEA is being used. It will also include examples of oral texts for numeracy. There is a hope to include a section on CGEA in Corrections.
In April, daylight saving time ends. In the adult education classroom, it is a good opportunity to talk about the different ways we talk about daylight saving time - most people refer to it as “daylight savings”, or do they? Numeracy teachers might want to teach some time-telling skills in course or pre-level classes. For the writing class, are you for or against daylight saving? Why do some states observe daylight savings and others not?
Here is an interesting article from Sydney university about daylight saving & sleep.
Pat Anderson AO & Prof Megan Davis AC, from The Uluru Statement from the Heart, in collaboration with the Office of the Pro Vice Chancellor Society at UNSW, are hosting a webinar to continue to tackle issues pertinent to First Nations justice, constitutional recognition, and political discourse.
Is a Vote No a No to everything?
April 2, 12:30 PM AEDT
With the Prime Minister walking away from the Uluru Statement, and symbolic recognition being rolled back, what does the No vote really mean? Professors Megan Davis AC, John Williams, Gabrielle Appleby, Dr Paul Kildea, and Associate Professor Sana Nakata will unpack the legal, historical, and political implications of the 2023 referendum result. Register now
Each month, we will introduce our committee members. We are starting with our newest member, Janet Claringbold, although she is certainly not new to the sector.
My involvement with adult education began as a volunteer at Orana Neighbourhood House, when I developed an interest in community development and enrolled in the Diploma of Community Development.
As an adult learner, the importance of adult education and life-long learning as a vehicle to new interests and employment opportunities became very clear to me. With my newly acquired skills I took on a paid role at Orana and through that developed an understanding of Adult, Community and Further Education (ACFE) courses.
Orana had a partnership with the renowned Outer Eastern Literacy Program (OELP) operating at Boronia Library, and through the wisdom and commitment of Manager, Judith Macpherson, quietly went about transforming lives. Unfortunately, OELP did not survive the reform to the Victorian VET system, and after operating successfully for over 30 years, closed in 2015.
In 2011, I commenced as CEO of Mountain District Learning Centre (MDLC), established in 1974 as Mountain District Women's Co-op. Being both a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and ACFE provider of non-accredited education, MDLC has assisted adults, particularly women, to continue education in a supportive community setting for many years.
Neighbourhood Houses and Learning Centres are uniquely placed to support adults with learning shortfalls, by combining a community development approach with education delivery.
When OELP closed, MDLC was approached to continue their work and has tried to replicate their expertise in offering literacy programs, however, in an environment of declining government support for Adult Community Education, it has not been entirely possible.
Recognising the importance of education in creating equity in society along with an awareness of the 40% of Victorians considered to have low levels of literacy, MDLC has accepted the challenge to help adults to engage with literacy courses including through the popular Read Write Now course.
In 2022 MDLC partnered with Your Library (ERL) to establish “Leap Into Literacy”, where trained volunteer tutors are paired with learners to help them to reach their individual literacy goals.
Over recent years Adult Community Education providers have declined significantly, and this trend is set to continue as another round of reforms to ACFE Pre-accredited training commence. The risk for people in Victoria is the potential of losing access to low cost, targeted and supportive options for continuing education that is detrimental to Victoria’s status as The Education State.
The application by NHVic for registration of the new draft NHACE agreement with the Fair Work Commission has not yet been approved, despite the application being lodged some time ago.
At this point in time, employment contracts of employees in all organisations that signed on to the new draft agreement remain covered by the existing instrument in place (e.g. NHACE 2016, NHACE 2018 or the award)
If NHVic's draft agreement is approved sometime in the future, organisations that did not sign on will still be covered by their existing instrument until the FWC extinguishes a previous agreement. The NTEU would oppose any application to extinguish the current agreements and the FWC would be unlikely to approve any such application.
If the NHACE multi-enterprise bargaining process had been handled more professionally, allowing time for the NTEU to properly bargain for its claims, and not rushed to the Commission, we would likely have had a new agreement by now.
As this saga rolls on, we will continue to update you as much as we can
Please feel free to contact the branch vice-president Jack Boddeke or myself if you have any questions or have any local information that can assist the branch to support and protect the interests of members.
Yours in solidarity
Bill Daly - Branch Secretary
eVALBEC
eVALBEC is the monthly electronic newsletter of (VALBEC) the Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council and is sent to about 1000 practitioners on the first of each month (other than January). It is also available in the ‘News’ section of our web site
Disclaimer:
The activities, goods and services mentioned in eVALBEC are not endorsed by Valbec in any way. People should make their own judgment about the suitability of each item.
How to submit items: https://www.valbec.org.au/evalbec