This month I attended the Learn Local conference and met up with Joylyn Simpao who is a recipient of the ACE scholarship program. Joylyn works at VICSEG New Futures Training which is an RTO and Learn Local provider. She teaches in the Cert III and Diploma of ECEC and is hoping to teach adult literacy in the CGEA after completing the Bachelor of Adult and Vocational Education at CSU. The scholarship has allowed Joylyn, and others, to achieve their dreams of gaining further qualifications in our field.
Linno
You can join or renew online here.
If you join in August, September or October, deduct 50%. Renewal falls due the following February
Members receive:
- Fine Print two issues per 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.
- eVALBEC – our e-mail communication keeping members informed of professional development activities, general committee activities and more up to date policy changes.
- Discounts for the Annual Conference and other VALBEC statewide professional development.
- Issues-based forums.
- Focus on significant policy issues impacting on the field.
- Free numeracy resourcesFree numeracy resources.
The National Skills Agreement
The National Skills Agreement - this is a 5 year joint agreement, which commenced in January 2024, between the Commonwealth and states and territories to strengthen the VET sector. It is designed to:
- transform the national VET system, ensuring it provides high quality, responsive and accessible education and training to boost productivity
- support Australians to future proof their careers by obtaining the skills and capabilities they need to obtain well-paid, secure jobs and support our economy
- ensure Australia has the skilled workforce it needs now and into the future, by returning TAFE to the heart of the VET sector.
Helping Australians access foundation skills in literacy, language, numeracy and digital skills domains, with a strong emphasis on a ‘no-wrong door’ experience for those seeking support and no-or low-fee access to training, and strengthening the Adult and Community Education (ACE) sector through targeted investments, including the delivery of blended and contextualised learning, no or low‑fee access to training through VET and Adult Community Education (ACE), with additional funding for the ACE sector to support disadvantaged Australians learn in a more informal local community environment.
For more information, click here.
The Snapshot
The Deputy Premier and Minister for Skills and Training, The Hon. Gabrielle Williams MP, just published the Snapshot of Success: Delivering on the Future of Adult Community Education in Victoria 2020-2025 Ministerial Statement (the Snapshot).
The successes outlined in the Snapshot rely on the dedication and passion of ACE providers.
3 November: Melbourne Cup (Public holiday in Victoria)
5 November: International Day Against Violence and Bullying at School
11 November: Remembrance Day
November: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)
Exciting update!
We have a fantastic issue about to come out - you will hear about
- Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
- The story of Mountain Women’s co-op
- What it’s like to teach in Corrections
Metacognition and Trauma in Adult Learners
A VALBEC (Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council) Professional Learning session presented by Linno Rhodes.
How can we recognise when adult learners are experiencing stress and respond with intention and empathy?
Join Linno Rhodes for a session exploring how the fight-or-flight response can show up in adult learning settings, and how metacognition and other practical tools can help teachers foster calm, trust and connection.
In this session, you will explore:
- The triune brain model and its relationship to stress and learning
- How the fight-or-flight response can affect adult learners
- What metacognition is and how to use it to respond thoughtfully
- Ways to build trust and create safe, supportive learning environments.
Linno has worked in adult literacy education since 2003, across the Learn Local and TAFE sectors. She currently works in the School of Education at Charles Sturt University and is particularly interested in how connection creates safety and supports learning.
Presenter: Linno Rhodes
When: Thursday 19th November 2026 | 5.30 pm - 6.30 pm AEST
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: VALBEC Members Free. Non-Members $10
Click HERE to register for this event.
We look forward to seeing you there.
VALBEC PL Forums Team
A request for your feedback - when we run our sessions, we always ask you to provide feedback via an easy to access online form. It is really important for us - we read each one and we use the information you give us to plan for future events and in our reports to our funding body. We are proud of the fact that we can keep the fee very low - help us to help you by completing the feedback form please.
VALBEC's 2026 Numeracy PD Day
On the back of the hugely successful numeracy PD day last year, VALBEC are hosting another Numeracy professional development day on Monday 7th December at William Angliss Conference Centre. It is FREE for all participants and all workshops will be hands-on with take aways for class.
The PD day is aimed at anyone who needs to teach numeracy (including literacy teachers).
Registrations open 3rd November, 2026.
Numeracy Professional Learning Forum (face-to-face)
5:00pm - 6:30pm, Tuesday 8th December, 2026
Proposed Research Presentation by Tesa Leon
This forum will discuss the background, planned methodology, and instruments I will use for my mixed-methods analysis to answer the question: Do adult foundational mathematics students improve their assessed mathematical skills and self-reported mathematics efficacy when exposed to a numeracy-based curriculum, and what does their performance on the assessments suggest, if anything, about how they develop their epistemologies and operationalize them in mathematical problem solving in their everyday lives?
The CAE (Centre for Adult Education) City Campus Library - Majorca Room
Building C1, Level 2, Room 223
253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
Registrations open 3rd November, 2026.
Building Strength with Numeracy
The Building Strength with Numeracy resource is available on the VALBEC website. Take a look! There are some great activities.
Digital Literacy
A reminder to strengthen digital literacy
With an ever-changing world, sometimes we can forget to remind our learners (and ourselves!) about the basics in digital literacy to keep safe online. Team Community have highlighted How to Strengthen Your Digital Literacy: Basic Steps to help navigate our digital skills.
Other Resources
What I like to spend my *pocket money on - BOOKS!! I try to support independent booksellers like Readings and the new one in my local hood, Ramona Books - but I do like to spend my savings at BSL books - great second hand titles for around $6 dollars.
You can trawl through the categories or search via author - postage is free once you spend $50.00. Take five minutes to visit the Brotherhood Books here.
2026 ACEVic Learn Local Conference
The ACEVic Learn Local conference held on October 21 and 22 was a great success.
The conference was all about looking ahead, sharing what works and finding practical ways to adapt, innovate and transform.
Over 150 delegates attended the two-day event at the Pullman in Albert Park, bringing together managers, trainers, board members, staff and key stakeholders from across Victoria’s adult and community education sector. ACFE Board Chair John Maddock AM OLY FAICD welcomed everyone in attendance, acknowledging the work of the sector in achieving excellent outcomes through expertise and dedication. He commented on the importance of ACE and the work being done to overcome a range of emerging challenges facing learners.
ACEVic Chair, Sally Brennan commented on the conference being a wonderful reflection of the strong and collaborative relationship between ACEVic , the peak body representing Victoria’s adult and community education sector and the ACFE Board who share a commitment to supporting a vibrant, responsive and sustainable Learn Local sector and recognising the important contribution in makes to Victoria. The value of the work extends beyond the individual learner, strengthening families and communities and contributing to Victoria’s social and economic prosperity.
Speakers included Simon Waller, futurist who explored the ‘signals of change’ that are around us and how to utilise them to inform strategic decisions leaders need to make. Jon Staley from the Institute of Community Directors Australia who spoke on Leader resilience and leading sustainably through change. There were examples of excellence in Learn Local practice, discussion panels and plenty of networking opportunities. Delegates commented that it was one of the best Learn Local conferences they had attended and they left with fresh ideas, new connections,a renewed sense of purpose and an appreciation of the support the sector is afforded by both ACEVic and the ACFE Board.
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