Participatory Action-Research
The Power of Recognising More action-research study addresses evidence gaps about the impact of deeper understanding and formal recognition of a broad range of skills and capabilities in the transition from school to further learning and work. The study brings together insights from early-mover schools, academics, employers, universities, admissions centres and jurisdictions. Findings include particular focus for students who have experienced disadvantage and the impact when they have access to learning that has broader relevance and application to their whole life.
“A lot of us have come from spaces where the teachers or the people in power don’t necessarily recognise the effort it takes to get school to do the work, to get the qualifications… Which can be really disheartening, because if you put in all of this work and no one so much as acknowledges it. It makes you feel like it was all for nothing.” – Secondary Student
We Are More Alliance
We work with diverse communities to support in telling a renewed story of education for Australia. We Are More is a growing alliance – more than one person, one school, one place. We represent emerging practice from across Australia, including schools, students, First Nations communities, academics, employers, higher education and training, admissions centres and jurisdictions.
Young people are more than a mark, a rank or a score. What a young person has as their documentation or proof of learning when they finish school is important because it determines a young person’s sense of self and identity and can enable health and wellbeing. It also leads to greater options, access points and the ability to apply for further paths in learning and work.
We have convened national gatherings of this network in partnership with South Australia’s Department for Education, The SACE Board, The Tasmanian Department for Education, Children and Young People, South Australia Department for Education, Northern Territory Department for Education, Jobs Tasmania, The University of Melbourne’s Melbourne Metrics and the National Indigenous Youth Education Coalition.
We Are More Podcast
The We Are More podcast—a youth-led initiative, highlights how communities are engaging with this work.
Young Person Employment Model
We employ and empower young individuals aged 15-25, with diverse backgrounds, skills, interests and lived expertise and equip them to spearhead community-based initiatives nationwide. Young people have unique strengths, talents, insights and skills to find innovative solutions to complex issues. By giving young people access to power and decision making about the future, our ability to design systems fit for purpose expands. To date we have employed and trained over 30 young people from multiple states and territories.
Convening Policy Leaders from Government, Authorities and Institutions
We leverage policy opportunities to progress structural change at both national and state levels in education. This includes backing leading jurisdictions with the tools and support they need to drive innovative education agendas. Since 2020, we’ve convened policy leaders across Australia to explore systemic inequities and opportunities for educational transformation. In the absence of a unified authority, our convenings have helped system leaders come together to address shared and unique challenges, fostering a platform for productive debate, the sharing of practice, intelligence, and innovative solutions to chart safe paths forward. Notable experts have contributed to these discussions. We continue to contribute to relevant policy and parliamentary inquiries. Our partnerships with statutory bodies, universities and tertiary admissions centres in SA, NSW, ACT, and VIC are driving momentum towards change.
