ACRATH Education Resource
Training Day for Secondary Teachers
On 4th Sept.2015, the Education Committee of the Victorian Region of ACRATH led by Ms Anne Walsh held a Training Day for senior secondary teachers on the Education Program as found on the website. We were fortunate to be sponsored and financially supported by the Melbourne Catholic Education Office without which ACRATH could not have offered such an important program. Participating teachers received appropriate accreditation by the Office.
There were 34 participants form 21 schools including five boys’ schools, which was very pleasing. Included in the program were 3 Keynote addresses by
- Louise Cleary CSB founding member of ACRATH, – The History of ACRATH and an overview of trafficking worldwide;
- Senior Sergeant Marilynn Ross, head of SICU (Sex Industry Coordination Unit of the Victorian Police Force) – A presentation explaining something of sex trafficking in Melbourne and how police are dealing with the problem
- Liz Turner Community Organiser of NUW (National Union of Workers). -The problem of slave-like conditions in the workforce, particularly in rural areas in Australia.
Another feature of the day was a Forum of six teachers from a cross-section of secondary schools (all boys, co-educational and all girls,) presenting the ways they use the education material from the Education Program in their classrooms with their particular areas of study. All participants had the opportunity to share their own teaching experiences.
Evaluations of the day suggested that the day was very successful and all teachers went away with plans to inform other staff members in order that they might include this important are in their programs for 2016 if they had not already begun to do so.
The Victorian Education Committee has plans to hold another Training Day next year in conjunction with the Melbourne Catholic Education Office.
Carole McDonald RSM
Regional Coordinator ACRATH Victoria
21st Sept 2015
