Local partnerships thrive in Clunes and beyond
Wesley College presented the local CFA in Clunes and CFAs close to outdoor education sites at Chum Creek, Loch End and Mallana each with a cheque for $10,000 as part of its ongoing commitment to maintaining effective school-community partnerships in those regions. The Wesley at Clunes program focuses on experiential learning and that depends on strong community partnerships. In the words of one student, ‘We really learn from experience here. We’ve gone out into the community and witnessed things ourselves.'
Five principles underpin effective school-community partnerships:
- The partnership must provide benefits to both parties and to others.
- The partners must be committed to building trust with each other.
- The partners must have a clear conception of the issues or programs on which they are partnering and how they will collaborate to address them.
- The partners must have a clear conception of the resources they will bring to the partnership.
- The partners must have a clear conception of the lifespan of the partnership.
Of the many partnerships we’ve developed with community groups at Clunes, Chum Creek, Loch End and Mallana our partnerships with the CFA are crucial. The four donations of $10,000 each to local CFA branches, funded from the sale of redundant Apple IT hardware to staff, is one example of our commitment to enduring partnerships.
Accepting the $10,000 donation, Clunes CFA Captain David Freelove said the longstanding partnership continued to benefit the Clunes CFA, Wesley at Clunes and the local community.
‘The funding means a great deal to us,’ Captain Freelove said. ‘It supports our fundraising efforts to purchase new trucks and equipment.
‘We’ve worked with Wesley College over many years on fire safety with each intake of students, as well as working with and training staff so we’re able to respond effectively to the kinds of fire scenarios that could eventuate in our region.’
Captain Freelove was speaking at a safety induction for Group 78 students at Clunes in which Ben Marsland, Head of Wesley at Clunes, presented him with a cheque for $10,000.
