School for Student Leadership Program

The School for Student Leadership (SSL) program is an initiative of the Department of Education and Training. It involves Year Nine students from Victorian government schools living for a term at one of their four campuses located around Victoria. The campuses are: The Alpine School (TAS) at Dinner Pain near Mount Hotham in Victoria’s North-East, the Snowy River Campus (SRC) at Marlo in East Gippsland, Gnurad-Gundidj near Glenormiston in the Western District and Haining Farm Campus in the Don Valley.

Whilst on this program, students learn an array of skills through participation in a diversity of activities presented in a non-traditional classroom setting. The curriculum focuses on personal development and team learning projects sourced from the students’ home regions. The program changes weekly with one day of rest scheduled per seven day cycle. Typical activities include: bushwalking, rafting, mountain biking, caving, surfing and photography.

Activities do vary depending on the season and the campus.

Each year the College submits an application to participate on this program. Selection is not guaranteed; however, as there are many more schools applying for positions than there are positions available. We have been most fortunate to have been accepted into this program for the past six consecutive years.

Information about this program can most easily be accessed via the SSL’s website at http://www.alpineschool.vic.edu.au/. Alternatively, queries can be directed to Jacki Tossol at the College.

Senior Youth Leadership Program

Year 11 students are encouraged to apply for our distinguished Senior Youth Leadership Program. This initiative allows participants to deepen their understanding of leadership and discover their optimal leadership styles. Throughout the year, the program offers a variety of engaging activities. Included in these activities is an expedition, led in partnership with Rubicon Outdoor Education Centre, our collaborating school, and uniquely tailored by the students themselves. Additionally, students will have chances to contribute to both the school and the broader community, and play a pivotal role in assisting with the transition of Year 6 students. This program, crafted to nurture each student’s unique leadership journey, fosters skills through teamwork, peer discussions for shared objectives, personal challenges, and opportunities to voice ideas, organise, and actively engage in events.

Y-Lead

Y-Lead is a three-day residential personal growth and leadership development conference held in January of each year at the University of Melbourne. It targets senior students with a leadership role. Each year we sponsor our four College Captains to take part in this conference.

Our overarching goal in supporting our students to attend this program is to empower our senior students to be positive leaders.

It is our aim that our students return from the conference:

• Empowered with the understanding that leadership is not defined by a badge, but by the actions that create their legacy
• United as a cohort
• Motivated to make a difference in their school & community
• Prepared with essential skills & tools to effectively lead

Students attending Y-Lead are supported to develop an initiative to implement at the College on their return. The goal of this year’s cohort is, ´Getting everyone at ASC to be more friendly and accepting of everyone and anyone, and also to become more open about our feelings. We want to prove that anyone can lead; and that literally anyone can become a leader, even if they thought it was impossible”.

Further information about the Y-Lead program can be found at http://ylead.com.au/experiences/secondary-school/.