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27 October 2003 Interview
Transcript Topic: VCE students - advantage of taking a year off Bedford: VCE students end of year exams start this Friday. And with university places and future career prospects hinging on the results, there's a lot of pressure on students... and parents for that matter. So we're looking today at the expectations that we put on our young people. Just think about it... in one year we expect them to cope with the most important changes in their lives. Most of them turn 18, they'll get a car licence most likely; they're able to legally visit pubs and clubs; and then they have their exams. And in just a few weeks after that they are applying for universities and we're packing them off, expecting them to go out into the big wide world and virtually fend for themselves; probably get a part-time job; and we want them to excel at their studies at the same time. So this morning we're looking at it - is it all a bit too much? I do invite your calls - I am yet to experience the trauma of VCE years with my children - they're a bit little for that. So I'd like your input on this discussion - if you've been through or you're going through it at the moment. 1300 303 468. Joining us on the program, Darren Chester from Champions of the Bush. Good morning Darren. Chester: Good morning Kathy. Bedford: Now Darren, you're going to come on the program and I believe you've got an interesting suggestion to just take the pressure off young people of today. Chester: I would love to see more young people take the year off after VCE Kathy. I think we've got to adopt an attitude of 'what's the hurry?' We're talking about 17 and 18 year old young people and there's no doubt some of them are ready to take on the world and there's no holding them back - but then there's the kids who are a bit stressed out, as you've just described after such a busy year - and they're simply not ready to make the move. From my experience... it's those students who go to Melbourne too early and they struggle... and I'm suggesting that perhaps more parents should be taking a step back and saying 'kids why don't you hang around for a year and we'll see what you can do in your own country town for a year'. Bedford: Darren, your passion obviously - you speak to us each week - and you're a big promoter of the bush... and keeping young people in the bush I guess would be one of your targets. Is this just a plan to get people to reconsider not going down to the big city? Chester: No it's not - there's no ulterior motive at all to this one Kathy. I just think we're rushing these young people off to the city and we're sending them down there really with a sink or swim mentality. I think we're selling our kids a bit short because we're saying to them - just get down there and have a crack at it. When really, if they stayed around for another year perhaps in their country town - and it's not going to suit every kid - but I'm suggesting there's plenty of kids who aren't quite ready to go to Melbourne. If they stay around in their country towns, get a bit of work experience and perhaps take a year off without that stress of school, where they can make some decisions that really suit them. Make some decisions about what their future holds rather than just rushing off and heading down to Melbourne when clearly some of them just aren't ready. Bedford: Darren, don't you think in most case, the kids can't wait to get out? Chester: I think that's a myth. From my school experiences, which are getting back a few years now, there were quite a few kids who just didn't want to leave their country towns, who would love to have a career in their country towns. But the pressure from school perhaps, the pressure from parents and other influences was - you have to move away if you're going to be a success. I think there are a lot of young people who would love to have a year in their own hometown after their VCE, and perhaps even build a career for themselves in their own country towns. There are opportunities out there and we've got to dispel this myth that you must move away to be successful. I think you can have a great career in a country town. Bedford: Well it's an interesting call that you're making Darren and I'd love some feedback on it this morning. 1300 303 468 - would it be in our children's best interest if they took a year off between VCE or HSC and going off to University. Talkback caller: Barbara, Albury - generally agreed with concept, stressed the importance of taking pressure off students, VCE not the be all and end all, other ways to get into University. Bedford: Darren, it's easy to say to these young people, take a year off and stay in your country town and do some work locally, are the jobs there for young people? Chester: Just going back to one point, sorry Kathy, that one of your callers made that it's not the end of the world if you don't get the results you're after. And that's a very good point that students have got to realise over the next couple of months. There are other options beyond just rushing off to university. The point you make about whether the jobs are available - I think the best thing a local businessman can do in a country town this year for Christmas is to give a local kid a job. Just a part-time job perhaps and give them a bit of experience. There are a lot of opportunities particularly at this time of year in some of our tourism towns - a lot of businesses are looking for some casual workers. If you get our young people to just get a bit of experience itŐs going to hold them in good stead even if they do go off to Melbourne because then they'll find some more work in Melbourne anyway. I'm certainly not talking about having a year off just to bludge and to loaf around the place. Get involved in community life again - a lot of young people during their VCE drop out of their sport, drop out of their community groups - because there's that pressure to excel and to go so well at their studies. Once the exams are over, I would encourage the secretaries of the local sporting clubs to start ringing these kids up and get them back to cricket and tennis and everything else... and get them involved with their community. Bedford: Good call - letŐs talk to Kerrie who has rung through from Portland. Talkback: Kerrie, Portland - support going away for first year, then deferring; take second option if can't get into first course, change later. Taking year off depends on personality of young person and local employment situation - don't want young people to go on dole. Bedford: Darren, university places are hard to come by but I guess there is the argument that if you decide when you're not quite ready, you might make the wrong choice. Chester: It can be a costly mistake. We must stress we're not talking about every person here, we're talking quite generally and circumstances will vary but I'm suggesting it's an option for a lot of young people who aren't quite ready to go to Melbourne to take the year off. Certainly if you go to University and change course three or four times and over a couple of years you've cost your parents a lot of money and you weren't really sure about that course in the first place. It doesn't seem like a real smart option either socially or economically for that individual. I's not going to suit everyone but I just think it needs to be put up there as a real option for the kids that you don't have to rush off at the first moment you get out of VCE. There are options for you to stay in country towns. Sure, if there are no job opportunities it becomes more difficult but there are towns which are crying out for workers - I think a few weeks ago we spoke to a lady in Nhill who had plenty of jobs for young people. Bedford: Yes, Leah is a great advocate for the region. But what can we do long-term. I think it's been a great thing for regional areas that we're getting more and more universities out there, and that's keeping the kids in regional areas. What can we do long-term to get them to come back - so that we don't have that migration of our young people down to the city. Chester: One of the long-term things I'd like to see is that universities offer all of their first year courses to students who want to study from home perhaps or study in their country communities. We're probably not going to get the full course into some of our smaller country towns but for young people who want to have the option of staying in their own region, they get that experience, and see what opportunities are out in their own country towns - they are more likely then, after they have finished their course, saying - 'well I really enjoyed that experience I had in a regional environment' and they might move back that way. I think we're on the right track in quite a few areas. A lot of TAFE courses now offer the first year of university - so that students can get that experience without necessarily moving too far away. Bedford: It's always a pleasure - you're a bit controversial today Darren Chester but I guess the message really is for kids, especially this week as they are doing their final studies for those exams, don't let it all get to you. Chester: Don't get too stressed about it and enjoy a break if you can. Bedford: Darren Chester is with Champions of the Bush and that is exactly what they do - they Champion the Bush. Media
information: For further comments contact Darren Chester on 0351 55
3719 or 0412 153 719.
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