Hester Hornbrook Academy is school done differently for young Victorians disengaged from mainstream education. Our healing oriented learning programs enable every young person equal access to tailored quality education, supporting our students to reach their full potential
HOPE equips staff look to support young people with their healing and personal growth. Working with young people in our context can expose staff to vicarious trauma while engaging them in learning for wellbeing and wellbeing for learning.
Hester Hornbrook Academy has an extremely high staff retention rate and is viewed as an employer of choice and shortage of applications for advertised positions in the time of a School Staff Shortages. This session delves into practical strategies and initiatives aimed at fostering staff well-being within our HOPE.

Many phrases in relation to trauma are used, for example, ‘Trauma-Informed’; ‘Trauma-Aware’; ‘Trauma-Sensitive’; ‘Trauma-Responsive’. Yet, the question lingers: What does it look like, practically in a school environment?

Carinity Education have been working towards doing this in their school campuses. The key focus is transitioning from knowing about trauma to responding to the needs of those with trauma – both students and staff. Through the use of the Therapeutic Crisis Intervention System for Schools, a balance between being driven by theoretical concepts and practical application has been established. This is found through not only how adults respond in the moment, yet the structures, support and accountability set within the school community day-to-day. By considering a systematic approach to behaviour support, which incorporates prevention, de-escalation and opportunities to grow for students and staff alike, Carinity Education have been able to experience outcomes for students that include academic achievement, development of social & emotional skills, with students experiencing a learning environment that accepts them unconditionally, using all behaviours as a learning and growth opportunity within the school community.

This presentation is an opportunity to reflect on the concepts that underpin a school engaging from a trauma aware perspective, particularly in creating a systematic approach to not only support students and staff, yet gain higher levels of outcomes as well. Practical examples of how Carinity Education has engaged students to experience these outcomes, and the concepts they are grounded in will be shared. A tool to assist School communities to identify areas of improvement in crisis prevention and intervention will be provided.

What comes to mind when you think of a classroom? Most people would say desks and chairs, whiteboards and screens, teachers and teacher-aides. When we think of the modern day classroom, we know how they look, how they feel and even how they smell. But what if we were to reimagine what a classroom can be; that it can look and feel completely different, offering a new and fresh experience of education and learning? Imagine if classrooms became a central point of connection and belonging, where sense of safety is prioritised over traditions we take for granted. All schools have the power to create a trauma-aware environment, where real learning can occur. One that meets the needs of all of students, including those with heightened or different sensory experiences.
This includes many young people who have experienced childhood trauma. This can lead them to feeling unsafe, getting into survival mode and ultimately unable to cognitively engage with learning. The Y Schools Queensland have challenged traditional ideas of what a classroom should be, by developing a range of innovative learning spaces, where a new sensory experience is created and students’ sense of safety is paramount.
The Y Schools have challenged two main assumptions about traditional classrooms: How they should look and feel, and who should be leading them. For young people who have disconnected from mainstream school, or become disenfranchised from the education system, previous negative experiences at school can be one of the biggest barriers to re-engaging. The sensory memories of traditional classrooms mean that they face significant barriers to engagement even before they step into the room.
Classrooms are a focal point of healthy connections and adult-student relationships. Youth Workers in classrooms is an intentional practice in many alternate education settings, where social emotional support is an essential element of classroom engagement. The Y Schools classrooms are led by a teacher – youth worker team, who work together to ensure students have the best chance at learning by creating classrooms that prioritise connection, belonging and sense of safety. Together they co-create classrooms that are safe to try new things, safe to be vulnerable and safe to build a new idea of school. This workshop will explore what sensory focused classrooms can achieve when coupled with relational practice that builds connection, belonging and safety.

The HOPE Hybrid class is an innovation for the Hester Hornbrook Academy, based in Melbourne, Victoria. Hester Hornbrook is a registered Special Assistance School, that is committed to providing flexible learning opportunities for young people. This commitment extends to the establishment of a Hybrid classroom. This involves our young people learning online two days per week, and attendance at class (in-person) for three. This class also involves the ability to offer extensive support for young people, which includes the ability to offer assertive outreach and opportunity to deliver learning interventions in the home.

This class has been designed with careful consideration for supporting the wellbeing of young people who would benefit from having a balance of on-line and in-person learning opportunities, through enriching differentiated curriculum options (specifically the Victorian Pathways Certificate) and engagement activities, encompassing all the elements of our Healing Oriented Program of Education.

This presentation will share learnings of this team, including details about the design, student profile, development, and execution of this class. Whilst still in the introduction phase for this class, the early data relating to attendance and engagement has been something to celebrate. Feedback gained from families will also be shared.

The team will unpack their reflections on how aspects of the HOPE model of Education have been enhanced to deliver supports that seek to address the barriers that may have been identified as contributing to a young person previously not attending school. Reflections on how the design of this class can ensure that the 4 pillars of HOPE, student agency, engagement and enjoyment, safe environment and positive relationships will be explained. And finally, tips for anyone wanting to build their own form of ‘hybrid learning’ will be shared.