Better Pathways

Our Better Pathways program supports students to engage with their education and explore wider opportunities for their futures. This is done through one-on-one support with a dedicated Pathways Worker. This program is delivered in collaboration with the Department for Education and Child Development.

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What is Better Pathways?

Better Pathways is a service that will support students to engage with their education and explore wider opportunities for their futures. Students can work with Pathway Workers from Year 10 up until 6 months after they finish school.

Who does Better Pathways support?

Support is provided to students who have been identified following assessment by the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data. Better Pathways Workers will assist students to discover and develop their exisiting strengths and set goals towards greater opportunities.

How will Better Pathways help me?

You will be allocated a Pathways Worker who will listen to you, get to know you and stay connected with you until 6 months after you leave school.

My Pathways worker will:

Help you to develop a plan for the future

Planning can mean many things, sometimes it is very informal and quick, like deciding what to do on the weekend. Other times it might be quite involved and formal, like working out what subjects to do at school next year and why.

Your Pathways Worker will help you to think about what it is you want from your life and then help you work out what kinds of things you need to make that happen.

Your Pathways Worker will then organise for the important people in your life to meet with you, so they can understand how to help you reach your goals.

Assist you to discover and develop your personal strengths

Your Pathways Worker will meet with you regularly, up to three hours each fortnight. As you get to know each other you will be able to talk about what is going on in your life with someone who is there 'just for you'.

Your Pathways Worker will listen to you and support you but sometimes will try to help you think about events or situations in a different way.

Your Pathways Worker will be there to celebrate with you when you have done something you're proud of and they will also be there when things aren't going so well.

Explore different opportunities and activities that you want to be involved in

Your Pathways Worker will help you to find people and places that assist you to achieve the things that you want in your life and they will also suggest things to do and try.

Information for Parents and Families

We believe that parents and families are an important part of the student's support network. Involving families throughout the process, wherever possible, is a goal of the Better Pathways program.

For more information download the Better Pathways brochure (PDF, 241kb).

At the 2017 City of Playford International Day for People with Disability Mayoral Awards the Better Pathways program recieved the Business/ Employment/ Education Award for their outstanding contribution to young people with disability in the council area.

How do I access this support?

To access the Better Pathways program you must meet eligibility criteria and be nominated by your school. If you are interested please call (08) 8252 8666, email barkuma@barkuma.com.au or fill out the form below to discuss next steps.