What is the Raising Expectations Program?
The Raising Expectations Program is delivered by the Centre for Excellence in Family and Child Welfare (the Centre), the peak body for child and family services in Victoria. The Centre works in partnership with TAFEs and universities to embed support for students with a care experience. This includes building the capacity and confidence of students with a care experience, supporting vocational education and training (VET) and higher education workers to provide tailored support to care leavers, strengthening young people in care and care leavers’ transitions to post-secondary education.
Raising Expectations engages TAFEs and university partners to provide critical localised pathways and support services for care-experienced students in metropolitan and regional areas. This includes:
- expanding and strengthening connections with student support services on campuses
- increasing supports and access around bursaries, scholarships and allowances
- increasing support and access to on-campus accommodation
- establishing participation data collection for VET and higher education students (the Centre reports findings to the department)
- making referrals for tuition fee-waivers under the Youth Access Initiative
- establishing referral processes and pathways via community service programs, such as the department’s Reconnect program and leaving care services.
Background
Raising Expectations has been funded and supported by the Victorian Government since 2018. It is currently funded by the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (the department).
Raising Expectations has formal partnerships with RMIT University, Deakin University, Monash University, Federation University Australia, Swinburne University of Technology, La Trobe University and Victoria University. These organisations have formed a cross-sectoral collaboration to support young people and adults with a care experience to transition to VET and higher education.
What supports are available?
Under the Raising Expectations program, TAFEs and university partners provide the following supports to care leavers:
- care-experienced student bursary and scholarships
- support to access other financial allowances and supports
- support in navigating applications and enrolments in VET and higher education courses
- referrals to tuition fee-waivers under the Youth Access Initiative
- referrals to personal and academic support
- peer support and mentoring programs.
Who is eligible for support?
Raising Expectations is aimed at supporting out-of-home care leavers of any age currently undertaking or thinking about undertaking a VET or higher education course at a TAFE or partnered dual-sector university. Future students must meet the eligibility requirements to study in Victorian universities or TAFEs.
External support programs and initiatives
Reconnect Program
The Reconnect Program is intended to improve a person’s chance of breaking the cycle of disadvantage by creating equity, improving access and increasing choice in pathways through education, training and employment.
Reconnect providers can offer a range of supports while you are being supported by Raising Expectations. These may include:
- counselling and mentoring
- housing and accommodation services referral
- mental health support referral
- foundation skills
- employability skills
- careers information, planning and advice.
Youth Access Initiative
The Youth Access Initiative provides care leavers aged under 24 with a fee waiver that allows access to over 800 VET courses.
Contacts
Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions
To find out more, contact learner.pathways@djsir.vic.gov.au.
Reconnect Program 2025
Email: reconnect.program@djsir.vic.gov.au
Youth Access Initiative
Email: learner.pathways@djsir.vic.gov.au
Raising Expectations
Email: hello@raisingexpectations.com.au
Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare
Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare website
Phone: (03) 9614 1577
Email: admin@cfecfw.asn.au
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