Our Community
Engagement with the community has always been a feature and strength of Kangan Batman TAFE, because strengthening our partnerships with the community is a strategic priority. All of Kangan Batman TAFE's thirty-eight departments are involved in community projects, many of which are collaborative efforts between departments. Kangan Batman supports organisations locally and internationally, and some of Kangan Batman TAFE's main projects include:
The Holland Foundation
The Melbourne-based Holland Foundation provides a broad range of social welfare programs, and focuses on poverty, child abuse, sickness, grief, homelessness, health and education. The Holland Foundation provides scholarships and awards to Kangan Batman TAFE students, while Kangan Batman TAFE supports the Foundation by donating textbooks, computer desks and other education-related items for distribution by the Foundation.
Dili Institute of Technology
In conjunction with Automotive Training Australia and the Friends of Aileu, Kangan Batman TAFE organised a shipment of automotive training equipment for the Dili Institute of Technology in East Timor. The equipment will aid in the delivery of vocational training in automotive. Kangan Batman TAFE funded the shipment cost and organised a staff member to travel to Timor-Leste to assist with the setting up of the material in early 2006. We have also made donations to the Xanana Foundation fund to support our colleagues in vocational education at Dili Institute of Technology to re-establish their lives and reopen their Institute. We will continue to support the Dili Institute in its efforts to recover from the troubles of 2005/6.
Bahay Tuluyan (Philippines)
There are four Bahay Tuluyan Centres in different regions in the Philippines, which provide programs to empower abused and exploited children. Funding for this project is shared among the Rotary Club of Essendon, the Rotary Club of Manila, Rotary International and Kangan Batman TAFE. Kangan Batman TAFE assists the RCE to raise funds for Bahay Tuluyan projects for training Filipino children to be junior health workers, the provision of emergency and temporary shelter and giving disadvantaged children the opportunity to go to school.
Kangan Batman TAFE and the Rotary Club of Essendon's fundraising ball in August 2007 raised almost $14,000 for Bahay Tuluyan.
Local Partnerships
Kangan Batman TAFE staff members also contribute voluntarily to professional and community organisations, many of which are directly related to their work; for example, in working with Indigenous Australians. As a result, Kangan Batman TAFE has become involved in community projects through the inter-relationships of its staff and their communities.
For a comprehensive report on our community initiatives, see our latest annual report or see our brochure Engaged in Our Community (519KB).
