In November, our Young Mums VCAL program celebrated 10 years of the program and the end of an era. The program will move into a new direction in 2023 with a more inclusive name and alignment to the Victorian
Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) directions to change the course to VCE. The program will become
VCE VM for Young Parents next year. Young Mums started in 2013 as a direct result of a community need in Bendigo with a high number of young mothers who did not finish Year 12. Bendigo TAFE offered the program to meet the community’s needs. Cindy Grant and Leanne Hamilton were the foundation teachers for Young Mums VCAL in 2013.
Young Mums VCAL program is an educational program, it often delivers much more to the participants. Not all students leave with their certificate completed but most do go with much higher career aspirations, better selfesteem, confidence, enduring friendships, and connections.
The program finished on a high with the most successful year ever, and seven students completing their VCAL Senior studies and qualification (previously on average there would be around three completions each year).
All seven incredible young women were honoured with the Leanne Hamilton Award - named after Leanne Hamilton, a teacher at Bendigo TAFE for over 25 years, who passed away in 2019. An active contributor to many community groups, Leanne was loved and admired by all for her kindness, humility, creativity, fun, laughter, and giving nature.