What is Alt Ed?

As above; Coast Alt Ed is part of a nation wide initiative set up by the Ministry of Education, to cater for students who do not fit the main stream secondary schooling system.

It follows the secondary school term/year dates and runs Monday to Friday, 9am - 3pm.

These are secondary school age students: Years 9-11 (ages 13-16).

Current teachers are: Phil Thacker and Marijke McCloughen.

How is it funded?

Coast Alt Ed is funded mostly by the Ministry of Education via Orewa College which is the “Lead School” that oversees the other Alternative Education providers on the North Shore area. We are paid per student per term. Coast Alt Ed is contracted to carry 10 students by a three year contract with Orewa College. (C3 Hibiscus Coast sees this as a ministry area and meets any short falls in funding.)

Why Alt Ed?

Our students are what some call 'at risk youth', as they are with us for either truancy or having been excluded from the main stream school system.

Most of the exclusions are for behavior related incidents, so a lot of our programme focuses on these areas, and their improvement.

What does the course offer?

We focus on life skills and mentoring.

We also offer unit standards through Orewa College specifically Maths and English.

The aim is to provide a tailored education for the students by a system called Individual Education Plans. (IEPs) This is a process of uncovering the students’ talents, skills and desires; then matching them with possible employment options. In their last year with us we aim to get them as much work experience as possible as to expose them to the real world of work and to increase their chance of employment through a record of positive feedback from previous employers who have assisted them with their work experience.

We also offer the ASDAN youth award programme.

Most of the afternoons are activity based, while the early part of the day is academic.

The students are also responsible for the weekly cleaning of the toilets, kitchen, classroom and the school van.

Each student has access to professional one on one counseling.

How long has it been running?

We have been running for over 9 years now.

How did it begin?

It all began when C3 Church Hibiscus Coast was approached by Orewa College to start a center on the Hibiscus Coast for the students of the area who were traveling to the North Shore centers for their Alternative Education. We said that we would trial it for one term. We started with four students and one tutor and have now taken on two staff and have up to 10 students enrolled.

Is it successful?

Coast Alt Ed has a 70-75% achievement rate with what are called 'successful outcomes'. This is based on the placing of students in either a follow on course or full time employment after their time with Coast Alt Ed. We also have one of the highest attendance rates in the North Shore consortium, and also one of the highest occupancy ratios.

The best success is in seeing former students settled on a path that is enabling them to be effective and productive members of the community. This is a credit to themselves and the great tutors that are Coast Alt Ed.