Getting into university can be tough. What to study, where to study it, what is work going to be like once all the study is over? For a young adult in high school, the information on offer can be overwhelming.
Doxa’s University Pathways Program is a multi-year, multi-touchpoint program that provides students with first-hand experience of university life and a taste of the world of work.
The University Pathways Program is open to young people with challenging life circumstances who are in years 9 – 12 of high school and are interested in continuing their education at university. It supports young people to attend university and gain the skills for an employable and rewarding future.
Participants in the program come from a variety of challenging backgrounds. Everyone is different, but this could be financial difficulty, family trauma, being culturally and/or linguistically diverse, being from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background, or a refugee and/or migrant background.
There will be two University Pathways Program sessions in January, 2019:
- Monday 14 – Wednesday 16, January 2019
- Thursday 17 January – Saturday 19 January, 2019
Students in Year 12 from around Victoria including Geelong, Gippsland and across Melbourne will be taking part in both sessions.
Students will be developing their personal, professional and employment skills by visiting universities and corporate workplaces across Melbourne CBD including BT and ACU University.
They will also be meeting professionals from across the not-for-profit sector in a NFP round robin session.
Since its inception in 2015, more than 800 young people have participated in the Doxa University Pathways Program.
Doxa CEO, Steve Clifford, said, “At Doxa, we offer support for young people from challenging life circumstances and give them opportunities they may not otherwise have access to. Our University Pathways Program gives students a chance to meet professionals, explore career options and build employability skills.”
“We offer invaluable networking opportunities, and develop students’ enterprise, employment and personal skills that will help them succeed in university and in the workplace. In fact, we are delighted to report that 84% of the 2017 Year 12 students who graduated from our University Pathways Program were successfully enrolled in university courses in 2018.”
University Pathways Program graduate Charlotte says “Had it not been for the support and guidance I gained through the programs, I may not have had the courage and resources to pursue my passion for physiotherapy.
I definitely would’ve really struggled to adapt to uni life, especially as I am working two part-time jobs alongside my studies to ensure that I am able to support myself financially.”
The University Pathways Program is part of Doxa’s portfolio, a series of programs from grade 5 to university that dovetail together and support educational attainment while also offering practical skills and experience to assist in a young person’s journey towards meaningful employment.
About Doxa
Doxa is a Victorian not-for-profit organisation that provides programs for disadvantaged young people so that they can access positive life experiences, education opportunities and employment pathways. Doxa has been around since 1972 and their programs support over 7,300 young Victorians – typically aged eight to 24 years old – each year. Every young person they interact with has a different set of life circumstances. Doxa’s aim is to ensure that all young people enjoy enriching experiences and educational opportunity and advancement.
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For media enquiries on behalf of Doxa, please contact
Progressive PR & Communications
03 9696 6417
Darren Saffin / Jodie Artis
0411 089 209 / 0414 699 186
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[1] Dropping off the Edge: Jesuit Social Services: 2015