Many rural Australian towns are struggling with drug addiction, disadvantage and unemployment. This one is no different.
The easiest option for Denah would have been to drop out of school.
She was already only attending classes about 20 per cent of the time, “wagging” the rest.
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Her parents finished their schooling in Year 8 and 9, so there was no pressure from them to keep going.
But – after tiptoeing along the brink of dropping out for some time – the 17-year-old committed to being the first in her family to finish Year 12.
And her story of disengagement with education is not uncommon in the regional Victorian city of Shepparton, located 180km north-east of Melbourne.
The city of less than 50,000 inhabitants is struggling under the weight of high rates of unemployment, school drop-out and teen pregnancies.
These issues, as well as rampant drug use (especially abuse of the drug ice), the struggling local agricultural industry and racism were discussed amongst locals at Goulburn Valley Hotel pub for SBS’s Insight program, which aired last night.
Statistics show that around 45 per cent of young people in Shepparton are not fully engaged in work or school.
Local youths said they had been unsuccessfully searching for work for up to three years, with one young woman saying she had never even had a job interview.
The number of Shepparton residents going to university, or continuing on at school past Year 10, is a lot lower than the state average.
Poverty and bullying are major contributors to the high rates of students dropping out.
Many of those that intend to complete tertiary studies know they will likely have to move to Bendigo, Melbourne or elsewhere to so do due to the limited courses available locally – and doing so will cost them money they don’t have.
Denah said her complete change in attitude towards her schooling happened at the end of Year 9, when her social anxiety led her to throw herself into her schoolwork.
She and two friends made a bet where the first person to miss a day of school would have to cough up $100. No one has had to pay up yet.
Now she wants to be the first in her family to finish school to set a good example for her younger cousins.
She said she doesn’t have anyone forcing her to go to school, making sure she does her homework, or cooking her dinner. It is up to her to motivate herself.
And Denah is not the only one aspiring for a better life.
Ashley transferred to an alternative school in Year 7 after being severely bullied and acting up.
But she said that doing practical tasks rather than learning theory motivated her to change.
“The fact I didn’t have a chance to learn made me want to learn,” she said.
Like Denah, Ashley is in Year 12 at Shepparton High School.
Her role model is her older brother, who is studying chemical engineering in Sydney.
Ebony also quit school because of bullying.
After being bashed up on the school bus, she refused to catch it, and moved out of home at 16.
Now 20, and with a two-year-old daughter, Ebony is completing a bridging course to continue her education.
“I feel like education is really important to succeed in life, really,” she said.
“Just having knowledge is really important and I want to show that to my daughter and bring her up acknowledging that education is really important.”
“I want her to have a really good life and I don’t want to struggle with money every week… just (to) have essentials in life.”
Meet Debbie and Ebony (post continues after video):
Luckily, she has an older mentor, Deb, who volunteers with a local group and helps Ebony out with anything, from advice to lifts to the shops and driving lessons.
Deb said the support and stability provided by their relationship has helped Ebony to flourish.
Shepparton High School principal Phil Squire acknowledged “there are a number of students getting through the cracks”.
Despite the plentiful challenges facing those in country towns, there seems to be plenty of inspiring young people heading in the right direction.
Watch a snippet of the show here:
For more on youth unemployment, check out these articles:
Sorry Minister, but apple orchards aren’t going to solve youth unemployment.
“All my friends are unemployed”.
“Being unemployed doesn’t mean I’m incompetent”
Why should the government help SPC and not every business in Australia?
Do you know of other regional towns similarly affected?
Top Comments
Jeez. Some of this these quotes aren't accurate. The lady who said she never had a job interview. Meant she got the job by knowing the right people not that she has never worked.
My humble little town sure does have its issues but there was SO much misrepresentation on Insight that the program I have long respected left me bitterly disappointed. Allow me to start with the location chosen to hold this discussion - a local pub, really?! In a town with numerous other (more appropriate) venues they chose a pub - skewing audience perception much? The hosts dress code - why was our community unworthy of the usual dress code? We have all seen suits and similar before - do you assume we're uncomfortable around formal attire?
Next up the discussion participants... Students from just ONE of the FIVE secondary school in Shepparton alone - because that is really representative of our student populations. Not to mention the alternative educational program ran by one particular school for utterly disengaged students that are not welcome in any "normal" school.
How about the disgustingly noticeable absence of ANYONE from our indigenous community?
How about talking to some young parents that didn't just jump in line at Centrelink? You know, the ones like me that took kids to classes at the local La Trobe University? The ones that fed their kinds in class and lecturers cuddled while they taught and we learnt?
How about the wonderful events our local council and various community groups hold that bring the people of Greater Shepparton together? The public screenings of family friendly movies? The walking, running and cycling groups that present opportunities for our community to improve their health and meet new people? The arts festival? The multicultural events designed to improve understanding and acceptance between social groups? I can keep going...
I am not ashamed to be from this imperfect little town and maybe, just maybe if the likes of Insight and Mamamia actually took a look at this town without the hope of finding the dirty underbelly they might have been able to share some of the positives about this town!
This was not news it was sensationalist "journalism" - I maybe not have expected anything else from Mamamia, but I certainly did from SBS.