Media Release
July 30 2008
Northern Community Summit to build on the power of education
With
just a few days until the
Northern Community
Summit, organisers are encouraged by the strength and breadth of
community commitment to the event.
The summit aims to bring together residents, business leaders large and
small, local and state government, educators and service providers to
look at ways to improve social outcomes and build community through
education in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
The Northern Community Summit will be held at the
Playford
Civic Centre on August 1 2008 from 8.30am – 4.30 pm.
More than 200 expressions of interest have been lodged for the summit
from individuals as diverse as homemakers and bankers, to teachers and
company directors.
About 360 people will attend including leaders such as the
Governor of
South Australia Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce; the SA
Premier Mike Rann;
Minister for the Northern Suburbs and Families and Communities
Jennifer
Rankine; Minister for Employment Training and Further Education,
Paul Caica;
Independent Commissioner for the Social Inclusion Board
Monsignor David Cappo; local mayors and a range of community
leaders.
UniSA Pro Vice Chancellor Strategy and Planning,
Professor Hilary Winchester says the goodwill and great ideas
already evident are remarkable.
“We have strong and genuine support around this conversation about how
education, in its broadest sense, can deliver in a wide range of
improvements – including to health and employment,” Prof Winchester
said.
“Already we have some innovative ideas coming forward and early
discussion of possible initiatives so I think we can expect the summit
will bring forward a wealth of ideas but also some solid outcomes.
“There has been a fairly profound mismatch between the economic
opportunities in the north and the available skills in the population –
education must be at the heart of redressing that mismatch and building
on the strengths that clearly exist in the north.”
Professor Winchester said the summit would also give participants the
opportunity to take stock of and celebrate initiatives that are already
delivering success for the community.
Media contact
-
Michèle Nardelli office (08) 8302 0966 mobile 0418 823 673
email michele.nardelli@unisa.edu.au