Safe Schools Coalition Australia
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| Abbreviation | SSCA |
|---|---|
| Motto | Proud to create change in schools |
| Formation | 21 October 2010 |
| Founded at | Victoria |
| Type | NGO |
| Purpose | The safety and wellbeing of the LGBTIQ school community |
| Headquarters | Melbourne |
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Membership (2017)
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Victoria 284. Rest of Australia 304. |
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SSCA Program Director
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Craig Comrie |
| Website | safeschoolscoalition.org.au |
| Images | |
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 Change is coming poster
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Classroom poster
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| Video | |
 Cory Bernardi Speech to the Senate
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George Christensen Speech to the House of Representatives
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The Safe Schools Coalition Australia is a group of organisations in Australia focused on LGBTIQ people in schools. Its mission is to create safe and inclusive schools for students, families and staff who are in these groups.
In December 2016, Safe Schools Coalition Australia severed its ties with the Safe Schools Coalition Victoria, with the Education Department taking over the management in Victoria.
The Safe Schools Coalition Australia is managed by The Foundation for Young Australians and funded by various state governments. In October 2016 the federal government said that it would not renew its funding for the program.
The primary activity of the Safe Schools Coalition is the Safe Schools Program that was developed to give support to teachers and schools who had been seeking assistance in the creation of a more inclusive environment for LGBTIQ students and their families. The program began in Victorian schools in 2010 and expanded nationwide in 2013. The Safe Schools Program was the first of its kind in Australia. Schools are encouraged to customise the implementation of resources which are provided.
The Safe Schools Coalition initially received bipartisan support from government. There is opposition to the program relating to sexuality and gender concepts being taught in schools. Politician Penny Sharpe has said that this opposition stems from homophobia. In response an independent review was conducted in 2016. While some changes have been made since the review's findings were published, it recommended no major changes to the program and found that it was consistent with the national curriculum. The report recommended an increase in the availability of guidance on the use of included materials. Other changes recommended and subsequently implemented include making the program only available to high schools, removing role playing activities and the requirement for parental consent before participation. During 2016, the number of schools taking up the program has increased. However reservations remain in relation to this program.
The members of the Safe Schools Coalition Australia are The Foundation for Young Australians based in Victoria, Family Planning NSW, the Western Australian AIDS Council, the Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT, Shine SA - Sexual Health Information Networking & Education in South Australia, True Relationships & Reproductive Health, Queensland and Working it out in Tasmania.
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