ASPA President, Sheree Vertigan, is a member of the Asia Education Foundation's (AEF) Asia Literacy Ambassadors Project Advisory Group. On behalf of the AEF, Sheree would like to invite ASPA members and their schools to be part of the Asia Literacy Ambassadors – Partnering Businesses & Schools project. Click here to download a letter of invitation and a one-page flyer providing more information about the project.

What is the Asia Literacy Ambassadors project?

The Asia Literacy Ambassadors – Partnering Businesses & Schools project establishes and supports partnerships between businesses and schools to stimulate and increase student and school community demand for Asia literacy. Skilled professionals from the business sector (Ambassadors) are matched to secondary schools across Australia to form school-business partnerships. By sharing their own story, Ambassadors assist their partner schools to better understand the diverse career and life opportunities available to employees who are knowledgeable about Asia, who speak an Asian language and have the skills and dispositions needed to effectively engage with the people and cultures of Asia, off-shore and domestically.

Partnering Ambassadors and schools are required to participate in at least three face-to-face interactions over a six-to-eight month period. Those interactions can take many forms – for example, an interaction could be a student visit to the Ambassador's workplace, a presentation to a student group, dialogue with leadership teams, career practitioners, teachers and school councils, or a mentoring session with students around in career planning and decision-making. 

Why is this project important?

‘Major changes in the world are placing new demands on Australian education…Australians need to become Asia literate, engaging and building strong relationships with Asia. ’ Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians, Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, December 2008

The imperative for Australian students to become Asia literate has never been greater. Employment and lifestyle opportunities for Australians are increasingly influenced by the economies and societies of the Asian region, while immigrants from Asia play an active role in communities across Australia. Students leaving school with knowledge and understandings about Asia and strong intercultural skills will be best placed to maximise these opportunities. 

What are the benefits for Australian schools?

Schools benefit enormously from the relationship with their Ambassador and business. The benefits of being involved in the project for schools include:

• opportunity for students to better understand how being Asia literate can influence their career prospects and lifestyle aspirations;
• support for targeted teaching and learning in a range of curriculum areas that build students’ Asia literacy;
• mentoring partnerships between Ambassadors and students and staff;
• exposure of school communities to high-calibre role models from the business community;
• establishment of links between schools and local businesses; and
• raising the profile of the school within the local business community, state/territory and nationally.