Students & Schools

The thousands of students who participate in ABCN programs each year come from more than 200 public schools across the country. These schools are priority-funded and serve communities where resources are often more limited. All programs are provided at no cost to the schools or students. Training materials, books, catering and excursion fees are all included.

Educators see firsthand the difference ABCN makes. From opening students’ eyes to career pathways they’ve never seen, to building confidence through real conversations with corporate mentors, the impact is profound. Hear directly from educators about why ABCN’s programs are described as the best they’ve seen in their careers:

PARTNERING WITH SCHOOLS FACING BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITY

ABCN partners with schools that have a below-average ICSEA ranking. Low ICSEA schools serve communities where improving educational equity is a key priority, meaning that, on average, students may come from families with:

• Lower levels of parental education
• Lower-income or less skilled occupations
• Fewer educational resources at home
• Limited access to enrichment opportunities outside school

These schools are more likely to be located in areas of low socio-economic advantage. They may also have higher proportions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, as well as students from culturally and linguistically diverse or refugee backgrounds.

EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES AND ACHIEVMENT GAPS

Students in low ICSEA schools often begin their education with fewer foundational literacy and numeracy skills, creating learning gaps that can widen over time. This is reflected in consistently lower NAPLAN results from Year 3 to Year 9.
These gaps contribute to:

• Lower Year 12 completion rates
• Fewer students pursuing tertiary education compared to higher ICSEA peers
• Greater student mobility, resulting in disruption due to multiple school enrolments
• Lower levels of school attendance

These impacts can be persistent. Young people from low- income backgrounds face significant disparities at age 24 and are:

• Less than half as likely to have / be working towards, a university degree (17.9% vs. 41.5%)
• Less likely to be fully engaged in employment, education or training (50.8% vs. 70.3%

LIMITED ACCESS TO CAREER GUIDANCE AND NETWORKS

The challenges for students from ABCN’s partner schools can be compounded by limited access to career knowledge, pathways understanding, professional role models and networks. In many public schools, career advisors are the primary source of guidance, yet they are often resource-constrained, meaning some students may receive as little as 45 minutes of career education per year.

When students have access to broader, multi-stakeholder careers education, including connection with employers, workplace visits, networking and mentoring, it builds students’ support networks, develops social capital and increases engagement; all contributing to stronger education and employment outcomes.