24 September 2024
By Prue Warrilow
ARACY CEO
First published Canberra Times 24/9/2
Learning is more than just acquiring knowledge; it’s a foundation for children’s healthy development and wellbeing. Education gives young people the tools to grow into confident, resilient adults, but our current system too often overlooks the broader, holistic role that schools can play in their lives.
The Empowering Young Minds report, released today by ARACY and UNICEF Australia, as part of the Australian Children’s Wellbeing Index, highlights where Australia’s education system is performing well and where children and young people across Australia face multiple barriers that affect their ability to learn. Whether it’s dealing with the pressures on their families of rising costs, the effects of climate change, or unequal access to digital resources like AI. Now is the time to reimagine our schools, not just as places for learning, but as environments where every child and young person can thrive.
At ARACY, we know wellbeing and education are intertwined. Learning is a tool for developing academically, and also emotionally, socially, and physically. This is true for all children and young people, whether they face more barriers than others or are fortunate to have access to abundant resources. By supporting children and young people holistically—ensuring they feel safe, healthy, engaged, and valued—we help them build the foundation for lifelong success. Education is how children and young people develop the critical thinking, emotional resilience, and social connections they will carry with them throughout their lives.
For many families, the challenge of covering basic needs like food, housing, and school supplies affects their children’s ability to engage fully in their education. When schools step in as supportive environments, this can help level the playing field, ensuring every child and young person has the essentials to participate and learn. It’s about more than just providing books and uniforms or breakfast—it’s about creating a space where children and young people feel ready and able to learn, supported by relationships with teachers and peers.
The same can be said for the impacts of climate change. When natural disasters disrupt communities, it’s not only the physical environment that’s affected, but children’s emotional wellbeing as well. Schools, and supported and supportive teachers, can offer a sense of stability, providing a safe space where children and young people can process their experiences, reconnect with peers, and rebuild a sense of normalcy. Education, in this sense, functions as a continuum—something children and young people move through, shaped by the relationships and environments around them.
Then there’s the digital divide. AI has the potential to personalise learning, making our education system more dynamic and accessible. Without the right infrastructure, children and young people who already face multiple barriers will be left further behind. The opportunity lies in ensuring all students, no matter their background, have the tools they need to engage with new technologies. By doing so, we make learning not just about knowledge acquisition, but about building the digital skills that will be essential for success in the future digital economy.
Education works best when it’s personal, functional, and responsive to the environments in which children and young people live. We know from our own experiences that learning isn’t just about textbooks—it’s about how we apply what we’ve learned to our lives. It helps us navigate challenges, connect with others, and understand the world around us. For children and young people today, this dynamic is no different. Whether they’re learning in urban classrooms or in rural communities, the support they receive from their schools and communities can shape the trajectory of their development.
There are solutions within reach. By strengthening partnerships between schools, health services, and communities, allowing teachers, nurses and other support services to work together we can create more resilient, supportive learning environments. By investing in digital infrastructure, we can make AI and other technologies safe and accessible to all students, not just those with the current means to afford them. And by recognising education a tool for wellbeing, we can shift the focus from mere academic achievement to helping children and young people build the skills and connections they need to thrive, both now and in the future.
Our education system must evolve, becoming a platform where every child and young person, regardless of the barriers they face, can unlock their full potential. Schools have the power to shape not only what children and young people learn, but who they become—and it’s time we embraced this responsibility fully.
Prue Warrilow CEO of ARACY
