2012
A Steering Committee consisting of Dr Elizabeth Lavender - Director, Shepparton Campus, Latrobe University, Jennifer Hippisley - CEO, GMLLEN, Lisa McKenzie - CEO, Community Fund Goulburn Valley and Professor Jan Carter AM - Sir Andrew and Lady Fairley Foundation, was appointed to lead the emerging movement.
In addition a group of Champions was formed to help drive the movement.
March 18, 2013
David Gonski, Chair of the Australian Government’s Review of Funding for Schooling, launched what was then referred to as the Shepparton Lighthouse Project at La Trobe University, Shepparton campus.
The launch, emceed by Adam Furphy, included a welcome from Liz Lavender, Director, Shepparton Campus La Trobe University and presentations by Andrew Fairley, and Lisa McKenzie.
“Improved outcomes for Shepparton’s young people will lead to a vibrant commercial sector as well as wealth creation for the people of the community’. Andrew Fairley, Launch of the Lighthouse Project, March 2013.
September 2013
Adam Furphy Managing Director J Furphy & Sons is appointed as Chair the Steering Committee
“One thing is certain, doing the same old thing will lead to the same old outcomes. We are seeking big improvements and that will require big changes in how we value young people and put them at the heart of the community. As a community we think we can do better”.Adam Furphy Collective Action Planning Meeting 2018.
July 2014
Funding support from the McEwen Foundation via the ANZ Trustees was announced enabling the appointment of an executive officer Lisa McKenzie. Lisa’s prior experience included:
- Founder and inaugural Chair of the Liftoff Scholarship Fund.
- Co-founder of Shepparton Foodshare.
- Chair of the Goulburn Murray LLEN Board.
- Member of the La Trobe University Shepparton Regional Advisory Board.
- Former CEO of the Community Fund.
- EO of the Fairley Leadership Program.
- Newspaper Editor.
July 2014
2014 The State of Greater Shepparton’s Children Report was released. The report was funded by the Sir Andrew and Lady Fairley Foundation, Best Start, GMLLEN and Communities for Children and included a comprehensive early years data profile.
Compiled by Sexton Consulting the document was key in determining Lighthouse’s focus and served as a baseline, indicating whether improvement or challenges have been raised over time. It contributed to the implementation of priorities and projects that focused on improving aspirations, engagement and results around education and wellbeing.
2014
Logo and name. Since its conception, the movement’s name has seen several evolutions, including The Shepparton Project, The Shepparton Lighthouse Children’s Project, Cradle to Career, and Rise and Shine - Shepparton Lighthouse Project. Minutes from the July 2014 Steering Committee meeting stated that the name Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project had been registered. The name reflected the analogy that many young people were ‘falling off the cliff’ into crisis. Lighthouse aimed to ‘light the way’ and prevent our young people from falling into crisis.
March 2015
A luncheon at Mitchelton raised $25,000 for the newly formed Liftoff Scholarship. The Advisory Committee, founded and chaired by Lisa McKenzie, awarded five inaugural scholarships to assist local young people in pursuing tertiary education. The scholarship program was one of the strategic priorities identified by the project Champions and was a collaboration between The Community Fund (now the Greater Shepparton Foundation) and Lighthouse.
2015
The first 1000 Conversations initiative was undertaken. Modelled on Kathy McGowan’s Kitchen Table Conversations the initiative was led by Ann Sexton and facilitated by Fiona Smolenaars and Michelle Dunscombe. The project generated valuable insights on supporting young people including the creation of a Lighthouse volunteer program focused on literacy and language support in the region’s most underperforming schools.
ple. The initiative unearthed a strong interest in volunteering, establishing a The Youth Services Mapping Report compiled by Fiona Johnson was also released. The report highlighted over 40 service providers; overwhelmingly, they targeted young people in crisis. The report demonstrated the limited integration between the services and their many challenges.
Lighthouse successfully applied for DGR status.
November 2016
The Falling Through the Cracks report compiled by Michelle Luscombe was launched. The report told the stories from 85 young people who were not engaged in work or training. They shared their life journey, what they thought might have helped them and what they thought should be in place now. The research sought to understand why young people (aged 12-24) living in the Greater Shepparton area are not participating in mainstream education, employment or training. The study found a complex interaction of factors influencing disengagement, including trauma at home/unstable home life, bullying and feeling disconnected from school.
December 2017
Lighthouse opened The Haven (renamed OLLY in 2022) in Wyndham St, Shepparton. The program was established to provide a safe, positive, family-like environment where youth aged 12-24 could go for a meal, support and friendship. Staff provided referrals and linked young people to services. Staff assisted with CVs, L/P plate requirements, gaining part-time employment and more.
Lighthouse’s office space moved to the first floor of the Metzke and Allen building on Welsford Street. Before this, Lighthouse operated from The Workgroup office space, generously provided by Lighthouse Champion and The Workgroup CEO, Craig Marshall.
February 2018
Lighthouse staff held an induction day to launch the Leadership Tables. Initially 4 Leadership Tables are formed these being:
- Healthy & Ready for School Table
- Primary Years Collaborative Table
Secondary School Collaborative Table - Transition to Work & Study Collaborative Table
The last two tables later merged to become the Secondary & Transitions Leadership Table.
2018
The second 1000 Conversations (2.0) initiative was undertaken. Led by Amy Robinson, Jen Frisardi and Kate Radevski, the report once again provided key insights. Again, Lighthouse heard about the need for connections of all descriptions, access to opportunity, transport, information, mentors and role models. Young people called for timely, relevant and helpful information about some of the big issues confronting them including careers and employment, personal and social issues such as mental health, and technology.
April 2018
April 2018 - In contributing to the first State of Greater Shepparton Children’s Report, Lighthouse identified the need to base decision-making on measured and accurate data. This inital concept was referred to as the ‘Clearing House’ and a partnership with data and analyitics organistaion Seer saw this initiative come to fruition. This shared data platform is an ongoing project and continues to grow with the support of Lighthouse’s Sarah Pain.
Late 2018
Community Hubs Australia approached Lighthouse to oversee the work at three community hubs in Shepparton. These hubs were initially based at Gowrie Street Primary, Wilmot Road Primary and St Georges Road Primary. Gowrie Street opted out of the program in 2022 and in 2023 Mooroopna Park Primary School opened a hub. The Hubs model focuses on building social cohesion by creating welcoming places where families from diverse backgrounds, particularly mothers with pre-school children, come to connect, share and learn.
November 2019
November 2019. The Family Haven opened in Young Street, Mooroopna in partnership with St Albans Anglican Church and Goulburn Valley Pregnancy Support. Deep listening via both 1000 Conversations and the Tables together with supporting data, strongly indicated a need to establish a presence and provide activities in Mooroopna.
The Family Haven was designed to build the social capacity of young families and parents so that they felt confident and supported. Since commencement the program has provided a welcoming space for parents, carers and children. Staff, lead by program Coordinator Courtney Wilson, provide referrals where needed.
2019
A collaboration between Greater Shepparton Communities for Children, the Best Start Partnership and Lighthouse sees the 2014 State of Greater Shepparton’s Children Report updated. Utilising 2018 AEDC data the report aimed to ensure the document remained current and relevant to users.
February 2020
Pit Stop opens. Pit Stop was a reinvention of the Kar Shed program run by a group formed in 2016. Lighthouse was gifted the program in order to grow the initiative. Pit Stop was developed as a strengths-based re-engagement program offering young people the opportunity to work on small engines and cars and other hands-on activities under the guidance of industry professionals.
2020
Lighthouse engaged consultancy firm Clear Horizon to conduct an independent evaluation. The resulting Evaluation Report included 5 key recommendations.
- Grow the function of the Youth Leadership Table.
- Continue the successful core functions of Lighthouse
- Strengthen and revise a monitoring framework.
- Conduct inclusive research on the ‘one size fits all’ approach.
- Spread the movement into the service sector.