Ms SPENCE (Yuroke) — Last week it was a pleasure to take part in a collaborative classroom activity at Mount Ridley College, conducted in partnership with the Beacon Foundation. This innovative program brings industry into the classroom to give students a practical understanding of the curriculum, including linking what is learnt in the classroom to real‑world career options.

The session I attended was called ‘Making and breaking the law’, and it was wonderful to act as speaker while the students debated the merits of an amendment to the Crimes Act 1958. Students argued respectfully for their point of view, and each one of them spoke well. The second purpose of the session was to talk to students about career options that are available to people who are interested in politics, public service, law and related fields. Students showed a keen interest in these areas, and I sincerely hope they consider these career paths.

I was particularly eager to participate in this process after learning from the Yuroke Youth Advisory Council that it is common for students to leave school with little or no understanding of our democratic institutions. Any program that seeks to remedy this and teach students to think critically about our system of government is a welcome addition to the curriculum, and I encourage the Beacon Foundation to engage students in this way as much as possible and at as many schools as possible.

Thank you to Susan Yengi from the Beacon Foundation, Bianca Ellul from Mount Ridley College and Cam Keily from Victoria Police for making the class informative and enjoyable for all.