The David Scott School

In 2017, the Brotherhood of St Laurence established the David Scott School, based on work which had been undertaken in delivering Community Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) at the Brotherhood’s Frankston High St Centre.

The School vision is to ensure that all young people receive a high quality education that empowers them to reach their potential and equips them for a good life.

The School delivers an integrated education program to meet the literacy, numeracy, work related and personal development needs of young people (aged 15-19) in the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula region who are unable to participate in mainstream schooling.

The School delivers an innovative applied learning model informed by evidence about what works for re-engaging and maintaining young people in education, and in preparing them for the world of work and/or further study. The School also provides career pathways support as well as integrated well-being support for students facing barriers and challenges (family issues, substance abuse, health, housing, financial issues) to completing their education.

The School provides a best-practice model of learning and support that can be replicated elsewhere, and can influence policy in the area of flexible learning provision to re-engage young people in learning.

The School is an initiative of the Brotherhood of St Laurence, and sits within the organisational structure of the Brotherhood of St Laurence. This senior secondary specialist education program is taught in a friendly and personalised learning environment and our connection with our young people does not end when they graduate. We continue to support them to ensure a successful transition to further education, training or employment.

David Scott was the nephew of the Brotherhood of St Laurence’s founder Father Gerard Tucker, and was throughout a full and active career, at one time the Director of the Brotherhood of St Laurence. Amongst a range of achievements that included founding Community Aid Abroad, later Oxfam

Australia, President of the Australia Council of Social Service, Chairman of The Land Conservation Council of Victoria and receiving an Order of Australia medal, he worked tirelessly in the areas of social welfare and policy.

He was a determined, adventurous and generous man who dedicated his life to working for others. He believed passionately that “People with low self-esteem and self-confidence are able to do things they could not imagine possible if other people

believe they can”, and his personal motto was “always say yes.”

It is with this philosophy and vision that the school was established in his name and it is our aim to continue to work for those in our society who need a helping hand.

*With thanks to “Always Say Yes” by David Scott with Carrie Hutchinson, Allen & Unwin, NSW 2014