I call on the Government, Department of Education and the Victorian community to rally support for the Pavilion School and to facilitate and enact upon the requests in this petition.

As a mother my heart could not deal with the thought that my teenaged child, had made an attempt on their life. They had been bullied relentlessly in high school, they had slowly stopped speaking to anyone around them and withdrawn from education they spent most time spent in their room isolated. Of course they tried to attend the Victorian online school, however this placed them even more in their room, and they struggled to add any voice to the classes. Despite being neuro-diverse this child is one of the smartest people that I know, they have a creative side to them that I have always envied. And yet, for many reasons they were bullied. School was not a safe place for them, and although seeing a therapist their grief became too much for them.

I found out about the Pavilion School and reached out to them with my story. I was told that there was a wait list but that they would gladly have my child attend once a space opened up. We went to the intake interviews and were told about what the Pavilion Model is and how it works. That they have shorter days, no school uniform, that all forms of barriers are removed for the student to be able to attend. They told me about how they operate with smaller class sizes, they have mental health workers and aids placed in every classroom. They understood that for these youth, school and potentially even home was previously not always a safe haven. They understood that these youth, are the ones that have lost hope and that this is why they offer such a unique and specialised program. I remember that they spoke about how children who were not willing to speak finished the Pavilion School having found their voice which resonated with me as my child had barely spoken a word in over a year, as this was just too difficult for them. I left that meeting feeling hopeful for the first time in a long time - though as there was a waitlist to get in I was always anxious that my child could try again to end their life.

When that call finally came in to tell me they had room for my child, I was over the moon with relief. And once my child started to attend, they very slowly began to change back into the beautiful soul that I had always known my child to be. The care of the teachers and wellbeing workers uplifted my child to a place where they found their voice. They attend school regularly. They are completing year 12 this year. They are passionate and have undertaken pathways to attend University in the future. They have a group of friends and feel like they belong. The Pavilion School gave my child hope that their is a happy ending to their story and through this changed our whole family for the better.

Whilst my families story is around bullying and mental health struggles it is important to note that in our society when it comes to youth crime, statistics show that disengaged youth are at the forefront. That is also another critical factor behind this petition. Educators all across Victoria are noticing more behaviours of concerns in young children. More violence, more community issues, and less engagement with education. Preserving the Pavilion Schools model assists these teenagers to work through their emotions, to gain an education and to realise that they have the power to change their world. 

That the Victorian Government and the Department of Education commit to the following in relation to the operations and funding of the Pavilion School Epping and Preston Campus';

1. Ensuring that the Pavilion Schools model is maintained to re-engage and educate disengaged youth.
2. That changes to the Pavilion School model can only occur after the Pavilion Community has had input via a formal consultation.
3. Ensure that the Epping Campus receives adequate funding to purchase and build a new campus located close to public transport that is near growth corridors and is accessible via train and bus routes - removing barriers to attendance.
4. To ensure that the school is funded in a capacity for growth and increased student intake.
5. To ensure that dis-engaged youth are encouraged through holistic approaches that supports the young people to build resilience and engage with their education.
6. To ensure that all persons within the education system who qualify for disability inclusion funding receive full funding to the campus in which the student attends.
7. To maintain higher staff to student ratios than that of typical public school systems - to prevent teacher burn out and fatigue.
8. Allow the Pavilion School full financial control of any Government funding that is allocated for students that attend the Pavilion School and in the funding for the Pavilion School as a whole.