Twenty-five years, several floods and a couple of bushfires later, the UNE Taree Study Centre remains a vital educational hub for the NSW MidCoast. And a Music by the Manning event on 16 October will celebrate its important role in enhancing lives, careers and regional development.
Thousands of students have passed through since the then UNE Manning Valley Centre opened its doors in February 2001. A humble one-room shop in the Manning Mall Shopping Complex, it was equipped with three computers and plagued by unreliable dial-up Internet.
Today, the study centre is triple the size and occupies two shopfronts in the heart of Taree, where its staff provide vital academic guidance and pastoral care for more than 200 current UNE online students and information and career advice for future students.
The large, open-plan study area welcomes some 60-80 students each week and its three private study rooms are constantly booked for quiet work and exams.
Centre Coordinator Jessica Griffith said UNE Taree has played a major role in overcoming long-standing barriers to higher education.
“Universities and other tertiary institutions are geographically distant from us,” she said. “The costs of travel, relocation and accommodation – along with being separated from family and community – can create significant impediments and this is particularly challenging for students from lower-income households.
“UNE Taree has enabled people to study while living and working locally, strengthened their pathways to local employment and enabled them to meet current and emerging workforce needs. All of this contributes to the long-term social and economic development of the MidCoast.”
The personalised support students receive has proven critical to the success of thousands of students.
“Studying online can be isolating and the sense of belonging that our students find at UNE Taree can be the difference between them remaining engaged with their studies or dropping out,” said UNE Taree Project Coordinator Kathryn Martin. “We identify practical, academic and personal challenges early and provide timely support, which helps to build their confidence.
“We are committed to growing the appreciation for what university study can deliver, not only for the individual but also their family and community. When students lack other support, we become their cheer squad.”
Many are first-in-family and juggling study with family responsibilities and work. The opportunity to engage with supportive peers in a quiet space away from family distractions is something Ethan Webster appreciates.
“It’s just my speed. Nine times out of 10 there’s someone in there who’s either studying or has studied and can guide you through the process and assure you that it’s do-able,” said Ethan, who is completing his UNE Foundation units and about to embark on a Bachelor of Counselling, while running his own business and caring for two children.
“Having this in my hometown has made university study possible for me. I hope I’m showing my kids that it’s never too late, that they can go on to extra studies after they finish school.”
Staff say the peer-to-peer relationships that evolve quite naturally at UNE Taree help students to share ideas and learn from others facing similar challenges. “It makes online learning more social, collaborative and motivating,” says Jessica.
In recent times, students themselves have been backed to go the extra mile. Final-year Bachelor of Nursing student Liz Cronk has facilitated learning support sessions for first-year nursing students and established a social club. And final-year Master of Counselling student Prue Wilkinson mobilises newer counselling students to meet regularly.
Former centre coordinator Yves Byers, who was in the role for 20 years, said UNE Taree has established a wonderful sense of community.
“During the 2019-20 bushfires, we provided a place of refuge for students. Some had nowhere else to go because they had lost everything. We provided advice and support and helped students stay on track with their study during a very challenging time.
“By the end of my tenure, we had students forming study groups and meeting at the centre and I was greeting a second generation of UNE students, whose parents had done the hard slog before them. Our graduates are now working across all sectors in the region – in council and major industries, as our planners and teachers and nurses.”
Statistics are but one measure of UNE Taree’s success.
“The numbers cannot measure the value of the face-to-face support and encouragement we provide to individuals when things get tough,” says Kathryn. “It’s these personal connections that build capacity and boost wellbeing; that remind students to keep moving forward.”
Music by the Manning celebrations will feature a range of free musical performances by local schools from 4-8pm. For more information, call 02 6557 7190 or go to Music by the Manning | Facebook.
Image: UNE Taree Centre Coordinator Jessica Griffith and Bachelor of Nursing student Liz Cronk.
