Youth:     C.R.E.A.T.E. Initiative
 
               
         
Rationale Goals Curriculum Themes Resources Sponsors/Supporters
         
The C.R.E.A.T.E. initiative sets out to empower young people in rural communities around Australia with enterprising mindsets and skills so they can contribute to the economic and social development or revitalisation of their local economies.

The focus of C.R.E.A.T.E. for students is on discovery, action and creation rather than just reading and observing. C.R.E.A.T.E.  encourages the use of as many experimental activities as possible, because that is what leads to self-discovery and self-direction – and it’s fun. An old Chinese proverb sums it up well: ‘Tell me, I forget. Show me, and I remember. Involve me, and I understand’.

C.R.E.A.T.E. stands for Creating Rural Enterprising Attitudes Through Education. Currently, its major funding sponsor is the Federal Department of Education, Science & Training through the 'Enterprise Education for the 21st Century' initiative.

Rationale

The community and economic life of rural Australia is undergoing constant change. However, over the last two decades, the rate of change has accelerated. Broader structural trends have worked against rural communities, especially small town rural Australia. Farm aggregation, falling commodity prices, industry restructuring, consolidation of retail and financial services in regional centres and increased personal mobility have all combined to cause the demographic and service decline of many small inland towns. Many traditional employment positions have disappeared. However, improved communications, lifestyle preference changes and increased rural tourism demand have created new employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.

 By and large, the education system continues to prepare young people to work for others and to encourage them to leave rural Australia in search for employment.

The C.R.E.A.T.E. initiative seeks to respond to this challenge.

Goals
 
  1. To develop ‘can do’ attitudes and enterprising behaviour amongst rural young women and men.
  2. To encourage rural young men and women to focus on the assets, capabilities and opportunities of their rural communities, rather than dwelling on limitations, weaknesses and deficiencies.
  3. To contribute to the development of an enterprise culture and to stimulate new entrepreneurial thinking and activity within rural Australia.
  4. To support rural young people respond to changing social, economic and employment circumstances by encouraging self-initiative and the consideration of self-employment as a career option for remaining in or returning to rural Australia.
Curriculum Themes

To help develop a ‘can-do’ attitude and enterprising behaviour through a school/community/business nexus, C.R.E.A.T.E. works around five curriculum themes:

  I. Understanding change
  II. Knowing oneself and ones strengths
  III. Being enterprising
    - enterprising individuals
    - enterprising businesses
    - enterprising communities
  IV. Exploring our community as a place of opportunity
    - auditing the community
    - appreciating its uniqueness, assets and “windows of opportunity”
  V. Experimenting with social and business entrepreneurial ideas
    - idea generation and critical thinking
    - social entrepreneurialism
    - understanding the world of business
    - testing enterprise options
Resources 

C.R.E.A.T.E. provides young people and their teachers useful resources on both the conceptual and practical levels. It provides a philosophy, a framework, a toolbox, a network and a set of community C.R.E.A.T.E. ambassadors to help rural young people become responsible and enterprising individuals.

The C.R.E.A.T.E. Toolbox contains curriculum frameworks, resource file, journal, games, exercises, case studies, videos and publications.
Sponsors / Supporters    

This ‘education for enterprise’ program for rural communities / schools was designed by Peter Kenyon and Michael O’Meara in 2001 with the generous support of the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR). It is currently funded and supported by the Federal Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST), and there are currently 24 project sites across Australia.

   

Current Major Funding Sponsor

    
       
   

Enterprise For the 21st Century Initiative

    
         
   

Previous Major Funding Sponsor

    
   

   
   

Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal

    
         
   

Supporters

    
         
       

C.R.E.A.T.E. Ambassador

 

 

MOHOW   Australian Broadcasting Corporation   Tom O'Toole
'The Beechworth Baker'
         
     
         
Education Foundation
- ru MAD?		   Lead On Australia