Our Community

Castlemaine Secondary College prides itself on being a community school. A community school is one which actively seeks to integrate itself into activities and initiatives that happen outside the school gates. Our students participate in local and state level sporting events, local cultural activities and get involved in a variety of initiatives. We value and nurture the partnerships we have with community groups that support and extend the education opportunities and build complementing life skills for our students.

CSC maintains active partnerships with:

• Castlemaine District Community Health
• Mount Alexander Shire Council — Youth Advisory Group, Youth Network, FReeZA
• MainFM — local radio station
• Castlemaine Community Mentors Program
• Castlemaine Police
• Castlemaine Art Museum
• Castlemaine State Festival
• Local doctors and psychologists — Doctors in Schools program
• Corner 66 — daily breakfast program through community volunteers
• La Trobe University
• Bendigo TAFE
• Local employers
• Goldfields Local Learning and Employment Network
• Local sporting clubs
• Local hot rod industry
• Individual local artists
• Victorian Miniature Railway (see below)

Engaging trade orientated secondary students in community based work experience

During 2018, the Victorian government’s ‘Pick my Project’ community grants initiative saw the partnership between CSC and the Harcourt Victorian Miniature Railway secure $198,856.

CSC students are helping to build a 1:3 scale replica of the iconic Maryborough Railway Station. They are helping to design and install electrical, plumbing, concreting, bricklaying, carpentry and painting as part of their Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL), or participation in Flexible Learning Options (FLO) or the Indigenous Nalderun program. The students are supervised by qualified trades people, CSC staff and other community mentors.

The miniature railway project supports local businesses and will result in a fantastic new tourist attraction for Mount Alexander Shire. In addition to developing new trades skills, students are learning the importance of respect, establishing their place in the workforce and in the wider community. For more information see the Pick My Project and the Harcourt Miniature Railway websites.