What is the Adult Community Education Program?

The Adult Community Education (ACE) program is:

…a community learning gateway for people wanting to participate in learning and further training but who may face social and economic barriers to participation in formal learning. ACE provides learning programs in a supportive community setting, making it particularly valuable for learners who wish to re-engage in learning (Foundation Skills Unit, pg 6*).

Community Access and Services SA (CASSA) has adapted ACE courses to suit the needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds wishing to improve and advance their English literacy and verbal skills as well as their life skills. The aim is to encourage participants to build on their knowledge and confidence so that they can actively and fully participate in Australian life. Who are ACE courses for? Our courses are designed to meet the needs of people from CALD backgrounds. In particular ACE courses are aimed at CALD individuals who are unemployed, mature aged and/or females dealing with isolation and/or long term unemployment. Anyone over the age of 18 from a CALD background is encouraged to contact us for further information about the suitability of our courses. How much do courses cost? All ACE courses are free of charge to participants. Some courses will require participants to make a small voluntary contribution towards the use of resources, for example space, tea, coffee, biscuits and/or milk Who is in the team? The ACE program is made up of a coordinator and a team of tutors specialising in their area of teaching. All tutors have extensive experience that supports their ability to create inviting, open and welcoming spaces for their students. What courses are available? CASSA delivers a range of courses that aim to:

• Improve participants’ language and independence skills
• Increase participants’ confidence in navigating their way through the Australian way of life
• Increase students ability to participate in the Australian life context
• Improve participants’ interpersonal skills to grow areas of their personal lives
• Improve technical skills to prepare participants to move into further education/employment/volunteering

CASSA is currently running both accredited and non-accredited courses. For more information about these courses please contact us. Foundation Skills Non-Accredited courses:

• Computer courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced users
• English Conversation Courses
• Citizenship Course

Foundation Skills Accredited courses:

• Computer courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced users
• English Conversation courses
• Citizenship Course

What is the difference between an Accredited and Non-Accredited course?

The difference between an accredited and a non-accredited course is that accredited courses are aligned to units of the Certificate I in Education and Skills Development qualification. Participants enrolling for accredited courses can chose to be assessed and obtain relevant units of competency that can build towards their Certificate I in Education and Skills Development. Participants enrolling in the non-accredited courses do not need to be assessed and are not able to build towards a Certificate I in Education and Skills Development. For more information please contact the ACE worker at CASSA.

Where are courses held?

The program recognises the special needs of CALD communities who may have limited language skills and may experience social isolation. Our courses are delivered at different locations and teaching methods are adapted to suit the needs of participants. We currently work with CALD communities in the west and northern metropolitan regions of Adelaide and our courses are usually held within these locations.

How do I enrol for a course?

If you are interested in enrolling in one of our courses then contact reception for an enrolment interview. During the enrolment interview a worker will provide you with information about the different courses, their locations and the range of expectations. You can then make an informed decision as to which course better suits your needs. You will also have the opportunity to enrol at this time if you choose to.