It was just a few years ago that Noah was struggling to stay engaged at his mainstream school.
“I had extremely bad attendance in my old school,” he remembers. “I only came around five percent of the time because during lockdown I wasn’t necessarily tuning into the online Zoom lessons.”
Noah’s school told him that he wasn’t allowed to participate in his favourite course at school – the VET Entertainment course – until he caught up with his schoolwork.
The school gave him an ultimatum: attend two lessons a day to build the habit of going to school – but he was only given three days to prove he could do it.
“It was so demoralising that I just stopped going to school in general,” he says.
Feeling defeated, Noah’s turning point came when his school referred him to a Youth Off The Streets independent school.
Noah attended the Open Day – and just like that, he decided to start fresh in Year 10 at the new school.
He’s now in his last year of high school and thriving with the individualised support that Youth Off The Streets provides.
“The teachers are more directed towards each student independently, instead of just teaching the classroom as a whole,” he says. “Because there’s a small number of students in the class, the teacher has time to get around to each student or group of students and teach them, and then teach the other group as well.”
Noah also finds listening to music helps him concentrate and he’s allowed to put his earphones in while he does his work.
Youth Off The Streets’ independent high schools offer a flexible approach to learning that’s designed to suit the individual needs and interests of each student.
Through the school, Noah has also had the opportunity to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh program, which supports young Australians to challenge themselves and gain important life skills. To complete the program, participants must volunteer for their community, engage in physical recreation, take up new skills and undertake an adventurous journey.
This year, Noah is working towards a Silver Award, having achieved his Bronze Award in Year 10. His adventurous journey will be to Uluru, where he’ll walk part of the Larapinta Trail with other students and school staff.
Noah credits two teachers, Jenny and Nate, as well as his caseworker, Heidi, for helping him, saying they “did a whole lot for everyone”.
As for his future, Noah hopes to become a zookeeper – a dream he says was nurtured at school.
“In Year 11, I got to do three days of work experience at Taronga Zoo,” he says. His work experience involved feeding the animals, cleaning their enclosures and learning more about them.
His favourite animal? The echidna, one of which he got to hold and present to his peers.
“In the wild, they’ll eat thousands of ants daily,” he says. “They shelve their beak down into the ant nest and blow bubbles of snot to help them breathe properly.”
With his sights set on becoming a zookeeper, Noah is proof that when young people are supported to succeed, they can build futures they’re truly excited about.
Disengagement from mainstream schools appears to be on the rise
Noah’s story reflects a broader trend: nearly half of Australian students in Years 3–12 report feeling disengaged from school. For many, like Noah, alternative education models offer a lifeline.
Between 2019 and 2024, government school enrolments increased by 1%, while independent school enrolments grew by 18.5%. This shift towards families seeking alternative environments may be due to a growing dissatisfaction with mainstream public schooling.
Not wanting to go to school is usually a symptom of a deeper issue, such as mental health challenges or living circumstances that make it difficult – or impossible – for a child or young person to attend their classes.
Youth Off The Streets’ education model
Youth Off The Streets operates six independent high schools that are registered and accredited with the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).
These special assistance schools (SAS) offer a flexible approach to learning that caters to the specific needs, interests and abilities of students. The schools emphasise trauma-informed practices and create safe spaces for transformative relationships and healing.
Wellbeing initiatives, psychology and counselling services, as well as Student Support Youth Workers help students – many of whom have a lived experience of family and domestic violence – achieve their best.
Youth Off The Streets’ independent high schools are Craig Davis College in Cordeaux Heights, EDEN College in Macquarie Fields, Key College – Chapel School and the Step Up program in Merrylands, Key College in Redfern, The Bowen College in Maroubra and The Lakes College in Blue Haven on the NSW Central Coast.
*Name changed to protect the privacy of the young person.
