Page 4 - Luce 2013

N EW S AND E VENTS

The Australian

Youth Humanities
Forum

The Australian Youth Humanities
Forum, a humanities counterpart to the
National Youth Science Forum, held its
pilot session in January 2013 with the
generous co-sponsorship of Janet Clarke
Hall. In planning the programme, I knew
that partnership with a college would
be invaluable, as I wanted to make it
accessible to remote rural students.
I approached JCH because I knew, having
spent three very happy years there, Do we have to spell it out for you? AHYF is something to celebrate
that the culture and emphases of the
College would mesh with the programme Students had the chance to ask both They made comments like:
especially well. In the end, the support practical questions (How can I become
offered was generous beyond all my a festival director? An international “…one of the best parts as a rural student
hopes – the Principal, Vice-Principal development consultant? A curator, writer was being able to stay at the Uni the
and Literature Tutor ended up giving or ethicist?) and intellectual ones (What night…and interacting with other kids who
not only planning support but also a is the relationship between literacy and have the same passions as me.”
very substantial material contribution: democracy? What is the importance
accommodation and meals, at no charge, of history in society? How do the arts “As a rural student I wasn’t sure about
for ten of the most remote students and contribute to social change, and how can studying in Melbourne but the forum
for several undergraduate programme I join in?) The programme culminated in a has also encouraged me to look into
mentors. Two of these mentors, Molly public panel talk on ‘The Humanities and universities in the city.”
Price and Matilda Jenkins, were drawn Civic Life’, presented as a Faculty of Arts
from the College’s strong Arts cohort. Free Public Lecture, featuring JCH Artist- “Being a rural student limits the events like
in-Residence Alice Pung, Raimond Gaita these that I can attend or even hear about
The pilot weekend was an overwhelming and Robert Manne. so I couldn’t believe when I found out I
success –100 humanities-oriented VCE was attending the AYHF!”
students took part in two full days A key aim of the Forum is to help combat
of career presentations, small-group inequalities in access to higher education “…the overnight accommodation was my
discussions, plenary lectures, and and perceptions that the humanities favourite part of the forum”.
mentoring sessions. The project attempts only offer viable career options to those
to address a substantial need affecting from privileged backgrounds. To that When planning the weekend, I had hoped
many VCE students: future Arts students end, the application process, while that the residential programme would
often state a desire to make some kind open to outstanding applicants from all be enriching, but once I found myself
of social contribution after graduation backgrounds, actively sought out strong sitting in the Senior Common Room with
but lack knowledge about how they can students at state and at rural schools. Many students from Albury hearing about how
use degrees in the humanities to build of these students lived too far away to the weekend helped them connect with
careers which effect social change. commute, so without the support of JCH like-minded fellow students, I knew that
By setting speaker sessions devoted it would have been much more difficult – the programme had achieved its aims.
to the career pathways of diverse and in certain cases probably impossible Thank you JCH! More information about
professionals alongside prominent – for them to attend. In their feedback after the program can be found at: www.
public intellectuals’ reflections on the the programme, some of the rural students youthhumanities.org The forum was
humanities in public life, the forum aimed wrote that the residential dimension was funded by a University of Melbourne Vice-
to equip participants with both practical one of the most rewarding aspects of the Chancellor’s Engagement Award, JCH and
information and civic inspiration. experience. the General Sir John Monash Foundation.
Dr Bridget Vincent
McKenzie Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Department of English and Theatre
The University of Melbourne

Public luminaries Robert Manne,
Cranbourne Artist-in-Residence Alice Pung,
and Raymond Gaita share their stories

4 LUCE Number 12 2013