Turning points: Oct 05 - Rebecca-Jane Budge

Whether it’s the death of someone close to you or deciding to go back to school, it only takes one moment to change your life. By Melisande Clarke and Josephine Brouard.

Rebecca-Jane (Bec) Budge, 27, dropped out of school at 16, became pregnant at 17 and had three children by the time she was 23. Four years later she decided to go back to school.

“I grew up in Housing Commission flats, and the people I knew weren’t going to school. But there wasn’t really one reason why I left school. My mum was very disappointed in me because she knew I could have gone further. In a way I do regret leaving school, but I wouldn’t change my life now. If I’d stayed at school I wouldn’t have my children [Damon, nine; Zara, eight; and Markell, four].

“I thought I was too old to go back to school but I went to a POEM [Partnership Outreach Education Model – see box, opposite page] centre up the road anyway and asked if I’d be allowed to study. Initially the people there told me I was too old but then they asked the government if they would make an exception for me because I was standing there in front of them, telling them that I wanted to make my life better.

“I’ll finish Year 12 next year and then I want to go to university and study to be a primary school teacher. I have a lot of life experience from having my children, and I believe I can use that to help people. I seem to be able to talk to young people; it’s intuitive. I tell kids that there are two things in life that you don’t do: lie and steal. If you’re honest, that’s all you need to be a good person.

“Most people think I’m an Aborigine because I’ve got dark skin and dark eyes. I want to find my family tree because people always ask me what nationality I am. My mum’s got blonde hair and blue eyes and I’m dark. My dad died when I was one and he was very dark, but my mum doesn’t know his heritage. She says, ‘You are what you are, and you don’t have to worry about where you came from,’ but that’s what I’d like to find out.

“I’m not working at the moment because I’m going to school. Full-time study is like working, but I think it’s good that the government says mums have to go back to work when their kids go to school. Work is great. You meet new people, you have to get along with other people and you have different experiences. You have to have a goal in life or you don’t know where you’re going. Everyone has a purpose for being here and mine is to help kids.”

A second chance to learn

POEM (Partnership Outreach Education Model) is a federally funded initiative that gives teenagers who have left school early an opportunity to take on accredited courses or finish their schooling in a flexible, community environment. There are 21 POEM projects operating across Australia.

“The kids can study whatever they want, as long as they set goals,” says Jill Hayes, a POEM coordinator in Sydney’s inner-west. POEM also aims to address barriers to learning and assists participants by providing meals and helping with travel costs.

“The strongest daily indicator of our success is how many kids want to come here, and keep turning up,” says Jill. POEM recently had its funding extended until 2006. For information call (02) 6240 8439 or (02) 6240 8111 or visit www.dest.gov.au/schools/catspoems/poems.htm .

Photography: Andrew Lehmann. Styling: Nicholas Sholl