CUC Macleay Valley
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Our Outreach and school programs

We collaborate with primary and high school students, teachers, parents, and the Macleay Valley community to improve education outcomes. Our aim is to help people realise their aspirations and awareness towards higher education, and providing them with the knowledge and skills to achieve their career goals.

We also offer out space to current HSC students to study before and after school.

Please reach out to our Centre Manager to find out more about getting involved in any of the below programs.

UniFuture Program

Senior students can learn about uni from current university students.

Through this program, you will have the opportunity to: talk to local students about their uni experiences; get a firsthand account of what it is like to study at uni; learn about the wide range of degrees available and the careers they lead to; find out more about tutorials and lectures and how university works; and how to best balance work, study and your social life. 

This 6-week program is designed for students in Year 11 or 12 of high school.

WINGS Mentoring Program

We are giving students in the Macleay Valley the opportunity to learn more about your future career firsthand from people working in industry.

Over a year you will attend a series of 4 workshops with your mentor as well as complete 6-8 days of work experience at their mentor organisation. Workshop topics will include emotional intelligence, effective communication, goal setting and more.

The program is designed to assist with your growth and transition into the workforce in the local community.

RPPPP

CUC Macleay Valley actively engages in the development of programs tailored to needs within our local community. During extensive consultation with school staff, business owners, current university students, graduates and other community stakeholders a focus on developing a program around managing the transitions of change would benefit individuals in the Macleay Valley.

Commencing in 2023, students from the Australian National University (ANU Canberra) and local students at CUC Macleay Valley (CUCMV) collaborated in the creation of a program to support Macleay Valley’s Year 7 and 8 school students in reflecting on their strengths and how they had used them to navigate their transition from primary to secondary school. We visited both of Kempsey’s two state-run high schools for a day, facilitating multiple sessions at each school. Through this, we aimed to build students’ confidence and self-efficacy to navigate future transitions and changes.

The program ended with a range of practical learnings for all participants and has helped guide CUC Macleay Valley with the development of new programs.

In 2024, a new offering of Zines and Reels (Year 7 and 8) from the Macleay Valley was drafted, it focused on the application of creative arts skills in small print media publishing and short-video production. This was trialled at one local state-run high school and has been streamlined into a re-formatted program presented in 2025.

During 2024, Western Sydney University (WSU) provided technical expertise and resources for the development of an offering for primary-aged students. During mentor workshops consideration of how to work with younger students was discussed and associated activities were developed. In 2025, key CUCMV staff participated in delivering the WSU Outreach program ‘First Foot Forward’ in western Sydney, which provided significant insight and an impetus in the delivery of a similar program for the Macleay Valley. This new Career Ideas program is scheduled for local delivery in Term 3 of 2025.

Keeping abreast of the changing community needs there are three programs CUC Macleay Valley currently offers: