In April 2002 the Uniting Church in Australia National Assembly released its National Education Charter which committed the Uniting Church to:

• continue to ‘uphold a value system based on love, social justice and compassion within which morality is defined’;
• demonstrating ‘support for Government education institutions’ and ‘the establishment of its own … colleges and supporting institutions’;
• education being a ‘lifelong journey by which all people develop the ability to participate in society and lead lives that are life creating and life sharing’;
• ‘Quality education that is accessible and equitable for all’;
• ‘Pastoral care and chaplaincy within educational institutions’;
• education being conducive to people being able to ‘participate fully in society’ … ‘nurturing the development of the whole person – body, mind and spirit – within the community’;
• valuing ‘cultural and religious diversity’;
• respect for ‘the needs of individual learners, especially those whose ability requires special education provisions … and directs resources to areas of greatest need’;
• advocating for Australia and institutions to ‘give fiscal priority to the provision of lifelong education, especially in areas of need or disadvantage’ as well as being ‘accountable for holistic and integrated approaches to education’ and the ‘educational needs of indigenous people, those with special education needs and those from rural and isolated areas’.

The 17th of October 2007 forum held by the Justice and International Mission Unit of the Uniting Church in Victoria and Tasmania and RMIT Chaplaincy highlighted many issues for further work in relation to poverty and tertiary education. The forum was supported by the National Council of Churches in Australia, University of Melbourne Chaplaincy and VISTA (an association of Vocational Education and Training professionals) and others. The forum discussed issues connected to getting into education, staying in education and gaining meaningful employment after education. Panel speakers included Dr. Helen Kimberly (Executive Director of the Equity Research Centre), Professor Richard James (Director the University of Melbourne’s Centre for the Study of Higher Education) and Ms. Maree Bovell (Manager for Employment and Training Services at the Brotherhood of St Laurence). The forum was hosted by Father Bob Maguire.

The recommendations from this forum, What’s Fair in Education, strongly inform the policy ideas presented in JustEducation.

The main aim of this forum was to develop a network of people interested in the issues of access, equity and poverty within education. If you are interested in joining the Just Education Network, please tick the box in the Just Join In section to the right.

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