Valbec

21/09/2026

From Barriers to Belonging: Making Pre-Accredited Learning Work for Employment.

A (Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council) Professional Learning session presented by .

This presentation explores practical approaches to employment-focused training for learners facing barriers to participation and employment. It highlights building confidence, recognising existing strengths and developing language, literacy, numeracy, digital and employability skills through relevant activities. It also shares lessons learned and how partnerships with employers, employment services and community organisations can create pathways to employment.

Payton Reid is the Program & Social Enterprise Coordinator at Glen Park Community Centre, developing and delivering practical, employment-focused pre-accredited training for learners from diverse backgrounds. Payton’s approach centres on building confidence, responding to individual needs and connecting learning with real workplace opportunities through strong partnerships.

In 2025, Payton was recognised as the ACFE Pre-Accredited Trainer of the Year.

We look forward to seeing you there.
VALBEC PL Forums Team

Who: Payton Reid
When: Thursday 15th October 2026 | 5.30 pm - 6.30 pm AEST
Where: Zoom
Cost: VALBEC Members Free. Non-Members $10

Registration:https://valbec.org.au/event-6842132

16/09/2026

Submit your proposal for the VALBEC 2026 Numeracy PD Day by 2 October:
https://form.jotform.com/220428549070050

28/08/2026

Conflictual Cooperation in Adult Literacy Practice

A VALBEC (Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council) Professional Learning session presented by Sally Thompson.

Conflictual cooperation is a concept that has recently emerged in studies of not for profits to describe practices associated with acting as an agent of the state while also taking a critical stance against it. Conflictual cooperation includes everyday resistance, dynamic resistance and moral engagement with accountability literacies.

This workshop applies the concept to adult literacy practice to describe the way adult literacy teachers balance their obligations to learners for human-centred, relational pedagogies with demands from funding bodies for pedagogies based on human capital theory and market-oriented administration.

Sally Thompson teaches into the Master of Education at Victoria University and conducts research into relational pedagogies and marginalised learners. She has a history of work in adult literacy in TAFE and the community education sector.

We look forward to seeing you there.
VALBEC PL Forums Team

Who: Sally Thompson
When: Thursday 10 September, 5:30pm - 6:30pm AEST
Where: Zoom
Cost: VALBEC Members Free. Non-Members $10

Registration Link - https://valbec.org.au/event-6818208

30/07/2026

is excited to bring you two professional learning opportunities this month, each offering practical ideas and strategies to support your teaching practice. We encourage you to register for one or both sessions.

Past Literacy, Future Literacy/AI: Session 1 by Rob McCormack
This interactive session explores the relationship between language, literacy and artificial intelligence by first examining the history of Adult Literacy and Adult Basic Education (ABE) from the 1980s to 2015.
Participants will consider how the increasing emphasis on competency-based vocational education has shaped literacy teaching and narrowed our understanding of language and literacy as rich cultural and social practices. The session will encourage discussion and reflection throughout, with an extended opportunity for participants to share ideas and perspectives during the final 20 minutes.

Who: Rob McCormack
When: Wednesday, 12th August 2026 5.30 pm – 6.30 pm AEST
Where: Zoom
Cost: VALBEC Members Free. Non-Members $10
Registration: https://valbec.org.au/event-6777991

Past Literacy, Future Literacy/AI: Session 2 by Rob McCormack
Building on the first session, this interactive workshop explores the impact of artificial intelligence on adult literacy pedagogy and the broader education sector.
Participants will examine the history of AI, its relationship to human language, and its implications for teaching and learning. The session also introduces the work of Mary Kalantzis and Bill Cope, highlighting how their pedagogy has evolved alongside digital technologies and AI while maintaining a strong commitment to equity, ethics and social justice in education.

Rob is a retired independent academic with decades of experience researching and developing pedagogies for Second Chance Education, particularly in Language, Literacy, Numeracy and Digital (LLND) education. Throughout his career, he has worked across schools, TAFE, the community education sector and higher education, bringing a wealth of knowledge and practical insight to adult learning. Rob is passionate about exploring how language, literacy and emerging technologies shape teaching and learning, and how educators can respond thoughtfully to these changes.

We look forward to seeing you there.
VALBEC PL Forums Team

Who: Rob McCormack
When: Wednesday, 19th August 2026 5.30 pm – 6.30 pm AEST
Where: Zoom
Cost: VALBEC Members Free. Non-Members $10
Registration: https://valbec.org.au/event-6777994

08/07/2026

A VALBEC (Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council) Professional Learning session - Teaching Cyber Security Awareness and Digital Literacy to Adult Learners by Jason Spear

Join Jason Spear, as he shares practical, jargon-free strategies to help older Australians build confidence with technology.
Discover how to manage passwords, spot scams, understand digital terminology, and develop the skills and confidence to navigate today's digital world, including the growing impact of AI.

Jason Spear is an ACFE trainer at Yarraville Community Centre who specialises in digital literacy for older Australians. He is passionate about helping learners build the confidence and skills to navigate technology, stay cyber safe, and embrace the opportunities of AI.

We look forward to seeing you there.
VALBEC PL Forums Team

Who: Jason Spear
When: Thursday 23rd July 2026 6 pm – 7 pm AEST
Where: Zoom
Cost: VALBEC Members Free. Non-Members $10

Registration: https://valbec.org.au/event-6750066

12/06/2026

A VALBEC (Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council) Professional Learning session.

Adapt-learning from the learners and colleagues to improve teaching – one educator’s story presented by Lindee Conway.

In this webinar, Lindee will talk about the joy of discussing great teaching ideas with colleagues – and how their ideas make her classes better. She’ll also talk about learning from the adult learners in class. Three examples will be offered:
• Digital – when the class went so, so wrong
• Literacy – learning from a colleague’s purposeful ideas
• Numeracy – How Lindee watched and learnt, fast!

Lindee Conway has been involved in adult learning and teaching– lucky for her! She never gets tired of talking to educators. Her sessions for teachers are inclusive and realistic.

We look forward to seeing you there.
VALBEC PL Forums Team

Who: Lindee Conway
When: Wednesday 24th June 2026 5:15pm - 6:15pm AEST
Where: Zoom
Cost: VALBEC Members Free; non-Members $10
Registration: https://valbec.org.au/event-6727049

08/05/2026

03/05/2026

Registrations are still open!

Join us for the 2026 VALBEC Conference – Reflecting on the Past, Shaping the Future on Friday 15 May at William Angliss Institute, (555 La Trobe Street, Melbourne).

Explore a full day of 45-minute practical sessions led by LLND practitioners from across the sector—covering VET, Learn Local, numeracy, digital literacy, inclusion, and more. Conference Program: https://valbec.org.au/2026-Conference-Program

• Classroom-ready strategies you can use immediately
• Digital literacy & creative AI approaches
• Numeracy teaching that works in real contexts
• Pathways, co-teaching & embedded support
• Keynote by Jo Medlin

Connect with colleagues, share ideas, and be inspired.

Register now and be part of the conversation!
https://valbec.org.au/event-6611044

22/04/2026

Join us at the VALBEC 2026 Conference for a dynamic day of ideas, collaboration, and inspiration across the adult education sector.

Under the theme Reflecting on the Past, Shaping the Future, the conference will explore how adult literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy have evolved—and what must change to support today’s learners, workplaces, and communities. Expect practical workshops, innovative teaching approaches, and research-informed sessions focused on equity, participation, and real-world impact.

✨ Keynote announced: Jo Medlin, President of Australian Council for Adult Literacy, will present How Do You Spell Potential?—a powerful reflection on the language, history, and future of adult literacy in Australia.

More details on presentations and submissions coming soon—stay tuned!

Registrations open - https://valbec.org.au/event-6611044