EREA Flexible Schools provide a second, third or fourth chance to young people who have disengaged from mainstream schools, with a focus on radical inclusion, hope and opportunity.
At Flexis, we do things differently. We walk, learn and work together with young people on Common Ground; we build relationships, and every member of the community commits to doing their best to work within our four principles of Respect, Participation, Honesty, and Safe and Legal.
Across our 21 Flexi Schools and two Special Education Schools in almost every state and territory in Australia, we support young people with strengths-based, trauma-aware learning. Most of our schools employ as many youth workers as teachers, and everyone has voice and agency in decision-making.
Often young people come to our Flexis thinking they cannot learn – we show them they can. We make sure young people feel safe, welcome and empowered to succeed. We provide young people with the opportunity to define what will work best for them, with services to adapt to their needs.
Operation by Principles
We do not have a long list of school rules that we wait for young people to inevitably break. Instead, our schools use an approach called ‘Operation by Principles’ where young people and adults within the community agree to work, walk and learn together on common ground and within the four principles of Respect, Honesty, Participation and Safe & Legal.
| Respect | At Flexis, everyone has a voice, because we know it is crucial to creating a democratic and inclusive community that respects the rights of all. We understand that every person at Flexis will have unique experiences and perspectives, and we encourage kindness, consideration and the peaceful resolution of conflict in all that we do. |
| Honesty | With openness and accountability, we work together to rebuild trust that’s been lost. We encourage each person within our community to take responsibility for their actions and decisions. We work to create an environment where mistakes can be acknowledged and used as learning |
| Participation | At Flexis, education isn’t a spectator sport – it’s a journey that invites us all to get involved, to truly value our learning and to appreciate the importance of working together. Young people, educators and staff make decisions collaboratively and shape their learning experiences on common ground. |
| Safe and Legal | We create a secure and supportive environment where everyone can learn without fear or anxiety. At Flexis, safety not only means being physically safe – it also means feeling culturally, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually safe. It means being safe enough to take risks, to be creative and to express yourself in your own way. |
First Nations Influence
Since the very beginning, we have walked in solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, advocating for change and promoting reconciliation.
At Flexis one third of our young people and 10% of our educators identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Our appointment of Flexis’ Director of First Nations Education ensures that our commitment to reconciliation and justice is reflected across every level of our organisation.
As a priority, we are working to strengthen the cultural capacity of our entire workforce. We are working to make sure the system values and respects First Nations peoples and perspectives, to build Indigenous leadership at every level of our organisation, and to ensure that First Nations young people experience the highest quality education possible in the safest and most dynamic schools in the country.
