A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY
Springvale’s changing cultural diversity can be traced back to Australia’s post 2nd World War migration program, when a massive influx of European migrants arrived in the country (Damousi, 2008). These migrants were predominantly from Southern Europe, in particular Greece and Italy. In Melbourne these migrants initially established concentrated communities in the inner suburbs. With business success and increased wealth, by the 1960’s these Greek and Italian families had began to move further out, to suburbs including Springvale. By 1980 Springvale’s population had quadrupled. In this time, new housing developments and associated infrastructure had been laid in place.
In 1970 the Australian government officially opened the Enterprise Migrant Hostel (Enterprise Migrant Hostel History Project, 2013). The Enterprise, as it became known, had the facilities to accommodate 1000 migrants and was specifically targeted at attracting skilled workers to Australia and providing the necessary assistance to help them find employment and assimilate into the community. Migrants from all parts of the world were introduced to Australia via the Enterprise Hostel until it’s closure in 1992. According to (Enterprise Migrant Hostel History Project, 2013) ‘more than 30,000 people from 58 countries lived there, and many settled in the area’. This facility contributed significantly to the diverse population and development of the area.
When the Vietnam war ended in 1975, many Indochinese and Vietnamese refugees and migrants began to make their way to Australia and to the Enterprise Hostel in Springvale (Hibbins, 2008). This contributed to further changing the areas demographics and shaping Springvale as we know it in present time.
I spoke to ‘Tony’, proprietor of one of Springvale’s real estate agencies, to ask about the changing demographics in the time he has known the area. He confirmed that the Greek and Italian families have moved out over the last 30 years. I asked who was buying the palatial ‘Greek Mansions’ that are scattered throughout the suburb. He laughed and replied “not the Greeks, they don’t buy here anymore”.
SPRINGVALE TODAY
From every angle today’s Springvale shows a picture of multiculture and diversity, with a very distinct Asian presence. Visually we see bustling markets full of the kinds of fruit and vegetables familiar from holidays in Asia, shopping strips bursting with interesting clothes, dentist surgeries with signage in Chinese and Vietnamese, restaurants serving the tastiest and cheapest delights. Talking to residents and workers in the process of compiling this report we hear the same things; Springvale is unique; Springvale is very multicultural; Springvale is proud.
The following statistical data has been obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data (Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 2011).
Comparisons have been shown where relevant between Springvale and either local suburb Mulgrave, or Victorian state data. This is specifically to demonstrate unique aspects of Springvale’s demographics.
– Population: 19 771
– 51.3% of Springvale residents are male and 48.7% female. This reflects a slightly higher proportion of men and slightly lower of women than Victorian State averages. However the difference is negligible.
– Median age is 34. The Victorian median age is 37 and Mulgrave’s is 39. Springvale does demonstrate a slightly younger demographic. 17% of Springvale’s population is at school age, between 5 and 19 years. People aged over 65 years make up 15.5%.
– Household composition is fairly comparative between Springvale and Mulgrave. Compared to Victorian statistics, which are not shown, Mulgrave does have a slightly higher proportion of family households, with Springvale and Victoria having similar proportions of single and group households .
Table 1 below shows Household Composition as a comparison between Springvale and Mulgrave (ABS data, 2011)
| HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION | SPRINGVALE % | MULGRAVE % |
| FAMILY HOUSEHOLD | 72.9 | 79.9 |
| SINGLE PERSON | 22.0 | 17.2 |
| GROUP | 5.1 | 2.9 |
Figure 1 – Ancestry. (Adapted from ABS, 2011). Shown here are the five most common ancestries in Springvale as a percentage of total population. Also shown is the comparison to neighbouring Mulgrave. We can quickly see that the community of Springvale has a significantly different ethnicity. Springvale’s largest represented ancestries are Vietnamese at 19.4%, closely followed by Chinese at 17.1% and Indian at 7.9%. This contrasts to Mulgrave where the most common ancestry is Australian with 15.4%, followed by English with 14.5%, Greek with 8.7 and Italian with 6.4. Just 6.4% of Springvale’s population claims Australian ancestry. This data gives a clear picture of two very different suburbs. Springvale having a significantly Asian population, in contrast to Mulgrave with it’s predominantly European background.
Figure 2 – Country of Birth. (Adapted from ABS, 2011). This graph shows the top six responses to country of birth from the 2011 census data, represented as a percentage of the total. Here we again have a comparison between Springvale and Mulgrave, which further highlights the effects of migration on Springvale’s population. In Mulgrave 53.8% of residents were born in Australia, with the remaining five responses all at under 5%. In Springvale 29.5% of residents were born in Australia, 21.2% in Vietnam, 10.5% in India, 5.2% in Cambodia, 4.9% in China and 2% in Sri Lanka. Figure 2 and 3 show a picture of Springvale as a very Asian dominated community, with significant numbers of residents having migrated to Australia themselves, or with their families, which demonstrates a pattern of relatively recent migration.
Figure 3 – Language. (Adapted from ABS, 2011). This graph depict the percentages of the five most common languages spoken in households in Springvale and Mulgrave. Also shown are English only speaking households and those where two or more languages are spoken. This language break down shows that with 75% bilingual and multilingual households in Springvale, language diversity is common. The second most common language is Vietnamese at 24.5% and English at 20.5%. One fifth of Springvale’s households speak only English, which compares to Mulgrave’s 51.5%. Interestingly the Victorian statistics tells us that 72.4% of households speak only English in the state.
INTERPRETATION of Figures 1, 2 and 3 – This data works together to highlight the multicultural nature of Springvale, contributing to an understanding of the area as a very unique community. The majority of residents have a background that originates in Asia, with Vietnam being particularly highly represented. Nearly a third of Springvale’s population was born in Australia, which demonstrates the presence of a significant proportion of second generation Australians with Asian ancestry. The diversity in spoken languages further accentuates the nature of Springvale’s diversity. What this data does not tell us though are the proportions of the population who speak no or little English at all. It’s reasonable to expect given the nature of the community, and the evidence towards recent migration patterns, that language problems could potentially be an issue within Springvale. In visiting the area and talking to various people in the process of gathering this information, it became clear that yes, language and communication was an issue here. Many services including the police and healthcare facilities informed us that interpreter services were common practice. A Senior Sergeant at the Springvale Police Station said that interpreter fees each month totaled $6-7000, and that extra staff were allocated to their station purely due to the extra time that communication issues required.
RECENT MIGRATION PATTERNS
‘Tony’ from the real estate agency had told me that much of Springvale, and a lot of their business, was in family homes. He’d seen an increase in the amount of migrant workers coming into the area, including Indians, but it was predominantly the Vietnamese who were buying homes. He also said that there had been a definite increase in the numbers of Chinese people moving into the suburb.
To support this I contacted AMES, the Adult Multicultural Education Services. They have an office in Springvale and provide a variety of services to assist migrants and refugees settle in Australia. According to their web site (AMES 2013): ‘AMES provides a comprehensive range of settlement services for refugees and migrants. These include on-arrival settlement support, English language and literacy training, vocational training and employment services. These services are primarily delivered through federal and state contracts’.
They were extremely helpful and emailed some of their statistics from 2012, specifically relating to Springvale. This data is particularly interesting as it relates to such recent migration patterns. I received the country of birth of their clients as well as listings of these clients by migration category. There were 564 in total. This data does not include student visas.
Figure 4 – AMES clients by Country of Birth 2012. 564 migrants used AMES services in 2012. As expected, their statistics showed the largest numbers were Vietnamese, with 178. Second was Chinese with 134, and thirdly Cambodian with 108. These numbers are not far behind the Vietnamese and could indicate that both Chinese and Cambodian people are migrating at increasing rates.
Figure 5 – AMES Clients by Migration Category 2012. Their migration category showed the types of visas that migrants were entering Australia with. Data confirmed what I had been told over the telephone, that the majority of visa’s issued were Family (including spouse) types.
This left me wondering WHY these migrants were arriving, WHY Springvale, WHAT were they hoping life here could provide? The Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s Country Profiles for Vietnam, China and India (2012), give an interesting insight into these patterns. These countries all have economies which have experienced recent growth, providing citizens with the financial means to further improve their own situations and lives. Australia is seen as a country which can provide more opportunities for people and their families. Many migrants from these countries also initially arrive on student visas. The desire to have children educated in Australia is a strong incentive for families in migrating here, and the advantages that a better education can provide (Welch, 2007, p. 156).
MONEY MATTERS
Figure 6 -Occupation (Adapted from ABS data 2011). Here we are showing percentages of the population engaged in various occupation types. Victoria is used as the comparison, as it shows a definite variation from Springvale. In this instance Mulgrave was very similar to Springvale. Observations include higher percentages of labourers, machinery operators, and unemployed people in Springvale, and in the state comparison a higher percentage of professionals, clerical and administrative and managers. We can see that generally Springvale is a ‘blue collar’ working area.
Figure 7 – Income (Adapted from ABS 2011 data). This graph shows representation of median income in Australian dollars comparing Springvale and Mulgrave. Shown are comparisons between personal, family and household incomes. Across each category it is seen that Springvale has a significantly lower income than Mulgrave. As a reference point, Mulgrave’s income is similar across these categories to Victorian State averages. This accentuates the extent that Springvale income is below area and State averages.
INTERPRETATION
In light of the previous information Springvale appears to be a fairly low income, working class area. It’s people are diverse. Language barriers due to recent migration need to be overcome and services provided to help migrants make the most of their community. People have come here for a reason, and part of this reason is securing a better life for their families. This includes provision of an education which can provide the opportunities they seek.
I asked a Chinese friend of mine why Springvale was attracting more and more Vietnamese and Chinese migrants. “Because it’s easy” she replied. Explaining moving to an area where you could still feel at home made the move to a foreign country much less difficult. Living in a community where people can speak your language, signs can be read, food is recognizable, and resources and services cater to your needs are important factors.
THE SCHOOLS OF SPRINGVALE
There are several schools in the Springvale area at primary and secondary level. Primary schools include: Heatherhill, Spring Parks, Springvale Rise and St Joseph’s Catholic. The secondary education providers are: Keysborough Secondary College opened in 2008 with the merger of Chandler, Coomera, Heatherhill and Springvale Colleges (TheAge, 2007). Killester College provides girls Catholic education. Minaret College is a Foundation to year 12 private Islamic School. Mazenod College, though in Mulgrave, is a Catholic boys school serving the Catholic Springvale community. Whilst Mazenod is included here as a reference point, due to it’s location, it’s demographics will not follow. Numerous Early childhood centres are also available within the community, some public and others privately owned. These include: Early Childhood Springvale, Early Beginners Child Care Centre, High Flyers Child Care Centre, Olinda Avenue Kindergarten, Sandown Park Kindergarten, Springvale Service for Children, Minaret Preschool, Goodstart Early Learning and Active Learning Childcare and Kindergarten.
Looking into the merger that formed Keysborough College, I learnt these types of mergers have occurred in a number of areas and provide a means to ‘improve school standards and attract infrastructure funding’ (TheAge, 2007).
SCHOOL DEMOGRAPHICS
Census data (ABS, 2011) shows that 31.7% of Springvale’s people were attending an educational institution. 19.1% of these were in primary school, 19% in secondary school and 25.8% a tertiary or technical institution. 3.9% of these attended a pre-school.
Socio-Educational considerations
According to MySchools data, the majority of these schools have been indexed in the bottom quarter of Socio-Educational Advantage (ACARA, 2012). This refers to not just the socio-economic advantage of an area, but also other social factors that contribute to educational advantage. The diversity of students and comparative language and cultural challenges compared to other schools contribute to this categorisation (ACARA, 2013). Each Primary school except for Spring Parks has 45 – 47% of students in the bottom quarter of this index. Spring Parks sits at 29%. There is variation amongst Secondary schooling providers. Keysborough has 49% of students in the bottom quarter, Killester 33%, Mazenod 12% and Minaret 4%. This is worth consideration as Churchill (2013, p12), states that ‘student achievement is affected by socioeconomic status’. Considering the demographic patterns in Springvale, which we looked at earlier, these schools are disadvantaged by the combined forces of low socio-economics, language difficulties, and cultural differences.
Cultural diversity
All school websites openly promote their culturally diverse student population. Heatherhill primary (Heatherhill, 2012), states ‘the student population is culturally and linguistically diverse’, Springvale Rise tells us that ‘most students have a language background other than English’ (ACARA, 2012), and Keysborough declares ‘a high percentage of students have a language background other than English’ (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2011). In an area with such cultural diversity it is logical that schools promote this, it sends the message that they are accepting of all nationalities and cultures and that they have experience in approaching the specific issues and demands that a culturally diverse population poses within an educational context.
Special programs
Schools provide services specific to the needs of their students. Springvale’s schools cater to its diverse student population. Emphasis is on programs assisting in literacy development, specific to the area’s multiculture and language diversity .
| SCHOOLS | SPECIAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES |
| Heatherhill Primary | Wellbeing programs for students and families. Multilingual staff. |
| Spring Parks Primary | Literacy intervention program. Literacy coach & specialized ESL staff. Welfare staff. Programs for students with disabilities. |
| Springvale Rise Primary | Personalised learning. (Limited information available) |
| St Josephs Primary | Caters to students with special needs. Reading recovery & corrective reading programs. Early literacy program. Integration aides & speech pathologist |
| Keysborough Secondary | Targeted literacy support & homework club. Extra support to new students from non-English speaking backgrounds. |
| Killester College | Information not supplied |
| Minaret College | English language and numeracy classes for newly arrived students with limited English. English as a second language, reading recovery, special education, integration aides. |
Extra programs
The following services go beyond the school curriculum.
| SCHOOLS | EXTRA PROGRAMS |
| Heatherhill Primary | Information and communications technology. |
| Spring Parks Primary | Extension programs in visual arts, sports and physical education, choir, challenge program for high achievers. |
| Springvale Rise Primary | Digital technologies. |
| St Josephs Primary | Physical education, music, library & Italian. Athletics. Choir. Extensive computer access. |
| Keysborough Secondary | English as an additional language program. Access to accelerated learning. High access to technologies. |
| Killester College | Sport, music, art, leadership & social justice. New LOTE Laboratory. Access to technologies. |
| Minaret College | Science and language centre. Debating & sports. Islamic education. Various enrichment programs inc’ mathematics acceleration, business studies, religion & debating. |
Sourced from: (ACARA, 2012), (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2011), Heatherhill Primary School, 2013), (Killester College Springvale, 2011), (Minaret College, 2011), (Springvale Rise Primary School, 2012), (St Joseph’s Catholic Parish Primary School, 2011).
Parent and community involvement
Most of the schools actively promote their commitment to parents and to the wider community. Providing extra learning opportunities and building relationships within the community are areas of focus.
| SCHOOLS | PARENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT |
| Heatherhill Primary | Wellbeing programs for students & families. |
| Spring Parks Primary | Parenting programs on financial literacy, cyber-bullying & safe internet usage. English language classes. |
| Springvale Rise Primary | Information unavailable. |
| St Joseph’s Primary | Active parent support. Links to community agencies to connect families with services. |
| Keysborough Secondary | Programs where students provide service to the community. |
| Killester College | Family learning centre with range of parenting workshops. Programs for parent interaction. Connections with Culturally Linguistically Diverse Communities. |
| Minaret College | English language and numeracy classes for families with limited English. Programs to provide assistance and nurture the community. Involvement in interfaith activities with other schools and the community. Student, parent & community programs in anti-bullying, cyber-safety and resiliency. |
Sourced from: (ACARA, 2012), (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2011), (Heatherhill Primary School, 2013), (Killester College Springvale, 2011), (Minaret College, 2011), (Springvale Rise Primary School, 2012), (St Joseph’s Catholic Parish Primary School, 2011).
Satisfaction levels
All schools with available information reported high ratings on overall student and parent satisfaction.
School achievement data
– Naplan
Naplan data for Springvale’s schools has been obtained and examined from the Myschool website (ACARA, 2012). Naplan testing occurs at all primary and seconday school in Australia. Testing occurs at years 3, 5, 7 and 9, in the domains of; Reading, Persuasive Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy. Amongst other representation, each school’s average marks are compared to the average marks of ‘similar’ and ‘all’ schools. Comparisons of averages are categorised as being either; substantially below, below, close to, above, or substantially above.
In most domains Springvale schools fall into the ‘close to’ and ‘above’ categories. Reading, however, is an area where they are consistently falling into ‘below’. Year 3 at Heatherhill, year 3 at Spring Parks, and years 3 and 5 at Springparks are ‘below’ in Reading. Keysborough Secondary is ‘substantially below’ in year 7 and ‘below’ in year 9. Minaret College is ‘below’ in reading in years 5, 7 and 9.
There are a few other scattered ‘below’ ratings in areas of Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy, though inconsistent across the schools. Keysborough does have more consistent ‘below’ ratings in these domains though, affecting years 7 and 9 in these two domains.
– VCE
Year 12 providers are given a median student VCE score. Scores are out of 50. Rankings are provided to compare between the 514 Year 12 secondary schools in Victoria.
– Keysborough Secondary College: Median score – 26, state ranking – 382
– Killester College: Median score – 30, state ranking – 206
– Minaret College: Median score – 28, state ranking – 31
Year 12 pathways and post school destinations.
Secondary schools had good levels of student retention and subsequent university and Tafe acceptance, and employment success. Subjects offered show schools are catering to the needs and aspirations of the community, its families and its learners.
- Keysborough College provides VCE, VCAL and VET. Over 90% of students go on to further study or full time employment.
- Killester College provides VCE, VCAL and VET. In 2011 67% of students went on to tertiary study, 19% Tafe, 3% apprenticships, 5% deferred and 7% employment.
- Minaret College provides VCE. 97% of students received university offers in 2012
IN SUMMARY
Government is allocating resources to develop and improve educational settings in the Springvale area. All of these schools have benefited from recent building and construction, or have works scheduled for the near future, and many have recently acquired technologies for classrooms (ACARA 2012).
Educational providers face unique challenges in Springvale. It is an area whose population has such diverse backgrounds, cultures and languages. We can see in the ‘School achievement – Naplan’ section, that the domain of Reading is an issue in many of these schools, and across year levels. This issue will largely be related to the language diversity of students, and all schools are providing special programs aimed at improving literacy for students and overcoming language barriers to education. This was observed in the Schools section titled ‘special programs’. Several schools have benefited from National Partnerships funding, which is allocated to schools with a low socio-educational ranking, for the specific purpose of investing in literacy programs (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2011), (Killester College Springvale, 2011). These are issues that are clearly being addressed on a school and a government level.
I believe that this unique community, and with its incredibly diversity is managing to celebrate its differences and striving to provide attainable, equitable and inclusive education for it’s learners. Individual schools demonstrate the commitment they have to providing education to all students, including the extra services required to achieve this. School results and satisfaction levels show the success of these endeavours, as do VCE achievement rates and numbers of students going on to tertiary study.
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