Defence School Mentor (DSM) program
“The Defence School Mentor is an employee of the school, with funding provided annually from the Department of Defence to facilitate the best possible educational outcome for children of Defence members. This funding program is administered by the Defence Community Organisation (DCO) and recognises the partnership between education authorities, schools and Defence to support Defence members and their families.”
As of 2017 Enoggera State School has been granted annual funding from the Department of Defence to enable us to offer the Defence School Mentor (DSM) program to our students and families who are dependants of current serving ADF members. Given our long history with and very close proximity to the Gallipoli Barracks we consistently have between 5% and 10% of enrolled students with a parent or caregiver currently serving in the ADF, predominantly army.
This funding has enabled Enoggera State School to employ an in-school aide to support these students and families with the often unique challenges faced given the disruptions to their academic and social lives due to a posting. The DSM can assist students and families with integrating into their new school and community, monitoring and aiding their social and emotional wellbeing, providing ongoing support whilst a parent/carer is on deployment, exercise or absent and assisting families with available support services where possible. Enoggera State School currently has a DSM available 2 days per week, regularly runs defence parents and carers morning teas, keeps ADF families informed of local events and information of interest and hosts a defence kids club once a week.
Useful links for defence families