More than 100 representatives from education, industry and the community gathered for the inaugural CQUniversity and Rockhampton Regional Development Social Inclusion Symposium recently...

The event aimed to explore opportunities for greater engagement and involvement of disadvantaged groups within the region in education and employment; to identify partnership plans between educators, businesses and the community; and to identify projects and research to achieve these goals.

Keynote speakers Geraldine Doogue, ABC TV's Compass host, and Dr Peter Ellyard, successful author and futurist, set the scene for the Symposium with thought provoking and constructive break-out sessions.

ABC TV's Compass host Geraldine Doogue was the keynote speaker at the Social Inclusion Symposium.Facilitators John Anderson, Phil Henry, Matthew Ryan, Min Seto, Dr Bobby Harreveld, Paul Walmsley, Gwenda Freeman, Ian Boon and Barbara Miller worked with their respective break-out groups to develop partnership action plans.

Examples of action items included: the implementation of a holistic multi-disciplinary specialist literacy and numeracy centre; a mentoring program between businesses and schools and the establishment of a Futures Leadership Group.

Talking engagement: Dr Peter Ellyard, Geraldine Doogue and Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman.