Alternative Suspension Program Evaluation

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The Alternative Suspension program represents an alternative to school suspension for students. It aims to address the underlying causes of the behaviour and reduce school exclusions by offering students an opportunity to turn their time away from school into a positive experience that fosters personal growth and autonomy. Specifically, it is designed to work with students to address the behavioural issues that led to their exclusion from school and support their resilience to remain in school. This project evaluates the effectiveness of the Alternative Suspension program.

Researcher(s):

Professor Ann Dadich
Associate Professor Benjamin Hanckel

Funding: The Y NSW

Period: 2026-2027

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The Institute for Culture and Society is located in Parramatta, “the place where the eel sets down” in Dharug language,
along the north bank of the Parramatta River. It sits on the traditional lands and waters of the Burramattagal people of the Dharug Nation,
who have been stewards and caretakers of these territories since time immemorial, in what today is referred to as Greater Western Sydney,
one of the most diverse cultural communities in the world and home to the largest number of Indigenous Australians in the country.
The Institute for Culture and Society acknowledges the Dharug, Eora, Dharawal (also referred to as Tharawal)
and Wiradjuri peoples as traditional custodians and Indigenous knowledge-holders, whose storytelling serve
as historical record, a form of teaching and learning, a way to care for Country,
and an expression of Indigenous culture and identity.