Today I’m chatting with CEO of Australian Boarding Schools Association Richard Stokes.
The Australian Boarding Schools’ Association (ABSA), as the leading authority in Australia on boarding for school-aged children, promotes the interests and well-being of boarders, boarding staff, boarding parents and boarding institutions in Australia.
It is an umbrella organisation which fosters collegiality and professionalism at a regional, state and federal level. ABSA continues to advance the profile of boarding and best practice in boarding and facilitates communication on boarding matters between schools, hostels, educational bodies and governments both in Australia and overseas.
Richard has had a career spanning over 40 years in Australian boarding schools beginning in South Australia. First as a university student being a residential carer in a boarding school while he was studying for a BA leading into Education, then as Assistant Senior Boarding Master at St Peter’s Lutheran College in Brisbane and going on to be the Dean of Residential Care at one of the largest boys boarding schools in the country – St Joseph’s Nudgee College. A school renown across the country for having produced close to 30 Australian Rugby players.
Richard speaks of his enduring relationships formed during those years with parents and students, and the broader boarding school communities throughout Brisbane.
He has been involved with ABSA or its previous versions since 1985, and held positions from Treasurer to President and in 2007 became the first Executive Director to be appointed. A role which became full time in 2011.
It’s with Richard’s depth of knowledge of the workings of a boarding school that he has been able to develop ABSA into the leading professional membership association that it is today. Leading the way for the setting of standards within Australian Boarding Schools.
What began as staff from a few boarding schools in and around Brisbane in the 1980s getting together to discuss ideas, challenges in the boarding house and generally support each other, has grown into a national body. Listened to by policy makers, and most importantly the 201 boarding schools that currently exist in Australia.
Since 2007 ABSA has developed the Duty of Care Certificate Course in Student Residential Care into a two book set which has become the standard for training of all Boarding Staff around Australia, has formed Divisions in all States to hold local professional development events, and has a National Office based in Brisbane.
I loved Richard’s deep understanding of how important culture is within boarding schools – how there are vast differences between a school with boarding versus a boarding school. Schools that see their boarding communities as ingrained in their whole value system.
You’ll hear about Richard’s absolute commitment, with his team at ABSA, to have all boarding staff accredited with professional Certificates and Diplomas – he absolutely understands that working within a boarding house brings with it a wide range of daily duties that go over and above what is brought to the classroom.