Connor Renfrey, a 16-year-old boy from Melbourne, struggled in mainstream school due to truancy and dislike for the learning environment.
His mother enrolled him in Pavilion School in Epping, a school specifically designed for students with behavioral challenges.
Pavilion School offers a flexible learning approach, resulting in Renfrey's attendance rate increasing to over 85% in year 10. He even earned the Australian Defence Force Long Tan Youth Leadership and Teamwork Award.
The school's supportive environment, with a dedicated teacher, teacher's assistant, and mental health worker in each class, has been crucial to Renfrey's success.
Despite its success, Pavilion School faces challenges due to its limited resources. The school has only one classroom and a small meeting room, lacking dedicated offices and facilities for teachers.
This has led to a reduction in student enrollment for 2025, leaving approximately 40 students on a waiting list.
The Link Centre Foundation is working to secure a permanent campus for Pavilion School to address the lack of resources and ensure that students on the waiting list can receive an education.
Paul Bridgeford, the Foundation's chairman, highlights the potential long-term costs of not providing appropriate education, which could lead these students to the juvenile justice system.