About Us

  Cutting Edge youth programmes are uniquely designed to support disengaged young people back into mainstream education to a better place them to progress into a positive future.

With flexible delivery methods and curriculum contact, the programme is ideally suited to meet the needs and interests of young people, building confidence, self-esteem and core skills to prepare them for life beyond school. We are hoping to work with as many schools as possible in Adelaide to support as many young people as possible progress to a positive future.  

The programme will tackle the dual challenges of youth disengagement and lack of employability skills by using a flexible delivery method and wide-ranging, relevant curriculum centred on project-based learning and skills development.

Cutting Edge Outline of Programs and Staff 

Cutting Edge was set up in 2018 to provide an opportunity for students to experience the fun of learning through doing.

  Our fully qualified and experienced staff and volunteers have been involved in the Makers movement for well over 1o years, as well as being involved in alternative education programs for as long. 

Cutting Edge programmes are uniquely designed to support young people, including those who are beginning to disengage from school. This helps to maintain involvement in mainstream education and to better place them to progress into a positive future. 

  With flexible delivery methods and curriculum contact, the programme is ideally suited to meet the needs and interests of young people, building confidence, self-esteem and core skills to prepare them for life beyond school. 

The programmes are based around involving students in all stages of a project and supporting them to finish a project of their choice. For Cutting Edge providing the understanding that making is closely linked to recycling and sustainability is also an important focus. Through these programs employability skills are enhanced by the use of flexible delivery methods and relevant curriculum centred on project based learning. 

  We run programs aimed at Yr 7-12 students with the aim of keeping them engaged and interested in learning. Programs can be run over a 10 week period or as an intensive 2-3 day Makers course which will help build hands-on learning skills with the intention to develop the students confidence and wellbeing. These programs teach skills around tool use and safety and can include basic woodwork skills, bike maintenance, business skills and  art based design programs.

The programs are designed to be extremely flexible and led by both the students interests and their skill levels. To date programs have included the design and building of tables, stools, wall shelves, dart board, LED lights, painting, a coffee van, go karts and even a hockey stick.

  We have run successful programs at Findon High School, Warriappendi, LeFevre High School and Henley High School, Edmund Rice, Ngutu College,Paralowie High School and many more. We have also run programs in council community centres including Charles Sturt Council and Hackham West.

We honestly believe that every student has skills and knowledge that we can build on to ensure they gain as much as possible from their time at school. 

Creativity and learning help our identity formation and self-actualisation project, rewarding us with positive emotions and, among other things, enhanced relationships, an increased sense of wonder and empathy, and the pleasures of making meaning. Ultimately, the ‘magic’ of Creative Learning is that it enables people “to think differently about themselves, their lives and the world in which they live”

Rob Sanders and Phil Hind are the Makers behind Cutting Edge and have been working in the respective fields for well over 40 years.