Making a difference through lifelong learning.
For over 37 years, Sydney Community College has been providing practical learning experiences to the community of Sydney, NSW.
As a registered charity and not-for-profit organisation, our mission is to provide affordable and high-quality continuing education to the community of Sydney, with a belief that education is a right for every person. We strive to ensure that our courses are accessible to everyone in the community, regardless of their gender, status, culture, or ability.
Our offering
We offer a wide range of on-campus and online courses, with over 1,200 classes running each year in areas such as career and professional development, personal development, many languages including English, home, garden, and cooking, and sport and fitness.and a huge range of visual arts classes.
Our main campus is in Rozelle, NSW, less than 10 minutes away from the Sydney CBD, and includes a visual art space, professional training space, and on-site parking. Our courses are scheduled in classrooms or studios suitable for the study subject and vary in length from 3 hours to 18 hours, with no prior qualifications or assessments required to enrol.
Community outreach
Sydney Community College serves the community by offering quality and affordable educational programs. By partnering with government, we deliver courses that focus on providing education to community groups facing barriers to entering the workforce, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, migrants, refugees, students with disabilities, and those experiencing hardship.
We also offer a Tech Savvy Seniors program aimed at developing the technology skills of senior community members and exclusive discounts for health care card holders, pensioners, and seniors. Please Note: Sydney Community College is not a university and is not a registered CRICOS provider in NSW for international students.
Our history
Starting from humble beginnings in 1986 with just a telephone and a small office, Sydney Community College was founded based on a NSW government policy direction to better use NSW State Schools. The idea was to create a place where the community could come together to learn, share ideas, and develop new skills. Sydney Community College was created when Cleveland Street Evening College and Leichhardt Evening College amalgamated. Since that time, it has operated across the Inner City, the CBD and the Inner West and now, online.
Initially, the College offered courses in Arts, Business, Languages, Lifestyle, Handcrafts, and Sport. Over the years, the College has expanded its offerings to include a wide range of topics, including cooking, photography, gardening, writing, and business training options. The College became a Registered Training Organisation in 1998 and has won both State and National awards like Provider of the Year (NSW) and Programme of the Year (National). The College focus proudly remains as the provision of Quality Continuing Adult Education. We operate as a not-for-profit company, and in 2021 we became a registered charity.
Today, Sydney Community College is one of the largest and most respected community colleges in Australia, offering over 300 courses and 1200 classes each year. We continues to be a leader in adult and continuing education, providing high-quality, practical, and engaging courses to people from all backgrounds.
Our Purpose
Sydney Community College is a registered charity with a voluntary Board of Directors. The College has a mission to offer innovative continuing adult education and training programmes that support individual efforts and facilitate sustainable social change.
We do this by:
- providing quality continuing adult education opportunities for people to build practical and theoretical skills and develop knowledge;
- leveraging from and developing community capacity and inclusivity;
- developing innovative affordable and accessible skills training programmes;
- partnering with like organisations to deliver learning opportunities for disadvantaged individuals and communities;
- partnering with all levels of government to deliver education policy objectives.
Our Mission
To enrich lives, strengthen adult individuals, and build communities through innovative, high-quality continuing education and training.
Our Vision
To achieve our mission by being a self-sustaining not-for-profit social enterprise focusing on innovative short courses and life-changing training experiences for adults.
Governance
The College is governed by a Board of Directors under a Constitution.
Australian Business Number (ABN): 53 136 500 313
Last reviewed and updated: October 2021