Expression of Interest 2025 | Casual Relief Pool – Supporting ME Program Activities

Regional Development Australia (RDA) – Hunter’s ME Program is an initiative funded by the Federal Government to encourage high school students in the Hunter to study STEM.

The program has been running for many years (see attached) and currently has 30 schools participating across the region.

One of the biggest challenges for schools in attending ME Program activities is finding available staff to accompany students off campus.

To help address this, we are trialling a new initiative:

• A pool of Casual Teachers (with their own ABN) will be established in each of our four Hunter regions: Upper Hunter, Lower Hunter, Port Stephens, and Lake Macquarie.
• Schools will be able to access this pool if a full-time teacher is unavailable to attend an ME Program activity.
• The Casual Teacher—already known and credentialled by schools in the area—would accompany students to the activity and invoice the ME Program directly for their services.
• Payment would be in line with NSW Department of Education (DET) guidelines.
• This option would only be adopted if a teacher is unavailable.

Why is an ABN required?

• RDA Hunter’s ME Program is unable to directly pay Teachers to attend events—this ruling comes from both DET and the Federal Government.
• The opportunity is designed for Casual Teachers who are not employed full time by a particular school but are available on call to fill temporary vacancies.
• An ABN is required so that an appropriate Tax Invoice can be issued.

 Why work with us?

1. Make a real difference by helping students access hands-on STEM experiences through ME Program activities.
2. Enjoy flexibility—commit only when available, without ongoing obligations.
3. Support schools and students across the Hunter region by enabling access to federally funded STEM programs.

What we are looking for

Teachers (and eligible University candidates) who:

• Hold current approval to teach in NSW (temporary, casual, or permanent).
• Are already known and credentialled by local schools.
• Have strong communication and organisational skills.
• Demonstrate a commitment to student learning and STEM engagement.
• Hold a valid Working With Children Check (WWCC) and relevant clearances.
• Available for ME program events between 16^th October and 25^th March each year.

How to apply

If you would like to express your interest and find out more, complete our short online form and we’ll contact you with next steps.

Online form: Register here

For more information, and a listing and description of the events, please contact [email protected]