New career awaits leading educator

Published: 31 January 2010

Damien Brennan: "The Gospel is a very dangerous piece of literature as it challenges most common assumptions about life"

THE corridors at Brisbane Catholic Education's Dutton Park office are a bit duller these days now that Damien Brennan has left the building.

Gone are the loud shirts, the colourful socks, the big ties, and who will forget the annual "welcome back barbecue and sausage sizzle" helping staff old and new get back in the work groove after the Christmas and New Year break.

After 13 years as director for religious education and curriculum services Damien decided it was time to hang up the chef's hat and barbecue tongs for a move to pastures new.

It brings to a conclusion a 31-year career in Catholic education across two states, Victoria and Queensland, for the likeable lad from Geelong in Victoria.

The annual "welcome back barbeque" was just one of the many initiatives Damien successfully introduced to the Dutton Park office and to Catholic Education in Brisbane archdiocese.

He lent his organisational skills to most of the big events of the archdiocese over the past 19 years including the many 150th anniversary events in 2009.

As deputy chair of the archdiocese's organising committee and convenor of the July 30 sesquicentenary celebrations at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Damien assisted planning groups achieve so much in the service of the 6000 students and adults who participated on the day.

As always he talks about a team effort and building upon the good will and creativity of others.

Damien said one of his key learnings from 13 years in the BCE leadership team was "never discount an idea, no matter how mad it sounds at first - it may be the one that gets up after people run with it for a while".

He cites the idea of secondary students presenting small drama presentations around the sesquicentenary celebrations on July 30 for the morning and evening celebrations.

"It seemed like a mad idea when first presented, but became the glue which held the two events together," he said.

"It provided a great means for adolescents to engage in the day.

"The concept required a bit of messing around with before finalisation.

"But it worked because it was so good and the students engaged in it so creatively."

A colleague described him as the "Michael Voss of Catholic Education", as like Voss, a fearless AFL player who made an impact whenever he was on the field, people knew when Damien was present.

"The game changed when he entered the fray, especially in delicate discussions with government or senior officials on educational reform and potential negative effects upon student learning outcomes," the colleague said.

In his role as director in BCE Damien oversaw the re-invigoration of religious education in schools throughout the archdiocese, ensuring classroom teaching was on a par with other learning areas.

The publication of the 1997 "Guidelines for Religious Education and the 2008 Guidelines for the Religious Life of the School", under the authority of Archbishop John Bathersby of Brisbane, and their associated teacher resources, are watershed documents in Australia and internationally.

Damien also led the implementation of curriculum reform and the associated professional learning programs for teachers across Catholic schools in the archdiocese.

He chaired and developed teacher scholarship programs for the financial support of teachers undertaking further study or to support them in immersion programs facilitated by Catholic agencies.

He represented the Queensland Catholic Education Commission on a range of government working parties - the most intriguing for him, representing the commission on the establishment of the Queensland Studies Authority.

This required the merging of three former curriculum statutory bodies into one body.

He described the work in assisting the writing of the parliamentary bill and regulations as fascinating and a political minefield.

During his career he also served three terms on the National Catholic Education Commission's religious education committee.

He also served on the Australian Catholic University Queensland Chapter for nine years and just completed two years as the inaugural chair of its education advisory committee.

Damien is sanguine about the impact of committees and said he believed the role of the chair is vital for getting things happening so all stakeholders are satisfied with the outcomes.

"Life is too short to waste time in pointless and boring meetings," he said.

But what about those wonderfully coloured shirts, socks and ties?

He said it all goes back to his teaching days in Melbourne and later working in the Ballarat diocese for seven years.

"On those sad grey days in a bleak Melbourne winter I found that students seemed to respond better if I was dressed brightly," he said.

"In Ballarat winters it was good to dress in something other than thick dark coats and dull scarves."

So why move on from "the best job in Australia" as he described it.

"When I was appointed in 1997 I said to myself that I would do around 10 to 12 years, God willing, as that is what our principals get in one school.

"I also observe a lot of sport and believe in the adage that 'we should not play that season too long'.

"I've seen others do that to their detriment and that of others."

On a more serious note he reflects on major surgery he had in 2004 when he had a large tumour removed.

"During that year I was off work for five months recuperating and learning to walk again," he said.

"A life-changing experience such as that challenges you to re-evaluate your values and beliefs.

"In that context death and resurrection made a lot of sense to me - you can't have one without the other, as life continues to show us."

And he adds, "I suspect that this 2004 learning experience was a catalyst for me to consider moving out of my comfort zone and to explore wider horizons."

However, he is not retiring.

He is moving to a new phase of work and hopes to continue to make a contribution to enhancing the learning of others.

As he puts it, "You develop a lot of skills in being part of the leadership of a complex show like Brisbane Catholic Education, which is the largest non-government employer in Queensland and one of the largest educational providers in Australia.

"I think there is much we can offer to others about how to lead and manage teams of people in such challenging times."

His new venture, a consultancy business, www.damienfbrennan.com.au focuses on leadership, management and learning services.

It will provide a range of services that are built upon the wisdom accumulated through successful leadership in the service of others.

Damien said his motto: "your learning ... my business", sums up so much of his orientation to life.

"The Gospel is a very dangerous piece of literature as it challenges most common assumptions about life," he said.

"It's the meek who inherit, the last who shall be first, the lowest place at the table is preferred, leading is about service not self-promotion, and new life comes through death.

"This has to motivate us to reform the way we live for the betterment of all of creation."

No doubt, the next phase of his vocation will be just as invigorating for others.

Many of his friends and former colleagues will be watching in anticipation.