Stepping Forward - Sharing What Works

An Overview of Initiatives - Australian Governments Addressing the Needs of Vulnerable Young People

MCEETYA Ministerial Subcommittee on Young People's Transitions

In July 2001 MCEETYA established a short-term Ministerial Subcommittee on Young People's Transitions to develop practical options for strengthening transition pathways for young people who are disconnected or at risk of becoming disconnected. This followed the release of Footprints to the Future, the report of the Prime Minister's Youth Pathways Action Plan Taskforce in May 2001. The Ministerial Subcommittee examined issues and actions arising from Footprints to the Future recommendations 16 - 23. These recommendations focus on:

• Early recognition skills
• Timely responses to young people 'at risk' of disconnection from peers, family, school and the community
• Community-based activities for young people at risk of becoming disconnected
• Effective responses for young people disconnected from community life
• Individualised support approaches
• New approaches for engaging young people in community learning environments
• Access to diverse vocational learning experiences
• Access to employment opportunities and programmes

Ministers recognise that it is important to ensure coordinated responses to the needs of vulnerable young people. As Community Services Ministers also have responsibility for these young people the Chair of the Community Services Ministers' Conference (CSMC) was invited to join the Ministerial Subcommittee.

The Ministerial Subcommittee on Young People's Transitions comprised the following Ministers:

Queensland
Hon Matt Foley MP, Queensland Minister for Employment, Training and Youth and Minister for the Arts (Chair)

Tasmania
Hon Paula Wriedt MHA, Minister for Education

Victoria
Hon Lynne Kosky MP, Minister for Education and Training
Hon Bronwyn Pike MP, Minister for Community Services and Housing and Chair, Community Services Ministers' Conference

South Australia
Hon Trish White MP, Minister for Education and Children's Services

New South Wales
Hon John Watkins MP, Minister for Education and Training
Hon Carmel Tebbut MLC, Minister Assisting the Premier on Youth

Commonwealth
Hon Dr Brendan Nelson MP, Minister for Education, Science and Training
Hon Larry Anthony MP, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

Stepping Forward - Sharing What Works includes initiatives that:

• specifically target at risk or disconnected young people; and
• while having a broader focus, contribute to building the foundations of support needed to promote the wellbeing, participation and identification of young people in vulnerable circumstances.

Stepping Forward - Sharing What Works provides a national picture of current activity across all governments and complements the Ministerial Declaration Stepping Forward - improving pathways for all young people, developed by the Ministerial Subcommittee.

Although the stocktake of initiatives was undertaken against Footprints to the Future recommendations 16 - 23, a great many of the initiatives presented in this report also address issues raised in other recommendations.

Footprints to the Future, recommendations 16 - 23.

Click on the Recommendations to take you to the Initiatives.

The taskforce recommends that:

• every school develop its capacity to recognise, at the earliest possible time, behaviour issues which indicate that young people are at risk of becoming disconnected from their peers, family, school and community.

• all teachers, in-school support staff and the staff of youth and community agencies have opportunities for professional development, through initial and in-service training, that equips them with the skills for early recognition of 'at risk' behaviours in young people and assists them to effectively engage families and other appropriate supports in school and the community.

• peer support networks are established in schools and local communities with appropriate training and support for peer network facilitators.

• local community and government agencies be adequately resourced and skilled to play a role in the early recognition of 'at risk' behaviours and in responding appropriately.

The taskforce recommends that:

• every school has established policies, processes, protocols and practices that promote early recognition and intervention, including access to an identified network of local agencies, with the capacity to address the full range of youth issues in the community.

• local government work with schools and community agencies in establishing a collaborative network within their community to develop early response plans. These should ensure that the early recognition of issues for 'at risk' young people can be effectively responded to and addressed. This will require:

  • local networking groups comprising key agencies being drawn together to develop the plan

  • the identification of locally-based 'first to know' agencies; and

  • consultation with young people, families and community agencies on the range of responses appropriate to local circumstances.

• the Commonwealth government work with State and Territory governments to extend the coverage of the Reconnect programme so that it can play a role in the development of early response plans in local communities.

The taskforce recommends that:

• the Commonwealth Government work with State, Territory and local governments, in building local partnerships with schools, employers and other community agencies, to ensure that young people at risk of becoming disconnected have access to a range of cultural, sporting, recreational and community service activities.

• schools, community agencies, cultural, recreational and sporting bodies should actively engage with each other to ensure that young people at risk of disconnection have real opportunities for participation in their programmes.

The taskforce recommends that:

• the Commonwealth government work with State, Territory and local governments to ensure that:
  

  • community-based networks are identified in each local government area to develop localised approaches which identify and support young people not in education or employment;

  • all young people living without adequate support are linked to a local service network with an individual worker or agency assigned a key support responsibility;

  • appropriate, accessible and affordable services for young people with high needs are available in all local communities;

  • local community-based networks should assist young people with high support needs to reconnect with peers, family and community; and

  • local support services commit to delivering an integrated response to young people which offers holistic support across community and government agency jurisdictions.

The taskforce recommends that:

• Commonwealth, State, Territory and local governments work together with community agencies to ensure governments, education and training providers and community agencies collaborate in developing practical local packages of support for young people with high support needs that include:

  • the development of local service networks involving any individuals or agencies identified by young people as being significant personal supports;

  • fostering and resourcing connections with local recreational, cultural, sporting, religious and social groups to encourage the participation of these young people;

  • the opportunity for disconnected young people to work with youth support staff in developing mutually agreed personal support plans;

  • the provision of accessible personal and programme resources to achieve the objectives of personal support plans; and

  • the availability of appropriate training and support for staff working in these programmes.

• the Commonwealth extend the coverage of the JPET programme and incorporate the approaches outlined above in its work in local communities.

The taskforce recommends that:

• the Commonwealth work with State and Territory governments to develop partnership outreach education models focused on delivering relevant education and training to young people who are unable to participate in mainstream education. The key elements of this response are that:

  • education and training services are delivered in settings where young people gather and are comfortable;

  • local partnerships involving youth and community agencies, schools, training providers and local employers are essential;

  • education and training approaches are developed and delivered in consultation with young people; and

  • foundation and employability skills such as literacy, numeracy, information technology, effective communication, independent living, and civics are a primary focus.

The taskforce recommends that:

• that the Commonwealth government work with State and Territory governments, the Australian National Training Authority, and the Australian Student Traineeship Foundation to ensure that young people not connected to formal education and training or employment have:

  • opportunities to develop their understanding of work culture;

  • vocational experiences in supportive and well-supervised work settings; and

  • opportunities to participate in structured workplace learning models and obtain employability skills including competence in up-to-date information technology usage.

The taskforce recommends that:

• the Commonwealth government promote effective integration of Job Network services and local youth support strategies including:

  • more opportunities for young people to benefit from Intensive Assistance; and

  • an increased awareness of the needs of young people by Job Network providers and of the impact of breaching penalties.

• the Commonwealth government work with State and Territory governments to develop:

  • arrangements which allow a greater number of young people to access New Apprenticeship preparation programmes with entry levels appropriate for young people without adequate basic education competencies, as well as structural and industrial arrangements which make part-time and school-based New Apprenticeships attractive to employers;

  • New Apprenticeship placements in the government, private and community sectors for disadvantaged young people; and

  • a recognition of the importance of education outcomes for young people in New Apprenticeships Access Programme.

• to ensure that young people with high support needs can access New Apprenticeships there must be:

  • adequate pre-placement preparation and post-placement support of young people;

  • on-going mentoring;

  • careful selection, training and support for host employers;

  • a staged induction process developed in consultation with young people; and

  • recognition and assessment of prior learning and a creative approach to structured workplace learning.

• the Work for the Dole programme be enhanced so that it incorporates:

  • adequate preparation of participants in their understanding of occupational health and safety requirements;

  • local programme development processes which consult with young people and community groups in planning and delivering the programme; and

  • clear articulation into traineeships, employment or accredited training.

*Last updated July 2002