Stepping Forward - Sharing What Works

Recommendation 17

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.

Below is a compilation of initiatives, listed by State/Territory and Commonwealth, that contribute to building the foundations of support needed to promote the wellbeing, participation and identification of young people in vulnerable circumstances. In addition, you are encouraged to look at the current selection of Snapshots gathered for the State/Territory and Commonwealth initiatives targeting Recommendation 17.

| Queensland | Victoria | Northern Territory | South Australia | New South Wales | Tasmania |
 | Western Australia | Australian Capital Territory | Commonwealth |

Department of Tourism, Racing and Fair Trading

• Post School Survival Tips Publication

Queensland Health

• School-based Youth Health Nurse Program
• Youth Drug Summit and the Marginalised Young People’s Project
• Taking Big Steps – Transition Information Package
• "Poison" School Tobacco Resource Package
• Health Promoting Schools Initiative
• Mind Matters
• Good Practice Guidelines for Working with Young People at Risk of Suicide or Self Harm who present at Queensland Health Facilities: a resource for developing district and service policy and procedures

Queensland Health and Education

• Me, Mates and Moderation

Department of Families

• Youth Support Coordinators
• Regional Youth Crime Prevention Projects
• Youth Crime Prevention Services

Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General

• School Mediation

Disability Services Queensland

• Family Support Program

Department of Education and Training in conjunction with Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture

• The Rainbow Program for Refugee Students

Department of Education and Training

• Managed Individual Pathways Initiative
• Pathways Project
• Local Learning and Employment Networks
• Working with Children and Adolescents Affected by Torture and Trauma - The Rainbow Program for Refugee Students - Not a Matter of Choice

Department of Education and Training and VicHealth

• Connecting Through the Middle Years

Department of Education and Training, VicHealth and Department of Justice

• Student Action Teams

Department of Human Services

• Enhancing Specialist Behaviour Services

Department of Health and Community Services

• Youth at Risk Network

Department of Employment, Education and Training

• Aboriginal and Islander Tertiary Aspirations Program (AITAP)
• AITAP Extension (proposed)

Department of Education, Training and Employment

• Career and Transition Management
• Transition Support Networks
• Behavioural Intervention Service
• Bowden Brompton Community School
• Learning Centres
• Playford Partnership
• Profiling ‘At Risk’ Youth in South Australia 2001
• Target Work
• Transforming Senior Secondary Schooling for Disadvantaged Schools
• Youth Web

Attorney - General's Department

• Early Intervention in Crime Prevention

Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (OCBA) and Attorney - General's Department

• Youth Initiatives

SA Police

• Living Skills Program
• Operation AWOL Truancy program
• Youth on the Move program

Department of Education and Training

• Priority Schools Funding Program
• Vacation Schools for Senior Students
• Ready for High Schools Summer Schools
• Study Plus
• After Hours HSC Coaching Program
• Gateways Program: Community and Learning Networks
• Plan-It Youth Community Mentoring Program
• Homework Plus
• Gateway Program: Arabic Youth Partnerships

Glenorchy City Council in conjunction with a range of Government agencies

• Pulse Youth Health Centre

Department of Education, Hobart City Council

• Alt Ed

Department of Education

• Education for All

Department of Education

• Students at Educational Risk (SAER) Strategy, Making the Difference
• School Leaver Program
• Safety Net Making it Happen
• Joblinks
• Aboriginal School-Based Traineeship Program

ACT Department of Education and Community Services

• Student Support Action Plan 2002-2004
• Support Matrix

Department of Education, Science and Training

• National School Drug Education Strategy and COAG Agreed Measures on Drugs in Schools
• National Literacy and Numeracy Plan (NLNP) and the National Goals for Schooling
• New Apprenticeships
• Implementation of the Framework for Vocational Education in Schools
• VET in Schools programmes
• Career Counselling Programme
• Language, Literacy and Numeracy Programme (LLNP)
• Mentoring of Year 8, 9, 10 Indigenous students
• National Indigenous English Literacy and Numeracy Programme (NIELNS)
• ECEF - WADU Indigenous Youth Partnerships Initiatives
• Australians Working Together - Indigenous Education and Training
• Australians Working Together - Working Together for Indigenous Youth
• Indigenous Ambassadors Programme
• Career and Transition (CATS) Pilots

Department of Family and Community Services

• Stronger Families and Communities Strategy
• Youth Allowance
• Reconnect
• Youth Activities Services Program
• Supported Accommodation Assistance Programme (SAAP)
• National Homelessness Strategy Demonstration Projects
• Transition to Independent Living Allowance (TILA)
• Redevelopment of the Youth Protocol
• Mentor Marketplace
• Adolescent Mediation and Family Therapy
• Collaborative Youth Services Trials
• Innovative and Collaborative Youth Servicing (ICYS) Pilots
• Jobs Placement Employment and Training (JPET)
• Specialised Domestic Violence Services
• Personal Support Programme

Department of Family and Community Services, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, and Department of Education, Science and Training

• Australians Working Together

Department of Family and Community Services and Centrelink

• Parent Liaison Service

Centrelink

• A Youth Servicing Strategy for Centrelink
• Centrelink National Student Services Partnership Group
• Centrelink National Partnership Group for Young Job Seekers and At Risk Young People
• Centrelink Flexible Preparing for Work Agreements for At Risk Young People Under 18 Years
• Breaching rules change to protect the vulnerable
• Centrelink Second Breach Intervention pilots
• Centrelink Third Breach Alert
• Centrelink Truancy Project
• Centrelink’s Linking Opportunities Through Indigenous Education (LOTIE)

Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

• Job Network – Intensive Assistance
• Indigenous Employment

Department of Health and Ageing

• National Divisions Youth Alliance
• National Mental Health Strategy – Kids Helpline
• National Mental Health Strategy and National Suicide Prevention Strategy - MindMatters in Schools
• National Suicide Prevention Strategy – Reach Out!
• National Illicit Drugs Strategy
• Medicare
• National HIV/AIDS Strategy
• National Mental Health Strategy – Mental Health Information Materials
• National Drug Strategic Framework
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth Health

Attorney-General’s Department

• National Crime Prevention Program
• Commonwealth Community Legal Services
• Northern Territory Diversionary Scheme

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

• Vietnam Veteran’s Sons and Daughters Project

Return to the Top of the Page