Page 698 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 1991
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SIMILARLY, THEIR ARE OTHER SERVICES FUNDED BY THE CHIEF MINISTERS DEPARTMENT WHICH HAVE CLOSE LINKS TO YOU,rH SERVICES FUNDED UNDER MY OWN PORTFOLIO. JOBLINE FOR INSTANCE, OFFERS ASSISTANCE IN ACCESSING THE SHORT TERM LABOUR MARKET. IT IS LOCATED WITHIN THE CIVIC YOUTH CENTRE AND MANY OF ITS CLIENTS ARE YOUNG UNEMPLOYED.
OTHER EMPLOYMENT SERVICES WORK IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH YOUTH CENTRES AND YOUTH SERVICES, OFTEN TO THE EXTENT OF OFFERING JOINT PROGRAMS AND ASSISTANCE TO YOUNG UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE. AGAIN, I MUST POINT OUT THAT MANY OF THESE SERVICES, SUCH AS THE WORK Resource CENT RAF, ARE FUNDED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COMMONWEALTH.
I BELIEVE IT IS IN THE SERVICES FUNDED THROUGH THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES BUREAU THAT THERE IS A SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF THE PROBLEMS FACING THE UNEMPLOYED. THE SOLUTION IS NOT JUST FINDING A JOB, WHICH IS A TYPICAL UN-INFORMED RESPONSE TO A COMPLEX PROBLEM. THE SITUATION OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE IS AS MUCH THE RESULT OF LARGER CHANGES IN- SOCIETY AS IT IS CHANGES IN THE YOUTH LABOUR MARKET.
MR SPEAKER, IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKELY TO REQUIRE ASSISTANCE ARE THOSE WHO WILL LATER FALL INTO THE CATEGORY OF LONG TERM UNEMPLOYED THEY REQUIRE INCOME SUPPORT, HEALTH CARE, SHELTER, PLACES TO GO FOR RECREATION AND ABOVE ALL PERSONAL SUPPORT THEY CAN RELATE TO.
AGAIN, THE ALLIANCE GOVERNMENT HAS ANTICIPATED THESE PROBLEMS AND LET ME SAY THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME I BELIEVE THE A.C.T. HAS AN ADEQUATE SAFETY NET OF COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. THIS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED BY A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN FUNDING ACROSS THE YOUTH SECTOR DURING THE TERM OF THIS GOVERNMENT.
I AM PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE HAVE MADE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN FUNDING IN THE AREAS OF YOUTH HEALTH, FOOD SERVICES, INFORMATION SERVICES, ADDITIONAL YOUTH WORKERS AT NORTHSIDE AND WODEN, AND INCREASES TO THE XQUTHLINE COUNSELLING SERVICE. WE ARE ALSO SUPPORTING YOUTH MEDIATION THROUGH Pt GRANT TO THE CONFLICT RESOLUTION URVIC1.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASSURE THE ASSEMBLY THAT. THESE ARE NOT "WILLY-WILLY" INCREASES BUT PART OF A STRATEGIC NETWORK. AS EVIDENCE OF THIS, LET ME REMIND MEMBERS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO COMMITTED ITSELF TO FUND YOUTH SECTOR TRAINING IN A JOINT ARRANGEMENT WITH THE COMMONWEALTH. FOR IT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL AND WELL-TRAINED WORKERS DEALING WITH THESE YOUNG PEOPLE. IT W BEEN ALL T00 EASY FOR WELL-INTENTIONED INDIVIDUALS TO CLAIM THE STATUS OF YOUTHWORKER. HOWEVER, SCARCE RESOURCES DEMAND THAT WE MAKE THE BEST USE OF THOSE RESOURCES.
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