Page 3962 - Week 12 - Thursday, 20 October 2005
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The expansion of the school-based new apprenticeship program, with its focus on supporting young people transitioning from school to employment, has proved a great success. This year there were an additional 256 ACT students enrolled in the SNAP program, with approximately 47 per cent of these young people currently gaining invaluable skills in the building and construction industry.
Two of the SNAP programs specifically target young people at risk. These are the building industry skills enhancement program, also known as BISEP, and the Ginninderra relevant apprenticeship pre-employment through education skills program, also known as GRAPES. These programs are seen to be particularly successful. In 2004, there were 24 students at risk of not completing year 10 enrolled in these two programs. All went on to continue their studies at college, except for five who were offered apprenticeships in the building industry. The programs have played an important role in empowering students to identify a career direction, as well as maintaining contact with the school system through the use of an individualised case management approach.
An important highlight of last year was the opening of the new Civic Youth Centre, to which the government contributed $1.425 million. The Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services, ACT Health and urban services worked closely with Anglicare and the Queensland Investment Corporation to see this important project through to completion. During the planning phase there was extensive consultation with young people in the design and development of the centre and the skate park. In fact, it was young people themselves who came up with the centre name of Club 12/25.
The four youth services occupying the centre are Youth in the City, the youth education program, CYCLOPS ACT and the Junction Youth Health Centre. With so many services in one place, the centre is already a success and becoming an important focal point in Canberra city for young people. As the development of the youth centre highlights, the participation of young people in decision making is a key tenet of the ACT young people’s plan. The plan at all levels acknowledges that young people are valued members of the community and encourages them to contribute through meaningful participation opportunities.
The ACT Youth Policy Group has driven many of the strategic achievements in this area over the last 12 months. Membership of the group includes a cross-section of young people, community and government representatives. There are 12 community representatives on the group, with seven of the members being under 25 years of age. The group’s role is to oversee the implementation and development of the annual action plan, as well as to promote partnerships between government agencies, community organisations and young people to coordinate an annual policy forum.
The inaugural annual policy forum, which was held in May 2005, was attended by over 85 young people, community and government representatives and was an important mechanism to enable young people to contribute to the development of the 2005-06 annual action plan. The children’s plan and young people’s plan challenge government to work in partnership with the community to provide significant support for the territory’s children and young people. Already significant achievements have been made against the plans’ commitments and I congratulate the government agencies, community organisations and children and young people of the territory who have worked together
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