Youth & Education News

Ambassadors for Multiculturalism

The Victorian Multicultural Commission has officially launched Ambassadors for Multiculturalism, a Victorian Government and Victorian Multicultural Commission program bringing the passion and personal stories of high-profile Victorians together to promote the benefits of cultural diversity to Victoria. The following Ambassadors were launched:

Victorian chef, restaurateur and media personality, Karen Martini,
Successful corporate personality and NBL Chairperson, Larry Kestelman,
AFLW star and league-leading goalkicker, Darcy Vescio,
AFL premiership star, Jack Riewoldt, and
Actress, Olympia Valance

Read more about the launch here

VET Knowledge Bank

Check out the VET Knowledge Bank which contains all the info you need to navigate Australia's diverse and ever-changing vocational education and training system. Includes:

Getting to know VET
Policy initatives
Governance
Glossary of VET
History of VET
Landmark Documents
Organisations and resources View the Knowledge bank here

Re-renewed funding for the Reconnect Program

The Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney visited Federation University’s Ballarat campus to announce a $12 million boost to expand the Reconnect Program by a further 17 projects, to 1800 Victorians across 55 local government areas.

The Reconnect Program targets early school leavers and the long-term unemployed by providing a range of services aimed at building participants’ resilience and workplace skills to prepare them for formal training and employment.

Participants will receive local support from community-based Learn Local organisations and TAFE Institutes to prepare for and undertake meaningful training.

7 News Young Achiever Awards

the Seven News Young Achiever Awards is to acknowledge, encourage and most importantly promote the positive achievements of all young people throughout Victoria up to and including 29 years of age as of 31st December each year.

Important Dates

Open of Nominations: 14 September 2018

Close of Nominations: 14 December 2018

Judging: 6 March 2019

Awards Gala Presentation: 10 May 2019

Victoria Police Diversity Recruitment Program

The Victoria Police Diversity Recruitment Program seeks to increase the representation of African-Australians from refugee and other backgrounds in Victoria Police. This new program focuses on the challenges encountered by African-Australians who apply to Victoria Police. The program is designed to assist and provide support to applicants.

Support provided to participants

Mentoring and support from African-Australian community leaders.
Participant assessment, and guidance on recruitment pathway options
Guidance and support on cultural differences and expectations.
Mentoring, support and guidance to participants to succeed through each stage of the recruitment process.
15 week Victoria Police and Protective Service Officer Recruitment Ready training course to build skills and capabilities for success through the recruitment process
Training on professional culture and expectations of the Victoria Police Support and mentoring during the Police Academy training and ongoing mentoring following deployment to police stations

Find out more below

Foundation House Programs for Schools

The Schools Support Program offers a specialist service to teachers and school leaders. It acknowledges their contribution to the recovery, resettlement and integration processes for children, young people and their parents and carers, whose lives have been disrupted by conflict, persecution and long-term displacement and helps teachers and schools understand the circumstances and impact on the lives of the children they teach to better inform their practice. For more information about their programs and resources, follow the link below.

Voices of the Unemployed

Educators with students considering leaving school early may want to slip them a copy of the recently released report from the Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) detailing the experiences of unemployed people seeking support through the Job Active system to find work. People who receive unemployment benefits via Newstart allowance are required to demonstrate that they are actively seeking work and attend a Job Active provider, read the report here:

Charcoal Lane - Mission Australia

Charcoal lane hosted The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the 18th of October. While they were visiting their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees plated up gourmet cuisine made with native Australian ingredients. Read an article about the visit here

The Bastow Institute’s Horizon – Thought Leadership journal on school leadership, developments in pedagogy and all things school-related

Child Social Exclusion

Uniting Care Australia & University of Canberra’s National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling have released a new report on Child Social Exclusion examining the multi-dimensional nature of disadvantage in Australia, that includes an exploration on the impact for children and their education. Poverty, social exclusion and disadvantage are complex and persistent. Child social exclusion means lost opportunity, disengagement and the risk of leading lives of unfulfilled potential. Educators can play a role to help identify and reach out to children at greater risk to provide them with the hope that if they persevere and stay at school their life chances will improve. Download the Report here

Year 13 Youth Engagement Specialists

The presentations on Youth Sense website show reveal the data and insights from the After The ATAR II report. By demonstrating how this research forms the foundation of the Year 13 engagement strategy, aiming to support viewers in their goal of helping young Australians transition out of high school.