NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP ON

YOUTH ATTAINMENT AND

TRANSITIONS

-VICTORIA-

2010

ANNUAL REPORT (Submitted May 2011)

NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP ON

YOUTH ATTAINMENT AND

TRANSITIONS

-WESTERN AUSTRALIA-

2010

ANNUAL REPORT (Submitted May 2011)

1

CONTENTS PAGE

PART A: Reporting Requirements outlines in the National Partnership on Youth Attainment and Transitions…………………………………………………...… 3 PART B B.1 Jurisdictional Context ……………………………………………………….…….. 5 B.2 Maximising Engagement, Attainment and Successful Transitions (MEAST) - Youth Compact………………………………………………….……. 12 B.3 Indigenous Reporting ……………………………………………………...……… 20 B.4 Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Report on the Youth Connections and School Business Community Partnership Broker Programs in Western Australia …………...……………………………………………..…… 28

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INTRODUCTION The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) National Partnership Youth Attainment and Transitions (NP-YAT) was agreed in July 2009. Following this agreement, jurisdictions have worked with the Commonwealth Government through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) to implement a suite of reforms and initiative under the Partnership. The NP-YAT is being implemented from 2010 to 2014. Western Australia has established a productive working relationship with DEEWR to progress a range of reforms and initiatives to support improved participation and attainment targets for 15 to 24 year olds. This work also makes an important contribution to Indigenous “closing the gap” targets. This first Annual Report captures data, information and progress reports from a number of NP-YAT stakeholders and partners. Much of this work is building upon existing State driven reforms and program initiatives across sectors and organisations, working to support improved participation and attainment outcomes for 15 to 24 year olds.

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PART A: Western Australia, National Partnership on Youth and Transitions – May 2011 report

Outcome Performance Indicator Source May 2011 August

addendum May 2012 August

addendum May 2013 August

addendum May 2014 August

addendum

Increased participation of young people in education and training

Enrolment of full‐ time equivalent students in years 11 and 121

National Schools Statistics Collection (ABS)

51,359 - 2011 School - 2012 School - 2013 School -

Enrolment of Indigenous full‐ time equivalent students in years 11 and 122

2,196 - 2011 School - 2012 School - 2013 School -

Enrolment of Indigenous full‐ time equivalent students in years 9 and 103 3,393 - 2011 School - 2012 School - 2013 School -

15‐ 19 year olds without a Year 12 certificate and not enrolled in school who are enrolled in a vocational education and training (VET) course at Certificate II level or higher4

VOCSTATS (NCVER)

- 2010 VET - 2011 VET - 2012 VET - 2013 VET

Indigenous 15‐ 19 year olds without a Year 12 certificate and not enrolled in school who are enrolled in a vocational education and training (VET) course at Certificate II level or higher5

- 2010 VET - 2011 VET - 2012 VET - 2013 VET

Indigenous 15-19 year olds without a Year 12 certificate and not enrolled in school who are enrolled in a vocational education and training (VET) course at Certificate I level6

- 2010 VET - 2011 VET - 2012 VET - 2013 VET

Increased attainment of young people aged 15‐ 24, including Indigenous youth

The proportion of young people aged 20‐ 24 who have attained Year 12 or Certificate II or above

Survey of Education and Work (ABS)

79.5% - 2011 SEW - 2012 SEW - 2013 SEW -

VET completions (VOCSTATS)7 - 2010 VET - 2011 VET - 2012 VET - 2013 VET

The proportion of young Indigenous people aged 20‐ 24 who have attained Year 12 or Certificate II or above

ABS Census - - - - 2011 Census - - -

VET completions (VOCSTATS)8 - 2010 VET - 2011 VET - 2012 VET - 2013 VET

Young people make a successful transition from school to further education, training or full‐ time employment

The proportion of young people aged 15‐ 24 participating in post‐ school education, training or employment six months after leaving school

Survey of Education and Work (ABS)9

64.0% - 2011 SEW - 2012 SEW - 2013 SEW -

Improved Indigenous attendance Attendance rates for Indigenous students in years 1-10 in government schools

MCEECDYA National Schools Attendance Collection (NSAC) 10 Figures awaiting release by ACARA

Year 1 2010 attendance

- 2011

attendance -

2012 attendance

- 2013

attendance -

Year 2 - - - -

Year 3 - - - -

Year 4 - - - -

Year 5 - - - -

Year 6 - - - -

Year 7 - - - -

Year 8 - - - -

Year 9 - - - -

Year 10 - - - -

Improved Indigenous retention Apparent retention years 7/8 to year 10, by Indigenous status11 National Schools Statistics

Collection (ABS)

90.7% - 2011 ARR - 2012 ARR - 2013 ARR -

Apparent retention years 7/8 to year 12, by Indigenous status12 42.9% - 2011 ARR - 2012 ARR - 2013 ARR -

Improved Indigenous participation and engagement School level strategies13 Jurisdiction information

Notes on the data a) Attainment measure for 20 to 24 year olds is sourced from the ABS Survey of Education and Work. The survey is undertaken in May each year with results normally reported in December of the same year. The data from the survey relates to measures at that point in time. b) The ABS Survey of Education and Work is a sample survey; results are therefore reported with confidence intervals. For smaller jurisdictions confidence intervals can be substantial. The nature of the survey and the size of the error mean that it may not be possible to

accurately identify change over time, even in larger jurisdictions. These data limitations were signalled by the COAG Reform Council (2010). c) Data from NCVER VOCSTATS are normally available in July of the following year. VET statistics reflect a cumulative summary of the year’s activity as opposed to a point in time. d) According to MCEECDYA guidelines, “Attendance rates for indigenous students” relates to students who identify as Indigenous. The data are collected for the first semester of the school year, and reported in the first quarter of the following year. There are data quality

issues. Significant numbers of students in all jurisdictions have not indicated their Indigenous/non-Indigenous status. Collection methodologies vary across some jurisdictions and sectors. Data should be treated with caution.

1 As per 2010 Participation target measure 2 As per Schedule B 3 As per Schedule B 4 As per Schedule B 5 As per 2010 Participation target measure 6 As per Schedule B 7 To monitor annual changes – reported for calendar year VET completions, age to be determined. 8 As per Schedule B. To monitor annual changes – reported for calendar year VET completions, age to be determined. 9 As per NP YAT Table 3 (p14) 10 As per Schedule B. This section will be populated by DEEWR pending data availability. This may result in this information being part of the August addendum. 11 As per Schedule B 12 As per Schedule B 13 As per Schedule B- This information is to be provided under Part B – Indigenous Reporting

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NP-YAT DATA SOURCE ISSUES In considering the various data sources (Template A: Reporting Requirements outlined in the National Partnership Youth Attainment and Transitions) and their use to measure against the NP-YAT deliverables, Western Australia raised a number of issues in the 2009 NP-YAT Implementation Plan regarding usage and appropriateness. These issues continue to be relevant and are raised in relation to the reporting data template as detailed below. Under the outcome “Increased participation of young people in education and training”, the complicated definition is mirrored by the complicated data queries required to gather the data and by the difficulty in interpreting parts of the data when poor response rates at enrolment result in a significant proportion of “Not stated” data. The “Not stated” data are usually interpreted conservatively, but this is expected to produce underestimates of the participation rates Under the outcome “Increased attainment of young people aged 15 - 24, including Indigenous youth”, the first indicator is “The proportion of young people aged 20 - 24 who have attained Year 12 or Certificate II or above”. The original proposed data source was the Survey of Education and Work (SEW) alone. The SEW is still the only data source which can provide this information. Why are Year 12 Certificate data and VET completions data being asked for? They cannot be added to the SEW data and they cannot be used to construct the indicator. Although footnotes 7 and 8 suggest that the data can be used to monitor changes, neither of the extra data sources can monitor changes of the indicator itself. The other indicator under the same outcome is “The proportion of young Indigenous people aged 20-24 who have attained Year 12 or Certificate II or above”. Although this is more complicated, the limitations of the Year 12 Certificate data and VET completions data are similar. They cannot generate the indicator, and this advice was sent from Western Australia previously. The base data source for Indigenous young people is the ABS Census which is conducted every five years. The only other source of data is the NATSISS and the NATSIHS, conducted by the ABS every 6 years, which makes the attainment data available every 3 years. Under the outcome “Young people make a successful transition from school to further education, training or full-time employment” the indicator is “The proportion of young people aged 15 - 24 participating in post-school education, training or employment six months after leaving school”. The agreed data source is again the SEW. Some of the school-leaver destination surveys can provide some data which bear on the issue but they are primarily designed for operational purposes (identifying at-risk people), they are not comparable across jurisdictions, and the data cannot be added to the SEW data. Furthermore, it is generally not valid to generalise from the results due to biased respondent patterns (the non-responders are not evenly distributed across the range and may have a higher probability of being at risk). They are not suitable for the purpose envisaged in footnote 12. Under the outcome “Improving Indigenous attendance”, space has been set for data for all year levels from Year 1 to Year 10. These data are available but there has not

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been a convincing argument as to why attendance at Year 1, etc, is used as a measure for the NP-YAT. PART B B.1 Jurisdictional Context Australian jurisdictions including Western Australia became signatories to the Council of Australian Government (COAG) National Partnership Youth Attainment and Transitions (NP-YAT) in 2009. At this time, the global economic crisis was beginning to impact and attention was focused on implementing supporting programs for young people through the Youth Compact and additional education and training initiatives at both the State and Commonwealth levels. In Western Australia, the education and training authorities had already embarked on a range of system and program reform measures including legislative changes to the school leaving age via amendments to the School Education Act through the Higher School Leaving Age and Related Provisions Act 2005. Reform in the vocational education and training sector had also been gaining momentum resulting in changes in 2009 to the Vocational Education Act (1996). These changes modernised the Western Australia training system, increasing flexibility and diversity to meet growing workforce development needs. The introduction of the NP-YAT complemented these reforms and Western Australia has worked closely with the Commonwealth Department of Employment, Education and Workforce Development (DEEWR) to implement the National Partnership. This work involved closer alignment of State and Commonwealth funded career and transition support services, information dissemination about the new programs and collaborative provider service selection. Western Australia’s NP-YAT Implementation Plan 2009 provided an overview of the State’s economic and demographic trends, education and training reform and recent relevant legislatives changes. Outlined below is an update on the Western Australian context, including some of the State Government’s more recent strategic initiatives and reforms that contribute to supporting increased participation, attainment and successful transitions for all young people. The Western Australian economic outlook is both complicated and contradictory. A recent press release from the Western Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) identified that “Western Australia’s domestic economy contracted for the second consecutive quarter at the end of 2010. CCI’s quarterly snapshot of the local, national and international economies shows the local economy went backwards in the last three months of 2010.14” However, recent evidence suggests that Western Australia is on the cusp of another period of sustained growth, driven by a number of key resource and infrastructure projects15. In support of this, Access Economics and Monash University forecasts suggest continued significant growth in

14

CCI Media Release 6 April 2011 “WA economy treads water ahead of expected economic bounce” 15

Media Release. Minister for Training and Workforce Development, 16 March, 2011 “State Government takes broad approach to addressing future skills needs”

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Western Australia between 2010 and 2017 of between 220,000 and 239,000 jobs respectively16. In April 2011 ABS labour force data reflected a robust Western Australian labour market and a decline in unemployment coupled with increases in labour force participation and employment. The unemployment rate declined by 0.1 percentage points to 4.1% the lowest level since June 2010. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained stable at 4.9%. Western Australia has had the lowest unemployment rate of all states for the past 14 consecutive months. The number of unemployed in Western Australia is currently at 52,100 persons. Western Australia’s teenage unemployment rate17 also declined to 17.8% in April from 18.8% a month earlier. Nationally, the rate increased by 0.1 percentage points to 23.0% for the month of April. The number of youth looking for full-time work in Western Australia is currently at 6,600. An indication of the burgeoning economic up turn in Western Australia is reflected in the commencement of apprentices and trainees; with the total number of apprentices and trainees in training increasing from 37,358 at end of January 2010 to 39,600 (6%) at end of January 201118. The strong economic environment in Western Australia presents both opportunities and challenges for young people transitioning from school to further education, training and employment. The high demand for skilled labour presents many career opportunities for young people with the education level and motivation to access these pathways. For those at educational risk, particularly early school leavers, the future is less optimistic. Unless there is effective transition support for these young people, they tend to move between periods of unemployment, low level employment and job churning. Addressing these needs and improving successful transitions of all young people continues to be a key priority for the Western Australian Government. WESTERN AUSTRALIAN INITIATIVES AND STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS Western Australia’s projected economic growth, diverse regional and remote areas, Indigenous and multicultural population mix has required a range of education and training responses to meet the needs of individuals, industry and the growing demand for skilled labour. Western Australia has an ongoing commitment to increasing the attainment of Year 12 (or Certificate II equivalent) and the transition of young people into education, training and employment as reflected in the diverse and comprehensive strategic policies identified below: Skilling WA Skilling WA – A Workforce Development Plan for Western Australia is a response by the Government of Western Australia to the “increasing demand for skills and labour by the State’s industries, which recognises the impact the major resources and infrastructure projects have on the State’s labour market and is aimed at building, attracting and retaining a skilled workforce to meet the economic needs of the State”19.

16

Skilling WA page 8 17

It should be noted that the teenage (aged 15 to 19 years) unemployment rate is subject to particular volatility on a monthly basis. 18

TRS March 2011 19

Skilling WA page 8

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Skilling WA provides a framework for maximising the availability of skilled labour by developing the state’s workforce through increased labour force participation, flexible responsive and innovative education and training, increasing the States participation in the national migration program and by attracting and retaining a skilled labour force especially in regional areas20. In particular, Strategic Goal 1 provides for “increase participation in the workforce particularly among the under-employed and disengaged Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other under-represented groups”21. As part of this strategy, the Department of Training and Workforce Development gives priority to the packaging of funding streams and programs (including partnerships) for the engagement and training of those groups under-represented in the workforce. It also proposes to have its Career Centre and metropolitan and regional Workforce Development Centres take on a ‘case management’ role to support increased workforce participation of under-represented groups. Young people, particularly those at risk, are an important focus for this work. The Department of Training and Workforce Development’s Strategic Plan 2010 – 2013 further supports this provision of training opportunity, equity and diversity and the NP-YAT outcomes. Training Together – Working Together (Aboriginal Workforce Development Strategy) In March 2010 the Minister for Training and Workforce Development launched Training together – working together: Sustainable employment outcomes for Aboriginal people through training. This strategy is designed to facilitate the removal of barriers to participation and improve employment and training outcomes of Aboriginal people in Western Australia. Strategies include:

Creation of the Aboriginal Workforce Development Centre (AWDC) which is the central coordinating point to support Aboriginal people transitioning into employment and assist employers to meet their workforce needs.

Creation of four Aboriginal Workforce Development Centres in selected regional areas of Western Australia to engage and link Aboriginal people and local employers.

Develop and implement mentoring strategies to develop and support Aboriginal people to gain employment

Develop an Aboriginal Workforce Development website that will provide easy access to existing mentor services and resources.

Identify a range of Aboriginal Ambassadors (a group of role models) which will be encouraged to assist, support and mentor others.

20

Ibid page 9 21

Ibid page 11

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Training Western Australia The State Training Plan “Training WA: Planning for the Future 2009-2018” set the vision goals and key deliverables for the Western Australian training system till 2018 and outlines the direction for the training system to maximise the development of skills, training and employment outcomes for all Western Australians22. The State Government announced specific funding of $47.4 million for a range of immediate initiatives designed to assist employers and the community. These include:

Course Fee Exemptions for Unemployed People: The Government introduced course fee exemptions to assist unemployed people into training. In 2010, 8,074 job seeker students were assisted through this initiative, in addition to approximately 3,900 assisted in 2009.

Workers Compensation Rebate: In June 2009, the Government introduced a rebate on workers compensation premiums for employers of apprentices. As at 31 December 2010, 3,716 claims had been approved for 1,535 employers since June 2009.

Career development services and employment directions network: The Government has improved access to career development services for all Western Australians assisting them to take advantage of career opportunities. A new state network of 14 Workforce Development Centres has been funded. The Centres commenced operation on 1 April 2010 and are fully functional.

The Government is also increasing Recognition of Prior Learning services to allow people to have their skills and experience formally recognised. A Recognition of Prior Learning fee concession was provided for 7,763 students in 2010.

Marketing and awareness campaigns to inform individuals and employers about training options were also conducted from 2010 to 27 February 2011, $643,000 has been either spent or committed to marketing and awareness campaigns to inform individuals and employers about training options. This is in addition to the $1.6 million expended in 2009-10.

The Government also introduced a range of initiatives to help employers retain apprentices and trainees during the economic downturn, including through the Securing Out of Trade Apprentices Initiative.

The Business Growth Centre continues to assist small business with advice and support on training matters

Education Reform and Initiatives: Through the Western Australian Department of Education, a number of key reforms and National Partnership arrangements are also being implemented. These include the creation of a new Independent Public Schools model. This initiative gives schools greater autonomy, enhancing school leadership, reducing bureaucratic restrictions and locating support services within or as close to schools as possible. These changes focus on creating conditions for improved student outcomes. Priorities for the public school system are also outlined in the Department of Education’s Focus 2011- Directions for Schools plan which continues to support and strengthen Classrooms First commitments through five key priorities;

raising standards in literacy and numeracy

improving students behaviour and school attendance

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Training WA

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supporting teachers and school leaders

strengthening early childhood education

enabling greater school autonomy, flexibility and innovation

In addition, the Department of Education has recently launched its Aboriginal Education Plan for Western Australian Public Schools 2011-14. This plan is in line with the national Aboriginal and Islander Education Action Plan 2010-14, which has been prepared for COAG. The focus of Western Australia’s plan is on school led responses to meet the needs of Aboriginal students in six key areas:

readiness for school

attendance

literacy and numeracy

pathways to real post school options

engagement and connections with families and communities and

leadership, quality teaching and workforce development Link between MEAST Initiatives and Broader Reforms There are a number of other complementary reforms contributing to increased student participation and attainment levels that are complementary to the NP-YAT. These include education focused National Partnerships between the Commonwealth Government and the three school sectors in Western Australia. These key complementary National Partnerships are briefly captured below.

National Education Agreement The National Education Agreement (NEA), as the key overarching Commonwealth and State agreement, identifies the key objective that “all Australian school students acquire the knowledge and skills to participate effectively, in society and employment, in a globalised economy” (COAG 2009 Schedule F, p 1).The performance indicators identified in the YAT-NP are aligned to the goals of the NEA key programs and services provided by the three school sectors and the Department of Training and Workforce Development.

Smarter Schools National Partnerships In December 2008, the Western Australian Government signed the three Smarter Schools National Partnerships: The National Partnerships are jointly funded by the Australian Government, the State Government and the Catholic and Independent school sectors o National Partnership Agreement on Literacy and Numeracy; o National Partnership Agreement on Low SES School Communities; and o National Partnership Agreement on Improving Teacher Quality. Progress for 2010 - After extensive planning, consultation and preparation during 2009, the three school sectors in Western Australia commenced the implementation of reform activity under the Smarter Schools National Partnerships in January 2010. Collaboration between the State’s three schooling sectors is ongoing and all parties are committed to raising standards, improving accountability and achieving better outcomes for students by working together, wherever possible.

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National Partnership Agreement: School Pathways Program The Maritime Industry Schools Pathway Program focuses on providing career pathways for young people in the defence industry (including marine). The objective of the program is to increase the pool of young people ready to move from school into further education and apprenticeships, internships, scholarships and part-time work/study combinations in defence industries. The program facilitates partnerships with schools, industry, TAFE and university to develop a program that includes current curriculum with a focus on the courses most applicable for the defence industry, including mathematics, science, technology, marine and aviation courses.

Trade Training Centres in Schools: The Trade Training Centres (TTCs) in Schools Program is another important element of the Australian Government’s Education Revolution. The TTCs in Schools program will provide the opportunity for students to undertake trade training in schools, increasing the proportion of students achieving Year 12 or an equivalent qualification and help address skill shortages in traditional trades and emerging industries. This strategy makes a strong contribution to the YAT-NP attainment targets. The program is now linked with the Australian Government’s National Training Cadetship element of its 2010 election commitments. To February 2013, Rounds One to Three of the program will see $110.2 million of Australian Government funding deliver 32 TTCs in regional and metropolitan Western Australia. To May 2011, nine Centres are in operation with a further 17 in operation by the beginning of the 2012 school year. The Association of Independent Schools Western Australia (AISWA) The Association of Independent Schools (AISWA) is the peak body representing independent schools in Western Australia. It has 148 members which enrol over 70,000 students. AISWA’s strategic focus includes the promotion of a strong independent schools sector which offers high quality education appropriate to the needs of Western Australian children. AISWA is playing a strong role as a key partner in the implementation of the NP-YAT. This work will see additional funding and program delivery for career development programs and VET in Schools training delivery. AISWA also continues its strong commitment supporting positive education outcomes for Aboriginal students. The Catholic Education Office The Catholic Education Office of Western Australia (CEOWA) is also a key player, supporting the implementation of the NP-YAT. The CEOWA has highlighted a number of reform focused strategic themes in its Strategic Plan 2008-12. These themes include:

Building leadership, capacity and creating community

Fostering creativity and innovation and expanding opportunity

Building leadership, capacity and quality learning and teaching in Catholic schools

The CEOWA also proactively supports improved learning outcomes for Aboriginal students through its Aboriginal Education Policy.

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The Department of Corrective Services The Department of Corrective Services is a partner in the NP-YAT in Western Australia through its work in the delivery of career advice and VET training for young offenders. This work is based on Australian research studies identifying a clear link between VET training and reduced recidivism.23 Through the NP-YAT, training delivery and career support is being expanded to focus on VET training for post custodial employment. The Department for Communities – Office for Youth The Department for Communities is playing a lead role in the NP-YAT to develop a Youth Mentoring Policy Framework for Western Australia. This work links closely with the broad youth networks and program providers already established and supported through the Office for Youth. Destination Survey Data – Information relating to improvements/trends in young people’s transitions from school The school leaver destination data 2011 in the table below is data from Year 12 public school students only. Data from CEOWA schools and the AISWA is not available at this time.

Figure 1: School Leaver Program: Destination – State.

23

Vocation Education and Training provision and recidivism in Queensland corrective institutions – Victor Callan and John Gardner – NCVER 2005

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S BOARD OF STUDIES DATA24 The Western Australian Curriculum Council issued the following statements of results and Western Australian Certificates of Education (WACE) in 2010. The number of statements of results issued to Year 12 students in 2010 was 22,901. The number of Western Australian Certificates of Education (WACE) issued to Year 12 students in 2010 was 20,890.

B.2 MAXIMISING ENGAGEMENT ATTAINMENT AND SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS (MEAST)

Introduction Western Australia’s approach to the implementation of the Maximising Engagement Attainment and Successful Transitions (MEAST) reforms was developed and is being implemented in collaboration with a number of key stakeholders, including the Association of Independent Schools Association (AISWA), the Catholic Education Office (CEOWA), the Department of Education and other community and State Government organisations. The Implementation Plan includes strategies to support reform and development in three key areas - Multiple Learning Pathways, Career Development and Mentoring. All of these MEAST strategies are Indigenous inclusive. The youth attainment and transitions space is complex, involving numerous players and potential sources of support for young people. In identifying the reforms to progress through the NP-YAT Implementation Plan, Western Australia focused on cost effective value adding initiatives designed to deliver policy change, improve access to services and enhance participation and attainment outcomes. The identified initiatives also aimed to complement and add value to the suite of existing education and training reform policies and programs Western Australia already has in place and continues to progress. Western Australia’s Governance engagement for the NP-YAT includes representation on the national NP-YAT Multilateral Committee, establishment of a high level local Governance Committee, a Stakeholder Committee, and various working parties to undertake development work on specific initiatives. Planning and funding allocations for the four year term of the MEAST Implementation Plan have been undertaken in collaboration with key stakeholders and endorsed by the Governance Committee. Detailed below is a report on the key elements within the Implementation Plan and progress to date. Implementation of Western Australia’s MEAST reforms are being progressed over the four financial year funding cycle (2009-10 to 2013-14) which

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To show improvements in year 12 attainment rates; it is noted that this data cannot be compared across states and territories and that this data cannot and will not be used to measure change against the agreed indicator for year 12 or equivalent attainment. Data provided by the Western Australian Curriculum Council

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commenced in May 2010, following endorsement of the Implementation Plan by the Commonwealth Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. The first year of this work has primarily focused on the development of new initiatives, establishment of funding and service delivery contracts with the public and private school sectors and other service delivery organisations.

Compact with Young Australians: Implementation of the National Youth Participation Requirement In implementing the Youth Compact:

Western Australia has exceeded the requirement by requiring young people to participate until the end of their 17th year. The School Education Act through the Higher School Leaving Age and Related Provisions Act 2005 became effective on 1 January 2006, increasing the school leaving age from 15 to 16 years of age. A further increase from age 16 until the end of the year in which a student turns 17 years of age became effective on 1 January 2008.

This legislation does not dictate that students must stay at school, but rather requires them to participate in education, training and approved employment or combinations of these options until the end of the year in which they turn 17.

Options for 16 and 17 year olds include participation in education, training, approved employment or a combination of options. An outcome of this initiative has been significant improvements in the levels of participation by this cohort, from approximately 87% prior to the introduction of the legislation in 2006 to just under 96% in 2010.

Participation Coordinators employed by the Western Australian Department of Education are located in the eight newly established education regions. Participation Coordinators work across the State with responsibility for primarily supporting students in their 16th and 17th years to participate full-time in approved options.

Education/training entitlement for 15-24 year olds

Western Australia implemented the Compact with Young Australians on 1 July 2009 for 15 - 19 year olds and for 15 - 24 year olds from 1 January 2010.

Publicly-funded Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are required to give priority access to a training place for anyone eligible under the Compact, subject to availability of training places and courses.

The Compact is complemented by the Commonwealth’s National Partnership Agreement for Productivity Places Program and Western Australia’s Course Fee Exemption for the Unemployed initiative.

All publicly-funded qualifications delivered by RTOs in Western Australia are course fee exempt for eligible unemployed people across all Australian Qualification Framework levels and industry areas. This Course Fee Exemption for the Unemployed initiative provides further incentive for a young Australian to develop skills essential for entry into the workforce or to achieve a higher level qualification.

The Course Fee Exemption for the Unemployed initiative, which commenced on 1 July 2009, enables eligible unemployed people to undertake one publicly funded training qualification, with the course fee exemption. The course fee exemption applies for up to twelve months from the commencement of the qualification. This is subject to the availability of training places, and applicants

14

demonstrating their eligibility, meeting training provider application processes and entrance requirements for the qualifications and, where applicable, selection criteria.

Over 51,000 15 to 19 year olds and 27,000 20 to 24 year olds enrolled in VET public provider training courses in 2010.

The Western Australia Department of Training and Workforce Development has established networks with key stakeholders, including the Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, the Western Australia Department of Education, Centrelink, Job Services Australia, Youth Connections, School/Industry/Community Partnership Brokers, Career Centre, Aboriginal Workforce Development Centre and community based Workforce Development Centres to ensure a streamlined approach to implementation of the above initiatives.

Western Australia has worked in partnership with the Commonwealth to implement the Youth Compact as part of the NP-YAT, to assist young people to gain skills through stronger engagement in education and training. Focusing strongly on the reform areas of Maximising Engagement, Attainment and Successful Transitions within the YAT-NP, Western Australia worked closely with the Commonwealth to implement reform in the development and delivery of Commonwealth funded youth support services for 15-24 year olds. These collaborative reforms have reduced duplication between Commonwealth and State services, providing a more comprehensive and complementary suite of youth support services in WA to support better education, training and transition outcomes for young people. These reform arrangements include:

Collaborative development of the School Business Community Partnership Broker (SBCPB) and Youth Connections (YC) programs for Western Australia with the YC programs targeting services in all regions for Indigenous young people, youth at risk and providing early intervention.

Since the original establishment of SBCPB and YC regions in alignment with Department of Education Districts, the Department of Education has implemented a major reform to introduce a new Independent Public Schools model. Under this model, the number of Education Districts has been reduced from 14 to 8 regions. This change has resulted in some disconnection between service providers and their established District Education Office networks.

To help address this issue and to strengthen local partnership arrangements between service providers, work has been undertaken through forums and workshops supported by DEEWR, the Department of Education and the Department of Training and Workforce Development to bring the regional service providers together.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the School Business Community Partnership Brokers (SBCPB) and the Youth Connections (YC) programs are monitored and managed by DEEWR. This information is shared with Western Australia through the NP-YAT Governance Committee. Western Australia shares its MEAST implementation progress reports, strategic plans and cash flow reports with DEEWR though the NP-YAT Governance Committee.

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Multiple Learning Pathways and Capacity Building Western Australia has strongly supported Vocation Education and Training in Schools (VETiS). These pathways provide students with valuable learning opportunities to attain nationally recognised qualifications under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as part of their secondary school education. Western Australia has experienced strong growth in VETiS in all three school sectors placing increasing demand on resources and available training places. To address this issue and implement appropriate reform, Western Australia has undertaken an extensive review of VETiS across all school sectors. This review has highlighted the need for a change to the policy focus of VETiS, together with the need for appropriate funding model reform. To progress this reform a high level Ministerial strategic group has been established involving the Department of Training and Workforce Development, the Department of Education and key industry and curriculum stakeholders. In addition to the work being undertaken at a State level, Western Australia is also continuing to support VETiS delivery and capacity building through the NP-YAT via:

Additional funding of $4.13M has been allocated for the provision of VETiS training delivery in public and independent schools. This additional funding is being contracted through a procurement panel process, providing delivery opportunities to both private and public (RTOs). Through this new model (commencing May 2011) schools will select a Registered Training Provider (RTO) most suitable for the delivery they are seeking. The VET qualifications selected for inclusion in this new model have been selected through consultation with the school sectors, workforce development planners and curriculum stakeholders. The focus of this training delivery and associated contractual agreements is for Certificate II and above qualification completions.

Capacity building in schools is a critical element of this work as we seek to have a greater number of teachers with Certificate IV Workplace Assessor qualifications and current relevant industry experience in the school sectors. RTO stakeholders agree this issue does require a new approach as they are increasingly concerned that teachers’ (wishing to partner through auspicing arrangements) do not have the required industry level of experience and expertise to meet training package requirements. Consultations have commenced with stakeholders to develop a cost effective professional development model/s that would meet industry needs and begin to address the perception of poor quality associated with VETiS auspicing arrangements.

Certificate IV Workplace Training and Assessment pilot model/s for professional development ‘secondment’ arrangements will be further developed for commencement in 2011–12.

Funding has been provided through contractual arrangements with the Western Australian Department of Corrective Services to deliver additional Certificate IV Workplace Training and Assessment qualifications for their training delivery staff. This investment will build the capacity of the Corrective Services RTO division to deliver more VET training at Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels for 19 to 24 year olds detainees in custodial centres.

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Cross cultural training has also been funded through the Western Australian Department of Corrective Services to support awareness of cross cultural learning styles. This professional development work is designed to improve learning outcomes for young Indigenous detainees.

A further capacity building strategy with an investment of $70,000 has been developed to increase the number and quality of Aboriginal mentors. This strategy aims to further support Aboriginal apprentices, trainees and young workers through increased mentoring provision. This training will initially be provided in regional areas including the Kimberly, Mid-West and Perth.

VET Training for Young People in Custody and Early School Leavers As previously stated, Western Australia introduced legislative changes to the school leaving age in 2005 (Amendments 1999 - Higher School Leaving Age and Related Provisions Act 2005). Through these amendments all young people in Western Australia must participate full time in an approved education, training or employment option (or combination of options) until the end of their 17th year. Under these arrangements a number of students (often those most at risk) leave school and go directly into low level employment.

Consultations have been undertaken with the Western Australian Retail and Personal Services Industry Training Council (ITC) to undertaken a skills recognition and training project for early school leavers working in the retail sector. The project aims to support the achievement of Certificate II and III qualifications by 15 to 24 year olds in this industry sector. Costing for this work are commencing for delivery in 2011-12.

Funding has also been provided through contractual arrangements over four years with the Department of Corrective Services to deliver Certificate II training for 19 to 24 year olds in custodial centres. Initially this delivery will focus on training for the building industry. In the out years the industry focus for this training delivery may change as alternative employment opportunities for ex-offenders emerge.

Career Development Historically Western Australia has been a leader in its commitment to and provision of career development services, the MEAST reforms will add value to already existing programs and services. To complement these existing arrangements Western Australia’s MEAST commitment has supported:

Redeveloped the GetAccess careers web site with NP-YAT funding supporting stage two of this work. Outcomes include interactive tools for self screening, skills analysis, career interests and values, job matching, decision making and an interactive CV wizard.

Establishment of a contractual arrangement for the development of Aboriginal career development resources for inclusion on the new website.

Establishment and recruitment of a Career Development Project Officer position to support improved co-ordination and dissemination of career information and resources for schools and community career service providers. This position will also refine the Western Australian Guidelines for Career Development and Transitions Support Services and the Audit and Planning Tool, as a prime resource for schools providing career development services.

Funds have also been provided to the public and independent school sectors for the provision of career development. Funding allocations to the school sectors

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have been based on the Years 11 and 12 school census. With 58% of funding being provided to the public school sector and 21% each to the CEOWA and AISWA. Through this new initiative schools will be funded for their commitment to the delivery of career development support for students based on the Australian Blueprint for Career Development (ABCD). Student Individual Pathways Plans and Transition Plans are also an integrated element of this funding arrangement.

Western Australia has maintained funding for career services through its network of Workforce Development Centres and its centrally located Career Centre. In addition, the State has provided new funding for career support services through the establishment of a number of Aboriginal Workforce Development Centres; four of the new centres are located in regional areas.

Funding has been provided to the Department of Corrective Services for delivery of the CareerWorks career support program for young detainees. Approximately 4,000 new places will be delivered over the four year funding period.

The School Leaver Program destination survey and transition support has been reviewed in preparation for expansion of the program to incorporate AISWA and CEOWA schools in the 2011-12 Program.

Mentoring Mentoring has been recognised through the NP-YAT reform and across all levels of government in Australia, as an important and effective strategy in supporting and guiding young people through a range of issues and stages in their lives. The quality of mentoring is critical; training, support and standards benchmarks are important elements of successful mentoring programs for both the mentor and the young person accessing the mentoring assistance.

To progress this reform Western Australia has committed to the development of a State Youth Mentoring Policy Framework. This work is being developed through NP-YAT funding of $1.15M over four years by the Western Australian Department of Communities – Office for Youth.

In addition to the policy development work being undertaken through the Office for Youth, this funding arrangement makes provision for the development and delivery of ‘good practice demonstration youth mentoring projects’ and professional development for practitioners.

Progress to date includes the recruitment of an experienced Policy Officer with academic background in the field to oversee government involvement and commitment to the project.

The Australian Youth Mentoring Network Inc has been commissioned through $70,000 funding to undertake professional development for practitioners, particularly regarding the National Standards and Benchmarks for mentoring programs.

The Australian Youth Mentoring Network Inc is also working to progress the policy development consultations and drafting of the strategic framework for the reform. Statewide consultations have commenced and will be conducted until the end of June and it is intended that a strategic framework will be drafted by the end of September 2011.

An allocation of $300,000 for demonstration projects has been allocated for approximately 10 projects over a three year period (2011-14).

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Funding Commitments through the MEAST NP-YAT Budget Through the COAG Agreement, funding of $11.24M over four years has been allocated to Western Australia for implementation of the MEAST reforms. The key reform initiatives of VET delivery in custodial centres, VETiS, Career Development and Mentoring have all been funded through four year agreements to 2013-14. Other initiatives, including the development of a new Certificate II industry based qualification for young people with low literacy and numeracy levels and the development of a School Based Traineeship Link pathway will be progressed in 2012-13.

Figure 2: National Partnership Youth Attainment and Transitions Financial Commitments as a Percentage of the MEAST budget.

National Partnership - Youth Attainment and Transitions: Financial

Commitment 2009/10 - 2013/14 as percentage of total

0% 7%

43%

6%

27%

10%

2%

5%Youth Compact

Building Capacity

VET & VETIS

Early School Leavers RPL

Strategy

Career Development

Mentoring

Indigenous Specific

Salaries

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Figure 3: Financial MEAST Commitments 2009-10 to 2013–14.

VET & VETIS $4,787,000 42.6% Early School Leavers RPL Strategy $670,000 6.0% Career Development $3,012,760 26.8% Mentoring $1,150,000 10.2% Indigenous Specific $200,000 1.8% Salaries $570,000 5.1%

Total $11,244,760 100.0%

National Partnership - Youth Attainment and Transitions: Financial

Commitment 2009/10 - 2013/14

$0

$2,500,000

$5,000,000

Amount $30,000 $825,000 $4,787,000 $670,000 $3,012,760 $1,150,000 $200,000 $570,000

Youth

Compact

Building

Capacity

VET &

VETIS

Early School

Leavers

Career

DevelopmenMentoring

Indigenous

Specif icSalaries

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B.3 INDIGENOUS REPORTING – SCHOOL LEVEL STRATEGIES FOR ABORIGINAL STUDENTS

Western Australia has a range of reforms, programs and initiatives to support participation and attainment of Indigenous young people. These examples, from the public and independent school sectors and the Department of Training and Workforce Development, are reflective of the strong focus that is being provided to support improved outcomes for all Indigenous young people. EDUCATION SECTORS INITIATIVES Clontarf foundation football academies – Supported through the Department of Education

There are currently 13 government funded Clontarf Football Academies in 19 public schools in Western Australia, with up to 1700 Aboriginal males enrolled as Clontarf Academy students. Four more academies will be established in 2011-2012. Schools are selected to have a Clontarf Academy based on the Department of Education’s attendance, retention and behavioural data and the number of Aboriginal male students in that locality. The Academies use Australian Rules football as a vehicle to attract and retain Aboriginal male students who have poor attendance and behaviour records with subsequent low academic achievement.

Academy students receive mentoring and support to develop their health and wellbeing, self esteem and life skills. Students must attend school regularly, apply themselves to study and embrace behaviour and self discipline requirements to remain in the program. Support for students includes not only mentoring to facilitate transitions through school, but also into post-school options such as employment or further training. The Foundation’s philosophies are underpinned by a belief that students’ engagement in education or training as young men is pivotal to their future success in employment and to maximise their life opportunities.

The academies work in an on-site partnership with public schools and are administered by the Clontarf Foundation. The educational program for Clontarf Academy students remains the responsibility of the host school and is consistent with requirements for all public schools in relation to curriculum provision and reporting.

A review of the effectiveness of the Clontarf Foundation was undertaken in 2008 and found significant outcomes being achieved in the areas of attendance and retention rates across all years and increased completion rates to Year 12. The Service Agreements in place between the Department of Education and the Clontarf Foundation place an emphasis on the governance, auditing and evaluation of the planned student outcomes. As part of this agreement, host schools and the Clontarf Foundation provide qualitative and quantitative information, from which a Yearly Summary is produced by the Department of Education. Some of the preliminary key findings from the ‘2010 Clontarf Yearly Summary’ included: o Attendance The Clontarf Academy contributes to closing the attendance gap between

Aboriginal students and non-Aboriginal students across host schools. In Years

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8, 9 and 10 there is a 15.7% difference between the attendance of Clontarf Academy students and non-Aboriginal students across host schools. This gap lessens to a 7.9% difference in attendance between Clontarf students and non-Aboriginal students in Years 11 and 12.

o Behaviour In Years 8, 9 and 10, Aboriginal non-Clontarf students were suspended less often then Clontarf students but the severity of their suspensions was more severe. Clontarf students were suspended for an average of 2.91 days whilst Aboriginal non-Clontarf students were suspended for an average of 3.46 days. Due to the low numbers of Aboriginal non-Clontarf students in Years 11 and 12 across Academy host schools, the 2010 report is unable to provide significant comparisons in these years.

o Student Achievement English grades increase for Clontarf students from Years 8, 9 and 10 into Years 11 and 12. In Years 8, 9 and 10, 32% of Clontarf students received a C grade or above in English whilst 59% received a C grade or above in Years 11 and 12. Maths grades increase for Clontarf students in Years 8, 9 and 10 into Years 11 and 12. In Years 8, 9 and 10, 40% of Clontarf students received a C grade or above in Maths whilst 51% received a C grade or above in Years 11 and 12.

o Post School Destinations 63% of the graduating Academy students from 2010 are currently engaged in employment, education or training.

Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme The Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ATAS) provides supplementary tutorial assistance to Aboriginal students in Western Australian public schools. The aims of the ATAS program are that Aboriginal students achieve accelerated outcomes in literacy and numeracy; are engaged in their learning; and experience a learning environment which is culturally appropriate, inclusive and supportive.

Lower Secondary ATAS funds and provides tutors for Aboriginal secondary school students in Years 8 to 10 who are below minimum standards in literacy and numeracy. Lower secondary tuition is available in literacy and numeracy.

Upper Secondary ATAS funds and provides supplementary tutors for all Aboriginal secondary school students enrolled in Years 11 or 12. The scheme aims to increase retention to Year 12 of Aboriginal school students through the provision of subject-specific targeted tuition.

Follow the Dream: Partnerships for Success provides individualised, supplementary support and tuition to almost 700 high achieving Aboriginal secondary school students at 24 locations throughout the State to help them maintain their excellent school results and achieve a successful transition into university or post-school training or employment. The program is well supported by private industry sponsors, providing a rich array of leadership development and post-school training and employment opportunities for the students in the program.

An independent evaluation in 2009 by Edith Cowan University confirmed the effectiveness of the program. In 2010, students in the program accounted for 50 per cent of the Aboriginal students in Western Australian public schools who achieved an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) in 2010.

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Aboriginal and Islander Education Officers Aboriginal and Islander Education Officers (AIEOs) develop, promote and maintain communication networks between Aboriginal students, their parents and caregivers, the community and school staff so that learning programs are relevant to both educational and cultural needs. They support Aboriginal students in the areas of academic achievement, participation, attendance, discipline, retention and communication. Aboriginal Education Attendance Grant The Western Australian Department of Education State-wide Better Attendance: Brighter Futures strategy has been developed to ensure a comprehensive, system-wide approach to improving students’ attendance rates. The strategy includes a strong focus on Aboriginal students. To complement the strategy, Aboriginal Education Attendance Grant funding is allocated to enable schools to implement local strategies designed to raise the attendance levels of Aboriginal students. Local strategies often include school and community agreements or partnerships to promote mutual responsibility between schools, communities, parents and caregivers to address poor student attendance. The Recognition Payments for Achievement of Attendance Targets is an initiative that has been designed to complement the Better Attendance; Brighter Futures strategy and the Aboriginal Education Attendance Grant. Recognition Payments are forwarded to targeted schools that show substantial improvement in Aboriginal student attendance rates. Aboriginal Support Network The Western Australian Department of Education employs Aboriginal education teams in regional offices to support schools to improve outcomes in Aboriginal education. These teams include Managers of Aboriginal Education, Coordinators of Aboriginal Education, Aboriginal Liaison Officers and Aboriginal and Islander Education Officers. The Department organises regular networking meetings to enable sharing of information and best practice. Funding is also allocated to allow AIEOs to undertake accredited training. School and Community Partnerships The Western Australian Department of Education continues to actively promote and support the development of formal partnership agreements between schools and their local Aboriginal communities. The agreements are designed to enhance the attendance, achievement and post-school opportunities and transition of Aboriginal students by enabling their parents, caregivers and local community to have greater involvement in school decision making and the education of their children. Through support from central and regional office staff, school-community partnership agreements have been finalised in 19 Western Australian public schools, and have commenced in an additional 79 public schools.

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SCHOOL INITIATIVES SUPPORTED BY THE CATHOLIC EDUCATION OFFICE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA St Mary's College in Broome

St Mary’s Colleges has a 48% Indigenous population. There are varying levels of disadvantage as far as literacy skills within the whole school population. St Mary’s College is running a program to assist the Year 11 & 12 students in attending a Literacy Support Pilot Program with Notre Dame University. This initiative aims to improve the general and specific aspects of literacy and better engage the students to commit to a learning environment and be able to achieve a Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE).

The CEOWA CARE School in Geraldton

The new Geraldton Flexible Learning Centre has recently opened in Geraldton to cater for young people of secondary school age who, for a variety of reasons, have disengaged from mainstream schools and seek an alternative pathway to education and training. The young people represent a diverse population of indigenous and non-Indigenous males and females. The young people who attend the school have typically experienced one or more significant and complex educational, social, developmental, psychological, health, legal or familial situations which demand unique responses.

The school provides a program for at risk young people to engage in a work readiness program while at the same time undertaking a nationally recognised VET qualification. Some of the goals of the program are to give young people employment options, open their minds to available employment, identify their own interests and skills, prepare them for entry into the workforce, increase their self esteem and acquire a work ethic. The program provides an opportunity for the school to work with local business to develop a young person’s skills and support a more successful transition to work. The program focuses on the following areas; career awareness, teamwork, workplace relations, job search and interview skills, fundamental Occupational Heath and Safety procedures, workplace image and work experience.

Luurnpa Catholic School, Balgo

Balgo is a large remote community of between 400 to 500 people. Significant numbers of senior students are at risk of youth suicide, drug abuse, petrol sniffing and under age sexual activity and early marriage. The establishment of a Trade Training Centre (TTC) is designed to skill those senior students to gain employment in the Building and Maintenance industry with the Boystown. The CEOWA has recently worked to establish this new TTC facility to encourage the senior students back into education and training. There will be several programs operating within this facility to both encourage students into the TTC environment and to gain nationally recognised VET qualifications and industry experience.

St Clare's CARE School

At St Clare’s School 25% of the students are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders. They have high support requirements and do not cope in mainstream education. To meet student needs, the school offers virtual environments for the students to undertake their learning and complete their VET qualifications in preparation for

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workforce participation. The senior students are offered opportunities to become work ready and to learn job preparation and interview techniques. This is the first time the school has offered such a high level of VET opportunities for the students. This initiative is delivered in partnership with RTO who provides the training at the school.

Clontarf Aboriginal College

Clontarf Aboriginal College has established links with the Mining Industry to offer students work experience within the industry. The college also offers Endorsed Program opportunities for the students such as the Keys for Life Program to give the students the understanding of driver safety. Clontarf has been donated a vehicle for its driver training so students can follow through to gain their driver’s licence. The Aboriginal students at the college are usually musical and this is the second year they have received structured theory and practical music lessons.

SCHOOL INITIATIVES SUPPORTED THROUGH THE ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

AISWA is currently working with four remote Aboriginal Community schools in the development of projects for year 10-12 students which include career education, pathways planning and exit plans.

In addition one of the Perth boys’ boarding schools is working on a YAT Career Development Indigenous Transition Pathways project for the Year 11 and 12 Indigenous boys. The aim of the project is to develop links and supports for students to transition to University and training pathways.

The Future Footprints Program

AISWA’s Future Footprints program supports Indigenous students from remote and rural regions in Western Australia attending boarding schools in Perth. The broad aim of the program is to improve educational outcomes for Indigenous students and thus enhance their opportunities post school to further education, employment and/or training.

The program is centrally administered by AISWA on behalf of 15 participating schools. Currently 215 Indigenous students attend the schools, a significant increase since the program began in 2004. The majority of students (61%) are from the Kimberley region of WA, 16% from the Pilbara and the remaining students from the South West or Wheatbelt regions. Key outcomes include: o Retention from Year 10 to Year 12: 69% in 2008, 70% in 2009 with 95% of

the cohort currently in Year 12. o Year 12 Completion: Since 2005, a total of 122 Indigenous students from

participating schools successfully completed Year 12. The average year 12 completion rate (since 2005) is 91% with 2009 and 2010 Year 12 completions at 96% and 94% respectively.

The following are key elements of the program: o A positive working relationship with students, key teaching and boarding staff. o Partnerships between schools and communities with parental involvement,

which is an important feature of the program. In addition parent/community representation is an integral part of the Program Monitoring Committee.

o A data base of Indigenous boarding students in participating schools which includes year of entry, vocational aspirations and post school destinations.

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o Culturally appropriate mentoring to students and weekly meetings which include tracking homework/study progress, family and peer relationships, and addressing boarding away from home issues.

o A support structure for teaching and boarding staff in schools by significantly increasing cultural awareness, knowledge of Indigenous learning styles, literacy and numeracy needs, family/peer relationships and health issues.

o Support for existing pastoral care systems which provide individual support, activities and resources to maintain students' physical and emotional well being whilst away from their homes and communities

o Career development information for students, families and schools including opportunities and guidance with vocational pathways.

o Student access to a wide range of Indigenous and non-Indigenous role models and mentors.

o An annual Indigenous Careers Expo involving industry, business, tertiary and training institutions and Indigenous agencies.

o Partnerships with a range of government and non government organisations.

o A supportive environment and network for students while they are away from home with regular meetings, recreational, sporting, cultural and social activities.

o A network of school coordinators and/or boarding staff across the sector.

o An Indigenous Student Council, with representatives from all schools, provides students with a voice and a sense of leadership.

o A cultural, sporting, academic and recreational student program.

o Three annual off-campus workshops held during boarders’ weekends.

o An annual combined schools Year 12 Graduation dinner.

o Distribution of the Koori Mail newspaper to all boarding houses.

o An annual calendar of events. Wongutha CAPS School The school is an independent boarding and farm school for Indigenous students in Esperance; it is vocationally oriented for Indigenous students from all regions of WA. The school offers a range of VET entry level courses at Certificate I and II levels and also School Based Traineeships. TRAINING SECTOR INITIATIVES All of the participation and attainment strategies within Western Australia’s MEAST reforms are Indigenous inclusive. (Note: in particular VET training funding for young detainees in Corrective Service Centres where significant numbers on young Indigenous detainees are housed). In addition the following Indigenous specific project is being developed to address the significant language use disparity that often occurs between speakers of Standard English and speakers of Aboriginal English or Kriol.

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Work has commenced through the Department of Training and Workforce Development on the development of a new VET sector language based qualification at Certificate II and III as a pathway (particularly for Aboriginal people) to a ‘Language Broker’ qualification for speakers of Aboriginal English and Kriol. This work is based on the linguistic research work undertaken by Professor Malcolm together with resources developed as part of the ABC Two Way Literacy and Learning Project.

Following development and piloting of this new VET pathways qualification, it will be promoted to a wide range of individuals and organisations working with Aboriginal people in the education, training, health, justice and community sectors.

Aboriginal Workforce Development Centres The Western Australian Government has established a new Aboriginal Workforce Development Centre Network. These new Centres aim to achieve sustainable employment outcomes for Aboriginal people in a culturally sensitive way. The first Centre was established in March 2010 following recommendations in the Training together working together Aboriginal workforce development strategy commissioned by the Minister for Training and Workforce Development, to provide for better coordination and connection between employers, job seekers and service providers. Four regional Centres were subsequently established in Geraldton, Bunbury, Kalgoorlie and Broome to facilitate local solutions in those regions. By working in collaborative partnerships with existing service providers, the Aboriginal Workforce Development Centres aims to play a key role in facilitating pathways for Aboriginal people aged 15-24 to meaningful training and sustainable employment. Since inception the Aboriginal Workforce Development Centre in Perth has assisted over 50 job seekers aged between 15 and 24 into jobs. The Centres support Aboriginal people to obtain meaningful and long-lasting employment by:

providing career guidance and information about training options;

providing access to job opportunities and improving job search skills;

developing employability skills for successful participation in the workforce; and

providing links to positive role models and mentoring services. To broker greater opportunities for Aboriginal people, the Centres also support employers to attract, recruit and retain Aboriginal employees by:

promoting vacancies to Aboriginal job seekers;

providing resources and advice on recruitment and retention strategies;

providing access to mentoring services and cultural awareness training. The Centres work closely with schools and other program providers such as the Youth Connections, Partnership Brokers and Workforce Development Centres to provide support and build greater aspiration among students in years 10, 11 and 12. VET Training through Kununurra District High School – Work Readiness and Participation (WRAP) - 2010 This pilot project was based on making a group of students work ready for employment with local businesses. It was a hand’s on approach with the students

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learning in a range of on campus and off campus environments. Students undertook practical training in woodwork and metalwork onsite, at the school, workplace learning with host employers in Kununurra (e.g. Leighton Contractors) and VET training in Certificate I in Leadership in partnership with Progressive Training (WA), a private RTO. Literacy and numeracy was embedded across all areas of this program. Student attendance improved for seven out of the ten students in the program, with two of the remaining three students being new to the school - so there was no baseline attendance data to compare. Of the five students who completed the Certificate I in Leadership, four will be moving into the mainstream Year 12 vocational program in 2011 where they will commence a Certificate II qualification in either automotive, construction or hospitality. The remaining student is entering the ‘Kimberley Education for Life’ program where he will be commencing a Certificate II in Automotive qualification. The student who completed 80% of the Certificate I in Leadership qualification is also entering the ‘Kimberley Education for Life’ program where he will be commencing a Certificate II in Automotive qualification. At this stage the remaining four students are looking at enrolling for 2011 in the – Clontarf Life Skills (CALS) program at the school in 2011. Certificate II in Health Services Assistant – in the Kimberley In a partnership with the Broome campus of Notre Dame University (as the RTO), this program targeted Aboriginal girls in the region. Initially a small group of girls (6-7) from Wyndham were involved, with the students staying at the Broome Hostel while doing their training. It also spread to include a student from Fitzroy Valley District High School who participated by E-luminate and a number of additional students from Derby and Kununurra District High Schools as well. ASBT program – Additional support for Public School students in the program Aboriginal school based training The Aboriginal School Based Training (ASBT) program aims to provide Aboriginal students across the State with the opportunity to gain basic skills and training in school and to achieve a nationally recognised qualification which will lead them in to sustainable employment or further education and training. For the period of 1 January 2010 to 31 May 2010 there were 555 ASBT commencements in Certificate I programs and 193 ASBT commencements in Certificate II and above school based traineeships and apprenticeships25. Students and schools participating in the program were also supported through additional funding through the Department of Education. These funds cover the following costs:-

additional equipment for trainees e.g. boots, work uniforms;

25

Department of Training and Workforce Development Annual Report 2009 – 2010

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costs associated with school staff attending the Steering Group meetings;

administrative costs; and / or mentoring support for students. This additional funding has helped schools provide support to the students towards completion of the programs. B.4 COMMONWEALTH DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND

WORKFORCE RELATIONS REPORT ON YOUTH CONNECTIONS AND PARTNERSHIP BROKERS PROGRAM

B.4.1 Youth Connections – National Summary In the first 14 months of operation, Youth Connections has provided individual support services to 24,738 young people. 11,320 young people have achieved a final outcome in the program, which represents re-engagement or a sustained improvement in a young person’s engagement with education, training or employment. A further 5,090 were assessed as making significant progress in addressing their barriers to full engagement in education. In addition, 3,578 activities were held to find and connect with at-risk young people, with providers linking with 125,900 young people through these activities. In this period, providers undertook a range of initiatives to strengthen services in the region, with 3,049 activities being held. Under ‘Individual Support Services’, Youth Connections providers must deliver flexible and individualised services to young people at risk, including those who are most at risk of disengaging from learning or disconnecting from school or education through to those who are severely disconnected from education, family and community. Delivering services to individual young people has been a focus for providers in the first year of the program. Many providers had established services and were able to quickly deliver this aspect of the program. While Youth Connections has achieved significant results in 2010, the elements of the program relating to outreach and re-engagement activities, and activities to strengthen services in the region have been slower to be established and embedded in service delivery. Under ‘Outreach and Re-engagement Activities’, Youth Connections providers must offer proactive, youth focused re-engagement activities and outreach services. Outreach and re-engagement services aim to find severely disengaged young people, and to connect these young people with activities to support their re-engagement with learning, family and community. In the first 14 months there has been considerable activity in this area, however not all of this activity has been well targeted or outcomes focused. Under ‘Strengthening Services in the Region Activities’, Youth Connections providers must work to build capacity and strengthen services for young people at risk and ensure that providers of other services in a region are connected. Again, providers have been reporting effort in this area, however it appears provider understanding and capacity in this area is not strong. Some of this effort has been directed toward awareness raising and promotional activities or attendance at stakeholder group meetings, neither of which would be considered ‘Strengthening Services in the Region Activities’. This area of provider performance is most closely linked with the School Business Community Partnership Brokers program, and providers are

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expected to work together, where appropriate, to address the needs of their region. In some regions providers are working well together and progressing partnership arrangements to improve support services, however, the level of collaboration in other regions is variable. The Youth Connections program includes a focus on Indigenous and humanitarian refugee young people. These two groups are more likely to be at risk, and may require mainstream programs to be tailored to meet their specific needs. The Youth Connections program has had mixed success in supporting these two target cohorts. Indigenous young people represent 18% of the caseload (more than 4,300 young people) receiving individual support services in the Youth Connections program, and 27% of outreach activities included an Indigenous focus. While the rate of Indigenous young people achieving outcomes is lower than for non-Indigenous, more than 1,500 Indigenous young people achieved a final outcome in the program, and a further 1,000 made progress in addressing their barriers to engagement. For humanitarian refugee participants, the program has been less successful at delivering support and achieving outcomes. Nationally, only 202 young humanitarian refugees have been provided with individual support services in the first 14 months of the program. DEEWR has supported the achievement of program outcomes through the provision of induction forums, regional forums, training on the information management system, resource tools and the funding of jurisdiction based and national provider networks. The contract management approach in the first year of operation has been intensive and focused on reinforcing provider understanding and developing provider capacity. In February, DEEWR provided a redefinition of the service types, in an effort to clarify the intention of these activities for providers, and to focus their efforts. Case studies are being developed to strengthen provider understanding, and to demonstrate effective practice. Program Priorities In 2011, DEEWR is working, with jurisdictions and provider networks, to improve program and provider performance in a number of areas. These focus areas have been identified based on the quantitative and qualitative data that providers have reported, through contract management activities, and through feedback from jurisdictions. These focus areas include:

Services to individual young people – increasing the number and the quality of outcomes for severely disconnected young people

Outreach and Re-engagement Activities – improving provider understanding and increasing the number of young people who are referred from outreach activities into case management

Strengthening Services in the Region Activities – improving provider understanding and the effectiveness of activities delivered

Indigenous young people and Closing the Gap – continuing the focus on this priority area

Humanitarian refugees – building provider capacity and focusing effort for this cohort

Youth Connections and Partnership Brokers – improving their relationships and translating these into outcomes for at risk young people

Improving the quality of data and reporting from providers.

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Western Australia Summary Context The WA Department of Education (DoE) was under some budgetary pressure during 2010 and at the same time embarked on two significant but related reforms. The first is a continued push for Independent Public Schools, whereby WA public schools can obtain greater autonomy from DoE with a view to fostering greater parent and community involvement. The other major change has been the dismantling of the District Office structure. Many positions in District Offices have been redeployed to schools. The 14 Districts have formed into eight Regions, each with a single Executive Director. The Executive Director sits on the DoE Corporate Executive and provides broad direction for public schools. The school principals within each region are expected to work collaboratively with each other in network formations. These changes have had some impact on the deployment of District Office based positions that particularly impact on youth attainment and transition outcomes, such as Enterprise and Vocational Education Coordinators and Participation Managers and Coordinators. In Western Australia there are 14 Youth Attainment and Transition Service Regions and 12 contracts in place to deliver services*. These 12 contracts are held by 8 different organisations. In Western Australia Youth Connections is delivered to young people aged 13-19. Program status In the first 14 months of operation in Western Australia, Youth Connections has provided individual support services to 2,759 young people. 1,255 young people in the program achieved a final outcome, which represents re-engagement or a sustained improvement in a young person’s engagement with education, training or employment. A further 466 were assessed as making significant progress in addressing their barriers to full engagement in education. In addition, 394 activities were held to find and connect with severely disconnected young people, with providers linking with 9,315 young people through these activities. In this period, providers undertook a range of initiatives to strengthen services in the region, with 206 activities being held. Challenges While Youth Connections has delivered significant outcomes, providers have faced many of the challenges outlined in the national summary. In addition, in Western Australia, the low level of unemployment has implications for program providers and stakeholders’ ability to recruit and retain suitable staff. This is exacerbated in regional and remote areas of Western Australia where high housing costs and wages are combined with relatively poor physical and social infrastructure. The Department of Education budget pressures and reforms have impacted on Youth Connections providers’ ability to work with District Office and public school staff in obtaining referrals and assisting at risk young people. In particular there has been a turnover of Participation Team staff (who ensure that 15-17 year olds are engaged in education, training or employment). This has contributed to inconsistent levels of cooperation between Participation team staff and Youth Connections providers in the different regions. This has resulted in varying models of shared

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servicing of the 15-17 year old cohort across the state (In some regions Youth Connections providers obtain few referrals from DoE/schools and in other regions nearly all referrals are through DoE.) Therefore engagement with these staff has been a significant and ongoing requirement for Youth Connections providers and may in some cases have lead to a stronger focus on schools as opposed to the broader community. Some Youth Connections providers have strong links to alternative learning arrangements which have contributed to program outcomes. However, in most regions there is a lack of alternative learning arrangements, and this is an impediment to achieving outcomes for young people. * Some contracts support more than one region.

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Figure 4(a): Final Outcomes Achieved – National and Western Australia.

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Figure 4(b): Final Outcomes Achieved – National and Western Australia.

National Western Australia

Young people enrolled in individual support services (current and exited) 24,738 2,759

Young people who have achieved a final outcome 11,320 46% 1,255 45%

Young people who have achieved an outcome - progressive or final26 16,410 66% 1,721 62%

National Western Australia

Outreach and Re-engagement Activities held 3,578 (125,900 young

people attending)

394 (9,315 young

people attending)

Strengthening Services in the Region Activities held 3,049 206

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A final outcome represents re-engagement or a sustained improvement in a young person’s engagement with education, training or employment. A progressive outcome represents a young person making significant progress in addressing their barriers to full engagement in education. 27

A young person can achieve more than one final outcome.

Final Outcomes Achieved27 National Western Australia

Attendance: The participant's attendance at school or education setting improved consistently over the whole school term, or for 13 weeks.

2,454

358

Behaviour: The participant's behaviour at school or education setting improved consistently over the whole school term, or for 13 weeks.

2,895

426

Educational performance: The participant's educational performance improved consistently over the whole school term, or for 13 weeks.

2,463

339

Strengthened engagement: The participant's engagement was strengthened and they remained engaged in education over the whole school term, or for 13 weeks.

1,746

139

Engaged in employment: The participant started employment and remained in that employment for 13 weeks.

877

124

Re-engaged in education: The participant re-engaged in education over the whole school term, or for 13 weeks.

2,490

273

Commenced in education: The participant commenced in education.

3,391

311

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Figure 5: Percentage of Total Indigenous Participants by State.

National Western Australia

Indigenous Participants 4,354 669

All Participants 24,738 2,759

% Indigenous 18% 24%

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B.4.2 PARTNERSHIP BROKER PROGRAMS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

NATIONAL SUMMARY In the early stages of 2010, the network of a 107 Partnership Brokers focused on engaging with stakeholders, and developing environmental scans and strategic plans for their region. As the year progressed, providers’ focus shifted to exploring partnership opportunities and creating or enhancing partnerships to meet their region’s needs. Program Status By April 2011, there were approximately 1200 active and self-sustaining partnerships associated with Partnership Brokers nationally (excludes Victorian data28) involving over 8000 partner organisations. These partnerships are undertaking a range of activity to support the learning and development of young people in their community. Approximately 19 per cent of these partnerships have an Indigenous focus. There have been approximately 5800 Outcomes Framework Key Performance Measure (KPM) evaluations with approximately 1770 (30%) of those evaluations rating the partnership’s progress as ‘Considerable’ or ‘Achieved’29. Approximately 80 per cent of the partnerships being supported by Partnership Brokers are newly created. The remaining 20 per cent are pre-existing partnerships that are being enhanced with support from the Partnership Brokers. Providers have submitted their 2010 Case Studies which are currently under review with a number being developed to share good practice as well as for promotional purposes. Case Studies have provided some excellent examples of partnership initiatives across a broad range of focus areas involving a variety of stakeholders. They include examples of providers leveraging off and adding value to local, state and Commonwealth programs/initiatives, as well as examples of innovative partnership models being established to meet the needs of young people. Case Studies have also highlighted the complex, multifaceted nature of the Partnership Broker role. Stakeholder engagement While these national figures and case studies indicate significant progress, individual providers and the program have also faced some challenges. One of these challenges has been connecting with education authorities in a way that enables Partnership Brokers to align their priorities for partnership development with the priorities for schooling at a systemic level. Providers have also reported that some school leaders don’t understand the role of the Partnership Broker as a facilitator, rather than service delivery provider. For historical reasons, confusion about the Partnership Brokers role is often centred around expectations that Partnership Brokers should be involved in coordinating Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) placements. This misunderstanding has resulted in tensions and impacted on some schools’ willingness to consider how a partnership approach, supported by a Partnership Broker, can assist them to achieve the outcomes required under the Government’s broad education reform agenda.

28

In Victoria, the Partnership Brokers program is delivered through the Victorian Government’s Local Learning and Employment Network (LLEN) and is managed by the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. 29

Data cited is accurate as at 12 April 2011.

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Managing expectations and educating stakeholders about what Partnership Brokers can do, and importantly, what they don’t do, has been an ongoing challenge for providers. In order to overcome this challenge, there is a need for education authorities to send a clear message to school leaders about the intent of the Partnership Brokers program and the benefits of schools partnering with business and community. In terms of key stakeholder engagement, provider reporting has shown that parents and families represent just one per cent of the total number of organisations involved in partnerships. This data is supported by results from a recent provider survey which found that 75 per cent of Partnership Brokers felt that parents and families were the most challenging stakeholder to work with. While the number of parents in partnerships is low, the data shows that there are some emerging partnerships that involve parent bodies such as parent and citizen associations and state parent councils. There are a number of other partnerships that are focused on supporting parents without including them as formal members of the partnership. Another challenge for providers is building cross-sectoral partnerships involving stakeholders that may not have worked together before. Within this context, an important part of the Partnership Brokers’ work is building partners’ understanding of each other’s needs, developing trust between partners and securing commitment to a shared goal. To do this effectively, Partnership Brokers need to engage with organisations at a decision-making level where there is authority to enter into partnership arrangements and commit resources. Providers report that this is particularly challenging when working with schools and school systems. Variation in performance It is clear that there are varying degrees of success amongst providers and some providers appear to be struggling to deliver the program in line with program expectations. There are a number of reasons for this, including: Some Partnership Broker organisations were contracted under previous

programs in a ‘hands-on’ service delivery role. Some of these organisations have

struggled to make the transition to a strategic, facilitation role.

The varying nature of infrastructure, culture and capacity across Service

Regions. There are different challenges for providers operating in metropolitan,

rural and remote areas. Some Service Regions, and some communities within

Service Regions, are more conducive to partnership development than others.

The capacity of personnel undertaking the Partnership Broker role also varies

across, and within regions. Some providers, particularly those in remote regions,

have had difficulty finding people with the necessary skill set to deliver program

outcomes.

Support from DEEWR DEEWR has supported the achievement of program outcomes through the provision of induction forums, regional forums, training on the information management system, professional development, support tools and the funding of jurisdiction-based and national provider networks. The contract management approach in the first year of operation has been intensive, focused on reinforcing provider understanding and on developing provider capacity. Provider networks at both a jurisdiction and national level have been established and are developing and implementing strategies to support improved outcomes for the

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program. However, performance of the networks has been variable and significant examples of the networks proactively engaging with organisations and peak bodies at a state and/or national level are yet to be seen. Program Priorities 61 per cent of Partnership Brokers reported they were ‘very effective’ or ‘extremely effective’ in addressing their top regional priority for 2010. Among the most commonly reported priorities were:

Increasing Indigenous engagement and attainment.

Addressing regional or industry specific skills shortages.

Minimising the impact of mental health, drug abuse and homelessness issues on retention and attainment.

Enhancing parental and family engagement.

Improving regional and remote service delivery.

Engaging and improving outcomes for humanitarian refugees and culturally and linguistically diverse young people.

Improving literacy and numeracy levels across all age groups

Supporting youth mentoring arrangements.

Collaboration between Partnership Brokers and Youth Connections providers An important feature of the Partnership Brokers and Youth Connections programs is the requirement for providers to work together to identify and address the needs of their region. In some regions, providers are working well together and progressing partnership arrangements to improve support services, however, the level of collaboration in other regions is variable. In regions where collaboration has been limited, Youth Connections providers appear to have concentrated on delivery of case management services and Partnership Brokers have focused on stakeholder engagement and partnership development more broadly.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Context Western Australia’s (WA’s) strong economic position is largely driven by resources projects and sound global commodity prices. The WA labour market has rebounded strongly after the Global Financial Crisis, with an unemployment rate around 4.9%. The WA Department of Education (DoE) was under some budgetary pressure during 2010 and at the same time embarked on two significant but related reforms. The first is a continued push for Independent Public Schools, whereby WA public schools can obtain greater autonomy from DoE with a view to fostering greater parent and community involvement. The other major change has been the dismantling of the District Office structure. Many positions in District Offices have been redeployed to schools. The 14 Districts have formed into eight Regions, each with a single Executive Director. The Executive Director sits on the DoE Corporate Executive and provides broad direction for public schools. The school principals within each region are expected to work collaboratively with each other in network formations. These changes have had some impact on the deployment of District Office based positions that particularly impact on youth attainment and transition outcomes, such as Enterprise and Vocational Education Coordinators and Participation Managers and Coordinators.

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Program status By April 2011, there were over 170 active and self-sustaining partnerships associated with Partnership Brokers in Western Australia involving approximately 950 partner organisations. These partnerships are undertaking a range of activity to support the learning and development of young people in their community. Approximately 30 per cent of these partnerships have an Indigenous focus. There have been approximately 610 Outcomes Framework Key Performance Measure (KPM) evaluations with around 170 (28%) of those evaluations rating the partnership’s progress as ‘Considerable’ or ‘Achieved’. Challenges While the information above indicates significant progress, individual providers and the program have also faced many of the challenges outlined in the National Summary above. In addition, the low level of unemployment means that there are increased opportunities for young people to obtain employment without completing Year 12 and/or its vocational equivalent, contrary to the goals of Youth Attainment and Transitions National Partnership. While this presents a challenge for the Partnership Brokers program, there are also opportunities to engage industry in partnerships that improve the capacity of young people to undertake employment in areas of skills shortage. The DoE budget pressures and reforms have impacted on Partnership Brokers’ ability to maintain District Office and public school engagement in the youth attainment and transitions agenda. The labour market also has implications for program providers’ and stakeholders’ ability to recruit and retain suitable staff. This is particularly evident in regional and remote areas of WA where high housing costs and wages are combined with relatively poor physical and social infrastructure.

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Figure 6: Number of Organisations in Partnerships by Stakeholder Group.

Table A – Number of Organisations in Partnerships by Stakeholder Group (as at 12 April 2011)

This table shows the stakeholder groups represented in partnerships added during the selected reporting period.

Note: this data includes organisations in partnerships with status active, self-sustaining, draft, inactive and terminated. National figures do not include Victoria.

Stakeholder Group State (WA) National

Total % of Total Total % of Total

Business & Industry 304 32% 2475 29%

Community 273 29% 2297 27%

Education 344 36% 3741 43%

Parents and Families 31 3% 127 1%

Total 952 100% 8640 100%

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Figure 7: Key Performance Measure Evaluation Ratings.

Table B – Key Performance Measure (KPM) Evaluation Ratings (WA) (data as at 12 April)

This table shows the number of times each KPM evaluation value (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) has been selected, based on the latest evaluation rating recorded in the system (YATMIS). KPMs map to one of four program outcomes. Each evaluation value corresponds to a descriptor of the progress a partnership has made against a particular KPM. The values and their corresponding descriptors are outlined below:

Key: 1 = Limited Progress; 2 = Some Progress; 3 = Satisfactory Progress; 4 = Considerable Progress; 5 = Achieved

The data above shows that:

Providers reported 28% of partnerships that have been evaluated have achieved or made considerable progress against this outcome.

Providers reported 48% of partnerships that have been evaluated have made limited or some progress against this outcome.

There are 55 partnerships (32% of the total number of partnerships in WA) that have made progress towards increasing ‘the number of businesses providing quality workplace and community learning opportunities for young people’. Providers reported that 33% of these partnerships have achieved or made considerable progress against this KPM

Outcome Total KPM

Evaluations 1 2 3 4 5

Education and training providers partnering with stakeholders in their community to ensure all young people participate in challenging, relevant and engaging learning that broadens personal aspirations and improves education and transition outcomes.

172 24

(14%) 34

(20%) 53

(31%) 32

(19%) 29

(17%)

The following KPMs contribute to this outcome:

An increase in the number of education and training providers who accredit community-based learning

13 23% 23% 23% 23% 8%

An increase in the number of education and training providers who have increased opportunities for young people to access trained mentors

30 13% 23% 30% 13% 20%

An increase in the number of education and training providers who have increased their career practitioner capacity

24 17% 17% 46% 17% 4%

Opportunities for meaningful learning as a result of education and training providers partnering with other stakeholders

105 12% 19% 29% 20% 20%

The data above shows that:

Providers reported 36% of partnerships that have been evaluated have achieved or made considerable progress against this outcome.

Providers reported 34% of partnerships that have been evaluated have made limited or some progress against this outcome.

There are 105 partnerships (62% of the total number of partnerships in WA) that have made progress towards providing ‘opportunities for meaningful learning as a result of education and training providers partnering with other stakeholders’. Providers reported that 40% of these partnerships have achieved or made considerable progress against this KPM.

Outcome Total KPM

Evaluations 1 2 3 4 5

Business and industry actively engaged in sustainable partnerships that support the development of young people, contribute to the skills and knowledge of the future workforce and improve young people’s education and transition outcomes.

97 24

(25%) 22

(23%) 24

(25%) 17

(18%) 10

(10%)

The following KPMs contribute to this outcome:

An increase in the number of businesses providing mentoring/coaching opportunities for young people

27 19% 33% 26% 15% 7%

An increase in the number of businesses providing professional development opportunities for teachers and career practitioners

15 40% 20% 20% 20% 0%

An increase in the number of businesses providing quality workplace and community learning opportunities for young people

55 24% 18% 25% 18% 15%

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30

In many cases, progress against Parent and Family KPMs has been achieved through partnerships that do not include parent or family groups as members. While there are some partnerships that do involve parent and family groups, these groups represent only one per cent of the total number of organisations in partnerships.

Outcome Total KPM

Evaluations 1 2 3 4 5

Partnerships that support parents and families to provide an informed and supportive environment for all young people to enable lifelong learning and career and pathway planning, and improve their education and transition outcomes.

30

119 45

(38%) 26

(22%) 35

(29%) 10

(8%) 3

(3%)

The following KPMs contribute to this outcome: An increase in the number of parents and families that are actively engaged in supporting learning inside and outside the classroom

18 39% 6% 39% 11% 6%

An increase in the number of parents and families that are actively involved in career transition planning for their children

14 29% 36% 36% 0% 0%

An increase in the number of parents and families that are better informed about learning and career options

33 42% 21% 30% 6% 0%

An increase in the number of parents and families that are confident to interact with education and training providers, employers and community groups to support participation and engagement of their children

27 33% 30% 22% 11% 4%

An increase in the number of parents and families that have improved understanding of the link between learning and career aspirations

27 41% 19% 26% 11% 4%

The data above shows that:

Providers reported 11% of partnerships that have been evaluated have achieved or made considerable progress against this outcome.

Providers reported 60% of partnerships that have been evaluated have made limited or some progress against this outcome.

There are 33 partnerships (19% of the total number of partnerships in WA) that have made progress towards providing ‘an increase in the number of parents and families that are better informed about learning and career options’. Providers reported that 6% of these partnerships have achieved or made considerable progress against this KPM.

Outcome Total KPM

Evaluations 1 2 3 4 5

Community groups participating in partnerships that harness resources and build social capital to support young people to identify and achieve their goals and improve their education and transition outcomes.

228 43

(19%) 64

(28%) 49

(21%) 49

(21%) 23

(10%)

The following KPMs contribute to this outcome:

An increase in the number of community groups that partner with stakeholders to align services for young people and reduce service duplication and resource wastage

25 24% 28% 24% 20% 4%

An increase in the number of community groups that partner with stakeholders to build networks and linkages among agencies to support young people

54 17% 24% 19% 24% 17%

An increase in the number of community groups that partner with stakeholders to harness and grow community resources for young people

34 15% 41% 18% 21% 6%

An increase in the number of community groups that partner with stakeholders to identify and respond to emerging trends and skill needs with reference to young people

28 21% 18% 29% 25% 7%

An increase in the number of community groups that partner with stakeholders to improve young people's employability and life skills

42 24% 26% 17% 24% 10%

An increase in the number of community groups that partner with stakeholders to provide mentoring and coaching opportunities for young people

20 10% 40% 30% 10% 10%

An increase in the number of community groups that partner with stakeholders to provide young people with opportunities to connect with the community

25 20% 24% 24% 20% 12%

Total KPM

Evaluations 1 2 3 4 5

Overall Total 616 136 146 161 108 65

The data above shows that:

Providers reported 31% of partnerships that have been evaluated have achieved or made considerable progress against this outcome.

Providers reported 47% of partnerships that have been evaluated have made limited or some progress against this outcome.

There are 54 partnerships (32% of the total number of partnerships in WA) that have made progress towards providing ‘an increase in the number of community groups that partner with stakeholders to build networks and linkages among agencies to support young people’. Providers reported that 41% of these partnerships have achieved or made considerable progress against this KPM.

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