Area Taskforce Tasmania

By James Broad, Teacher, Claremont College | At the moment we have been working with the Young Mum’s Group which meets every Wednesday at the Derwent Valley Community Centre at New Norfolk.

This programme commenced mid-February. It is designed for young women in the 16 to 23 age group who have very young children and who want to continue with their education.

However, soon we will be moving this programme to Friday afternoon and bringing in more New Norfolk residents who have responded to the advertisement in the Derwent Valley Community Centre’s newsletter.

People who have responded come from a range of backgrounds, including unemployed people and residents with a first language other than English. We will however still provide occasional coffee making to young mothers to maintain and develop the skills they have acquired.

By mid-year we plan to be working with New Norfolk High School which runs a programme which helps at risk girls from the school. We see that helping these students develop café as well as social skills may help keep these students engaged in the school system. After this we still envisage taking the coffee machine and this programme to the PCYC in Bridgewater.

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We have received a terrific response to the second round of Innovative Grants to ‘Optimise the three extra weeks in Year 10′.

These will now be considered over the next few weeks with results announced later in May.

Pip Hankin [left], Coordinator of Huon Linc and Kim Boyer, Chair of the Southern Area Taskforce outside the Huon Linc facility in Huonville.

Kim Boyer and Gerry White [Project Manager] visited Pip to look round the Centre and discuss the potential for jointly working on an Educational Champions program focusing on the Huon region.

This has the potential to be a really valuable project later in the year. And the bonus for the visitors was choosing such a great, sunny, autumnal morning in the beautiful Huon Valley. 

Notes for Applicants

Innovative Grants – Round 2
Optimise the extra 3 weeks for Grade 10 students

The Southern Area Task Force, sponsored by the Southern Tasmanian Councils Authority, is a group representing young people, business, community organizations, parents, unions, local and state government which has been established under the State Government’s Guaranteeing Futures initiative to assist in improving the transition of young people from school to work, training or further education.

This year in Tasmania, schooling for Grade 10 students is to be extended by three weeks. The Taskforce is looking for innovative proposals aimed at creating and enhancing opportunities for Grade 10 students to benefit from all or part of this additional time to improve their transition to further study and employment in the future.

We are looking for proposals which demonstrate a strong partnership or collaboration between schools, and other organisations. This may be with an individual business or group of businesses, an industry organisation, community group[s], not for profit organisations, local government or with other levels of government.

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Wanted — some new ideas about making Year 10 at school more helpful for students in their transition to tertiary education training or work!

This year most Year 10 students will spend an additional three weeks at school .

The Southern Area Taskforce, sponsored by the Southern Tasmanian Councils Authority (STCA), is calling for innovative proposals for grants to develop and implement local collaborative projects aimed at enhancing opportunities for young people to benefit from the extra three weeks at Year 10.

The Task Force, established under the Education Department’s Guaranteeing Futures initiative, and comprising young people, community members, business people and local and state government, is looking for projects identified by schools working together with other partners such as local government, local businesses, training bodies and community organisations.

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Issues and Strategies 2008 include:

Accommodation

Oversight of the pilot homestay trial at Hobart and Rosny Colleges, and follow-up with long-term strategies which are transferable and sustainable.

Co-ordinate accommodation forum and follow-up.

Transport

Assess the implementation and impact of the Core Passenger Review on our target group and make recommendations for changes as required.

Continue working on issues of driver education, car pooling and community transport to increase opportunities for young people in transition to have a wider range of service options.

Participate in the STCA transport initiative.

Parents/schools/post-school options and young people in transition

Monitor the rollout of Tasmania Tomorrow, including participation on key decision-making bodies, and lobby on behalf of young people having the widest options for work/study/training pathways as is feasible.

Explore implementation of the Brotherhood of St Laurence parent project with Scope through community-based pilots.

Implement a partnership-based innovative grants program aimed at increasing positive transition potential for Year 10s in their extra 3 school weeks.

Run a film/video/media award for students at Years 10,11 and 12 (or TAFE equivalents) which enhances understanding at a system level on transition issues as seen through the eyes of students; obtain funding support for this award.

Develop the concept of ‘education champions’ and trial in identified rural communities.

Work with UTas/DoE/TQA on a potential baseline study of post school choices of young Tasmanians to better inform policy and to underpin evaluation of Tasmania Tomorrow.

Analyse and advocate for the broadening of qualification options, such as a Tasmanian equivalent of VCAL.

Explore with key industry and education/training partners transition and skills planning in hospitality and tourism.

Oversight the 2007 innovative grants (Glenora careers café and careers podcasting) and assess options for transferability and sustainability.

Government support programs

Finalise information paper of Federal and State subsidies and concessions for young people in transition, including feedback from young people.

Analyse duplication and gaps, and prepare a lobbying strategy.

Continue to provide input to the State Concessions Review, including its dependence on the Youth Allowance.

Young people at risk

Work with DoE and DHHS (Youth Justice) on how the Task Force can most effectively support their work with young people at risk.

Oversight the 2007 innovative grants (Claremont hospitality outreach, New Norfolk Leading Edge) for potential transferability and sustainability.

For further information:

Gerry White, Project Manager, Mobile: 0438 059 237; Click to email