[Sub ID 4567] Recognising young carer employability skills (APM)

Submission ID: 4567
Organisation name: APM
Contact name: Mr Adrian Bradley
State: ACT
Contact email: adrian.bradley@apm.net.au
Contact number: 0419823659

Which priority group of the Try, Test and Learn Fund does your idea support?
Young carers

What need or issue are you trying to address?
Young carers shoulder heavy family responsibilities because of a range of social issues. They help and assist family members who have an illness, a disability, mental illness or drug/alcohol problems.

Young carers often report that caring can be a very positive experience. They often feel closer to their families, develop new skills and experiences and feel good about caring for someone they care about.

This caring role, however, means they are prevented from pursuing educational and employment opportunities and miss out on opportunities to advance their working careers. They risk becoming locked into long term welfare dependency.

As a result, however, of years of caring many young carers have developed strong organisational skills, but may not have basic work competency skills (computer proficiency, etc). They also lack access to career guidance, coaching and mentoring.

The Minister of Social Services, Christian Porter, said at the launch of Try Test and Learn fund at the National Press Club (September 2016) that 11,200 people were on a young carers payment at that “at any given point over the next 70 years, a minimum of 40% will in the welfare system”.

Minister Porter said that up to 1,800 would never escape the welfare system.

What is your idea?
Harness existing Government training programs and provide additional supported pre-certificate level/employability training, potentially including Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for further certificate courses, career guidance, coaching and mentoring, as well as on-going employment support that recognises the range of organisational skills young carers have acquired through their caring roles.

It is a multi-pronged approach to the barriers faced by young carers with each partner using their skillsets, background and expertise to deliver a successful employment outcome.