[Sub ID 4647] Project Embark including “Bubbaknows” app (Melton City Council)

Submission ID: 4647
Organisation name: Melton City Council
Contact name: Ms Rose Jelinic
State: VIC
Contact email: Roseg@melton.vic.gov.au
Contact number: 0397475373

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

What need or issue are you trying to address?
Melton Youth Services has been delivering to the 12-25 cohort since 1978, Over this time The demographic of Melton has changed especially pertaining to disengaged young parents. The recently published Victoria Women’s health Atlas found, for every 1000 women who gave birth in Melton last year, almost 13 were teenagers; 40% higher that the western metropolitan average.

According to 2011 Census City of Melton residents were almost 50% less likely to have a university qualification than the Greater Melbourne average.

In Metropolitan Melbourne females aged 20 -24 years with no children have a disengagement rate of 7 %, lower than males at 9% in the same age group. However women aged 20 – 24 years with one or more children have a high disengagement rate at 59%.

Therefore higher percentage rates for disengaged females aged 20 – 24 years in Melton is probably due to the females having one or more children. (Census 2011).

In 2014, there were 433 single parents aged 15 to 24 years receiving the Parenting Payment Single compared with inner metropolitan areas such as Maribyrnong and Moonee Valley where the numbers were so low, they are not publicly provided to protect the privacy of individuals. (DHS August 2014).

What is your idea?
Project Embark is designed to assist Young parents 15-25 years old to maintain, or inaugurate into Education, Employment and Training (EET) pathways. With the support from a coach, young parents will identify and develop positive social and digital connections, whilst developing strategies to overcome and understand personal barriers that threaten the sustainability of future employment.

Participants will drive the development and implementation of individualised support plans to assist with their transition into EET pathways. Through addressing mutually identified issues and supporting educational/ training pathways participants will reduce dependency on Government allowances while increasing their capacity to develop independent incomes via increased employment opportunities.

Participants will access appropriate learning spaces with parenting and child support services provided. Participants will also be involved in the development, implementation of a mobile phone application “Bubbaknows”. “Bubbaknows” is a social directory where parents will be provided with information on family friendly services, life skills tips, educational and employment options. Additionally, participants will be able to comment, rate services and link with other young parents for peer support. It is hoped that the information provided on this app will assist in the sustainability of educational pathways for engaged young participants.