[Sub ID 4740] Holistic employment pathways for young parents (The Smith Family)

Submission ID: 4740
Organisation name: The Smith Family

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?
Our experience in working to support young people to stay engaged in education shows that young parents who have exited education before completing year 12 (and often year 10), often lack confidence in their own capacity to return to and complete an educational qualification. Issues of isolation and lack of structured support mean that retention which results in difficulties in sticking with education.

What is your idea?
A place based program targeting young parents parents and carers who have left school early, usually not having completed year 10, on their “own patch” and supports them to gain formal educational recognition for the significant informal learning that they undertake as they participate in the early phases of their own child’s education at a childcare centre, a kindergarten or community centre.

A Learning Coordinator would assist parents to document attendance at learning or training, collect evidence of their learning and training, map the competencies gained in these activities in order to submit a portfolio for recognition of their learning toward a formal certificate course (currently Community Service or Childcare). The coordinator also assists parents to enrol at their local Technical and Further Education Institution which is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).

Component 2 is a digital mobile education app which includes the following features Push notifications of relevant events, volunteering and work opportunities in your area; An expert-curated life hacks and advocacy forum; inspirational content and resources that is unlocked through gamification.

This would be supported by a moderated online community providing peer to peer advice and support as well as access to reliable parenting information. Over time, an alumni of parents who had successfully achieved a qualification would be more formally engaged as peers.