[Sub ID 4783] Supported volunteering placements for young students (Eastern Volunteers)

Submission ID: 4783
Organisation name: Eastern Volunteers
Contact name: Ms Vivienne Cunningham-Smith
State: VIC
Contact email: Viv.Cunningham-Smith@easternvolunteers.org.au

Which priority group of the Try, Test and Learn Fund does your idea support?
Young students at risk of long-term unemployment

What need or issue are you trying to address?
The idea is to provide young students at risk of long term unemployment with hands on experience through supported volunteering placement to supplement their education and training. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has indicated that young people whose parents are not in work have lower labour force participation rates and higher unemployment rates than young people with at least one parent at work.

Lucas Walsh Monash University identified that-time and time again young people are telling us that they want more hands-on learning and practical experience. They want to connect their learning to life. Opportunities for practical experience outside the classroom or lecture theatre are by no means abundant and the ways we try to get young people into work need closer examination.

What is your idea?
The idea is to link young students at risk but currently in education to volunteering opportunities which are integrated with their studies and build work skills and experience. Through the local volunteer support services colleges/high schools and RTOs will partner to provide an integrated curriculum of vocational training and volunteering to embed patterns and structure of work in young people’s lives and provide that practical experience. VSS’s will match young people in volunteering positions locally that both match their aspirations for work and their current studies.

In this way, the young people can try their chosen areas of work interest, experience it in ways which assist them to understand their in school learning and expose them to potential work opportunities through development of their networks locally. Eastern Volunteers will partner with Cire services Community College and Cire Services RTO to design an integrated education volunteering program which links to local business / market employment needs and opportunities. This program will then be opened to other colleges and RTOs in the region and to their parents if unemployed.