The following is an excerpt from a discussion paper
by Dr John Spierings
email: john@dsf.org.au

October 1999

Rationale
Australia is one of the few countries in the OECD where school retention declined during the 1990s. Currently there are more than 190,000 teenagers who are neither in full-time work or full-time education. This is occurring at a time when education and training is becoming a lifelong, on-going process and when, in terms of employment, value is being placed on the development of personal and intellectual skills — the so-called ‘soft skills’ like clear thinking, problem solving and relationship-building.

The foundation skills required to enhance the capacity of individuals to learn and to participate successfully in work over a lifetime are best acquired through formal education and/or through structured workplace learning to Year 12. Young people leaving school before completing Year 12 face long-term disadvantages, either in terms of unemployment, lower incomes, or face other risks to their well-being. The overall cost to individuals, governments and the rest of society due to the disadvantages of higher unemployment, lower incomes and other costs arising from early school leaving in Australia is estimated at $2.6 billion every year.

In the ‘new economy’ labour market and social environment of this decade the transition to adulthood and economic independence is becoming increasingly complex. New forms of integrated social assistance are required to enable young people, especially early school leavers, to navigate their way through labour markets and education and training systems. This effort needs to focus on encouraging early school leavers to stay on at school, and to support them in the world outside school if they choose to leave.

The Youth Commitment builds on the benefits of combined effort and the values of collaboration to guarantee that all young people have the opportunity to develop the basic skills and capacities to cope with the demands of the modern labour marketplace. The Youth Commitment process is a preventative strategy centred around the learning and work circumstances of young people. It provides a clear initial focus of energy, a common framework for action and a collective means of developing the life skills and active citizenship over time of each young person in local communities.

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A National Youth Commitment: Key Goals
A National Youth Commitment will provide guaranteed access for all young people with particular support for early school leavers or those facing other disadvantages, to:

• Complete Year 12 either at school or another recognised provider; or
• Obtain an education or training qualification that is at an equivalent level such as a TAFE certificate or apprenticeship; or
• Obtain a full-time job that is linked to education or training

This is the equivalent of the existing minimum level of at least two years full-time education in the post-compulsory years.

A National Youth Commitment, through ensuring access to these education, training and employment opportunities, will provide the basis for all young people to become positively engaged in society as active citizens.

The goals of the National Youth Commitment will be delivered locally through umbrella regional Community Partnerships, drawing on existing resources, and presenting a powerful case for additional Commonwealth and State Government investment in the future of young people.

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A Regional Youth Commitment: Key Features
What are the key features of a regional initiative required to achieve these national goals?

Critical to the success of the youth commitment concept is the establishment of a community partnership which brings together key stakeholders including schools, training providers, employers, labour market agencies, youth services and local government. This partnership needs to have identified the clear regional boundaries within which it will operate.

As a guide to collaboration between community stakeholders, the following principles are recommended: