Welcome to our webpage dedicated to Realising Australia's Commitment to Young People, a major study examining the benefits of providing every young person with guaranteed access to 12 years of learning and access to decent work.

In addition you will find other tools and materials including:

•  A policy paper, Honouring our Commitment
•  A report on focus groups with young people about their views on accessing learning and work
•  A report on transition workers in 17 Victorian schools working one on one with young people thinking about leaving school early or who have actually left
•  Five fact sheets on key issues including the importance of 12 years of learning and how Australia compares to other countries
•  The perspective from the business sector on these issues, in a speech by Katie Lahey, CEO of the Business Council.
•  Previous reports on the importance of a national youth commitment
•  Links to other sites where the commitment has been outlined where examples of good practice are available.

We hope these materials will be useful in advocacy and research, improved practice and thinking about these issues.

We welcome your feedback and comments, and ways you might be able to assist in achieving the national commitment to young people. Please contact us via email or directly on 02 9212 5800.


Transition Workers - their role and effectiveness


FAMILIARITY PRODUCES TRUST
The Role and Effectiveness of Transition Workers

For the past few years transition workers have been providing intensive one to one support for early leavers in 17 seventeen Victorian schools. Peter Kellock reports on progress so far.

Peter Kellock, November 2002


Download Report 228K PDF, 23 pages

Youth Focus Groups


REPORT WITH YOUTH FOCUS GROUPS
with regard to Realising Australia's Commitment to Young People

What do young people think about their education and training options? Do they feel they have a right to 12 years of learning and access to decent work? Eleanor Marsh and Fiona Macdonald from ATEC report on focus groups with 37 young people.

Eleanor Marsh and Fiona Macdonald - ATEC & Dusseldorp Skills Forum, November 2002


Download Report 228K PDF, 30 pages


The Cost of Dropping Out Before Year 12


BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA
29 JAN 2003

Research commissioned by the Business Council of Australia (BCA) has found that without concerted action, at least 80,000 young Australians over the next decade are likely to leave school early and face long-term unemployment.

BCA Chief Executive, Ms Katie Lahey, said the figures not only represented a lifetime of social and economic hardship for many individuals who struggle to find permanent work because they do not complete Year 12 or equivalent, but also a major cost to Australia's overall economy.

Read News Article as an introduction

Go to the BCA website for Full Report
(look for "The Cost of Dropping Out Reports" which is under "BCA Latest")

Education a National Priority


A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE ON EFFECTIVE EDUCATION AND TRAINING (Speech)

Katie Lahey, Chief Executive - Business Council of Australia, 20 November 2002


Download Speech 96K PDF, 3 pages




 
Honouring Our Commitment


A POLICY PAPER about Realising Australia's Commitment to Young People

What is Australia's learning and work commitment to young people? What works to raise the educational participation of young people and improve their employment prospects? What will it take to make Australia's learning and work commitment to youth a reality?

Dusseldorp Skills Forum, November 2002

Download Report 220K PDF, 15 pages


Realising Australia's Commitment to Young People


SCOPE, BENEFITS, COST, EVALUATION & IMPLEMENTATION

What is the scope of Australia's learning and work commitment to young people? What is the level of investment required to achieve it? Who will benefit and by how much? How can it be delivered?

Applied Economics, November 2002

Download Report 872K PDF, 76 pages


Media on these Reports


MORE MONEY FOR HSC: it could save us millions
Adele Horin - Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, 20 November 2002
Read Article on SMH website

'BIG RETURN' ON STUDENT INVESTMENT
Caroline Gammell - The Australian, 20 November 2002

EDUCATION & YOUNG PEOPLE: A cost-benefit analysis
Life Matters - ABC Radio National 20 November 2002
Read Summary on ABC website

 

FactSheet 1

Are we placing too much emphasis on learning?

Download 88K PDF, 1 page

FactSheet 2

How does Australia compare?

Download 112K PDF, 1 page

FactSheet 3

Does 12 years of worthwhile learning matter?

Download 120K PDF, 2 pages

FactSheet 4

What are some of the things that have been said about a learning and work commitment?

Download 124K PDF, 3 pages

FactSheet 5

What are transition workers and what difference can they make?

Download 144K PDF, 5 pages
 
Take Action


Find out more about how you can lobby Government to try this proposal.

 

Tell us what you think


Email us at info@dsf.org.au

We may make your response public so please tell us if you do not want it made public or wish to remain anonymous.



Why we need one


WHY AUSTRALIA NEEDS A NATIONAL YOUTH COMMITMENT

Dr John Spierings, October 1999

Download Report 64K PDF

Good practice


THE NATIONAL YOUTH COMMITMENT

Guaranteed access for young people to obtain Year 12 or its equivalent, or a full time job linked to training.

ECEF & Dusseldorp Skills Forum, 1999 – present


Go to this Website


LINK: Eldridge Report


FOOTPRINTS TO THE FUTURE

The report from the Prime Minister's Youth Pathways Action Plan Taskforce

Captain David Eldridge, January 2001

Go to Report's Website

LINK: Joint Declaration


STEPPING FORWARD - Improving Pathways For All Young People

A Joint Declaration by Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers for Education, Training, Employment, Youth & Corrective Services, July 2001


Go to Report's Website


         
Please click here if you are experiencing problems downloading or viewing these documents.
Home > Realising Package

Gray line
Dusseldorp Skills Forum

Suite 6, 13-15 Smail Street, Ultimo NSW 2007, Australia    phone: (02) 9212 5800   fax: (02) 9212 1533