To help young people move successfully through the Senior Phase of Learning, the Queensland Government is providing more personal and career support.
The Youth Support Coordinator Initiative is an early intervention and prevention program aimed at preventing premature withdrawal from formal education and training and is a collaborative effort between the Department of Communities 
and Education Queensland.
In 2003 the initiative was broadened to include non-government schools and TAFEs to assist young people transit through to, and complete their senior phase of learning as a part of the Future Directions and Education Training Reforms for the Future initiatives.
Following recent expansions to the initiative in 2005, there are now 113 Youth Support Coordinator positions funded across Queensland.
The initiative aims to establish collaborative relationships between schools, TAFEs and community services to enable better responses to the needs of young people experiencing personal or family difficulties. Youth Support Coordinators work directly with individual young people and their families as well within schools and TAFEs and with the wider community.
In October 2003, the Queensland Government announced a $5.5 million funding package for schools, TAFE Institutes and agricultural colleges to improve coordination of their vocational education and training programs and provide enhanced career counselling for students.
The Access to Pathways grants program provides funding for initiatives that improve participation, retention and attainment for 15- to 17-year-olds at risk of disengaging from learning.
These local initiatives, identified through DYAPs, provide more options and flexibility for young people in the senior phase of learning.
Through the development of DYAPs, schools, TAFE institutes, industry and the community are working together to find new ways of delivering education and training, and new ways to pool resources.
Access to Pathways provides funding of $5.25 million per year for three years. This funding can be provided on a triennial basis so that initiatives can be strategically focused to meet long-term local priorities.
Access to Pathways application guidelines and templates:
The Flexible Learning Service program provides funding to regions to purchase education and training services that help re-engage 15- to 17-year-olds who, by choice or circumstance, are no longer learning.
Funding of $2 million per year over 4 years will be available.
This program builds on the success of the Central Purchasing Trial, which identified a number of key features critical to achieving positive outcomes for disengaged young people. In particular, the trial identified that:
Flexible Learning Services application guidelines and templates:
The Queensland Community Mentoring Program was established in November 2004 to build a sustainable mentoring capacity throughout Queensland.
The program aims to improve participation, retention and attainment in learning for 14 to 17 year olds. Mentors, who are typically experienced people from the community with local knowledge, expertise and standing, volunteer to work with young people at risk of not achieving.
Job Futures Ltd, a national organisation with significant experience as a provider of employment, training and support services, is delivering the program. Under the program, Job Futures is identifying partner agencies with the experience, capacity and commitment to play a leadership role in co-ordinating projects at a local level.
To find out more about the mentoring program contact Ken Boyne, Strategic Implementation Branch on 3237 0493.
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© The State of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and the Arts) 2004.