Connections
Connections aims to assist young people who have left mainstream schooling to re-engage with education in a supportive environment and provide them with the ability to participate in further education, training or work. Nationally, there are 60 Connections service providers and each year around 3,000 young people between 13 and 19 years of age are supported to make a successful transition.
Under Connections, eligible young people will:
- receive accredited education and training on a full-time basis in a supportive and flexible community environment; or undertake appropriate short courses on a part-time basis, and undertake learning and educational activities which will provide them with the ability to participate in further education, training or work;
- helped to develop career/life management skills and employability skills; and
- be provided with personal support to help overcome their barriers during their time in the program, on exit and for at least three months after they have left.
Eligibility
To be eligible to enrol in the program a young person must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident between the ages of 13 to 19 years who:
- 1. a) is enrolled in school but has not attended for more than three consecutive months in the past school year; or
b) has not been enrolled in school for at least three months;
and
- 2. is not engaged in education, training or full-time work; and
- 3. has not completed Year 12 or its vocational equivalent; and
- 4. faces substantial barriers to re-engaging with education; and
- 5. requires intensive educational assistance in a supportive and flexible environment in order to re-engage with mainstream education, training or work.
Further information is available at the Connections website.
Connections assists young people to re-engage in education by providing alternative, supported and flexible education either in a supportive community environment, or by partnering with other educational organisations such as TAFE. Accredited education is delivered by appropriately qualified educators either at the Connections location, or the young people can attend other education and training institutions such as TAFE.
Through Connections young people also receive assistance to overcome their barriers and receive social and life skills training, career support and advice, and appropriate referral services such as to accommodation services, drug and alcohol counselling and health referrals.
Connections services operate in locations and settings in which young people feel comfortable, typically in a community youth centre or community house.
Connections is underpinned by community partnerships which are a crucial factor in ensuring community organisations and agencies work together to provide an integrated and holistic approach to supporting disconnected young people in their region.
Participation in Connections can be in either a full-time or part-time capacity depending on the degree of disconnection and severity of the barriers experienced by the young person. Full time participation is deemed as a minimum of 15 hours a week for four months, or if an educational outcome is achieved, a shorter timeframe is accepted. Part time participation is for a minimum of 50 hours. Education and personal support are requirements for both full-time and part-time participation in Connections.
How Connections works and how parents can help
Connections gives participating young people help that is directed at their specific needs by using a three-phase program of assessment, assistance and ongoing support and guidance.
During the assessment phase, Connections providers establish whether the young person is eligible for the program and consults with them to identify their barriers, needs and strengths. The next stage, as part of Connections participation is to develop a Transition Plan with the guidance of their provider which assists them to overcome their barriers and develop and implement strategies to meet their goals.
Connections participants also receive individualised case management and intensive support during their participation. They also receive ongoing support and guidance after leaving Connections to make sure they stay on track and continue to receive the support and guidance they need.
Parents can help
Parents can help by supporting their child’s participation in Connections. Support may be varied - it could be helpful to show an interest in the Transition Plan and offer assistance to get some of the things done. On the other hand, it may be best to give the young person some space to work through their plan themselves. In any case, it is very beneficial to encourage them to work at the things that need doing, and praise them for those things that are achieved. Of course, parents can only be involved with their child’s permission.
Research indicates that parents are one of the most commonly consulted and influential sources of career information and advice for their children. It’s not unusual to feel overwhelmed by this responsibility. There are a lot of new and different opportunities open to today’s young people and it can be hard to stay on top of this information.
Accessing Connections
At-risk young people can be referred to Connections in a number of ways. They may self refer to the program or be referred by parents or carers, Centrelink, or from the broader community through youth organisations, health professionals, police, or welfare organisations.
The best way to find out if Connections is the right choice is to talk to the provider in your area.
Further information is available at the Connections website.