South Australia

National Youth Participation Requirement

• In January 2009 the Compulsory Education Age legislation took effect in South Australia. This legislation requires all young people between the ages of 16 and 17 to participate full time in an ‘approved learning program’ which is education or training delivered through a school, university or registered training organisation, an apprenticeship or traineeship, or a combination of these. The school leaving age is unchanged by the Compulsory Education Age legislation and remains at 16.
• Exemption policies exist for each schooling sector.
• Where a young person has achieved a South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) or other qualification under an approved learning program, they are not required to continue to participate past the age of 16. For vocational education qualifications, Certificate II is considered a sufficient equivalent, as it provides a defined qualification which leads into further vocational education, such as Certificate III, delivered by a registered training provider.

Education/training entitlement for 15 to 24 year olds

• In South Australia the entitlement is known as the ‘Youth Compact’ and is implemented by the Department of Education and Children’s Services (DECS) and the Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology (DFEEST):
• 15 or 16 year olds enrol in a DECS school to access the Youth Compact entitlement.
• 17 or 18 year olds have a choice of enrolling in a school to activate the Youth Compact entitlement, or enrolling in TAFESA course to access a government-subsidised training place.
• 19 to 24 year olds enrol in a TAFE to access training. These students can enrol in a DECS school (usually adult re-entry) to access their funded education place.
• The current focus of the Youth Compact is young people within the targeted age group of
  15 to 18 years old, who are not engaged in education, training or work.
• The South Australian education system offers a range of flexible learning arrangements and environments including part time study, combinations of work and part-time study towards their SACE, adult re-entry schools, flexible learning centres and an expanded capacity to commence VET qualifications as part of the revamped SACE. The new SACE commenced for Year 10 students in 2009 and enables South Australians to achieve a senior secondary certificate that includes a greater proportion of VET than has been possible before. This flexibility enables young South Australians to access a significant proportion of their VET through a school enrolment.
• Each Youth Compact student participates in the development of a customised Individual Youth Compact Education/Training Plan process that identifies the young person’s career aspirations and the education/training needed to achieve those goals. The Plan could  include purchase of Vocational Education and Training (VET) using funds provided for each student’s learning program and set out how this VET learning will, where possible, form part of a SACE program.
• Schools are responsible for pastoral care arrangements for Youth Compact students who enrol in a school.
• The South Australian Youth Compact is designed to work together with ICAN Flexible Learning Options (FLO) enrolments, Trade School for the Future options (School Based Apprenticeships), and Youth Connections.
• The Learning Works help line provides information and assistance to young people – phone 1800 506 266 or email learningworks@saugov.sa.gov.au 
  
• Youth Compact Liaison Officers in the Department of Education and Children’s Services are also available to support young people who are between the ages of 15 and 17. Contact (08) 8226 1162 or (08) 8226 4368 during business hours.