Existing Program Arrangements

Arrangements for existing youth, career and transition programs

The following youth, career and transition programs, currently funded by the Australian Government, will be consolidated under new program arrangements:

Youthlinx
Mentor Market place
Career Advice Australia (CAA) initiative:
Youth Pathways
Connections
Local Community Partnership Network
Regional Industry Career Adviser Network
National Industry Career Specialist Network.

The services delivered by the above programs will cease in 2009 and DEEWR recognises that providers will face challenges in maintaining services in the final months of the year. DEEWR will work with providers to achieve the best possible outcomes for young people and a smooth transition to new program arrangements.

Existing obligations and end of program requirements

At the information forums held in June, providers had a number of questions about existing obligations and end of program requirements. From July, DEEWR will release program specific advice for existing providers on a range of topics, including:

staff issues/turnover and the impact on provider’s capacity to deliver services
transitioning current program participants and stakeholder management
records management
reporting, final payments and/or acquitting monies
acquitting/dispersal of assets
intellectual Property (products, resources, websites and branding).

YouthLinx and Mentor Marketplace providers are encouraged to contact their Contract Manager for information and advice on how to manage end of program requirements.

For Career Advice Australia providers, the CAA monthly newsletter will include updates and links to program specific information on Transit, the CAA web based information management system.

Existing providers are advised to:

review their contractual obligations to consider whether they can identify any issues arising that will impede their ability to meet these obligations, and
discuss these issues with their Contract Manager to seek workable solutions.

Connections and Youth Pathways National Provider Networks - New Program Questions and Answers

In June 2009 Connections and Youth Pathways held their National Network meetings for provider representatives from the States and Territories, as well as representatives from DEEWR.

A part of this meeting was dedicated to questions and answers relating to the Youth Connections program to commence from 2010.

In order that all organisations interested in tendering for the new program have access to the same information given to existing providers those questions and answers were developed as an Annex to the Minutes and are now included here for public information.