The National Partnership on Youth Attainment and Transitions aims to increase the educational engagement and attainment of young people and to improve their transition to post school education, training and employment through immediate, concerted action supported by broader long term reform.

The National Partnership clarifies roles and responsibilities between the Commonwealth and the States and Territories and was established to support the achievement of a national Year 12 or equivalent attainment rate of 90 per cent by 2015.

States and territories have individual implementation plans, which outline the reforms being introduced under the National Partnership on Youth Attainment and Transitions. To review the Implementation Plans please visit the Ministerial Council on Federal Financial Relations Website.

Under the National Partnership, the Australian Government is providing funding of $623 million over four years for improved youth engagement, attainment and transition arrangements. These arrangements include:

• $287 million to provide services through the Youth Connections program to ensure young people at risk of not attaining Year 12 or an equivalent qualification get the support they need to remain engaged, or to re-engage in education or training and build resilience, skills and attributes that promote positive choices and wellbeing
• $183 million for the School Business Community Partnership Brokers program, to build community capacity and infrastructure and improve community and business engagement with schools to extend learning beyond the classroom, increase student engagement, deepen learning experiences, lift attainment and improve educational outcomes
• $106 million for states and territories to maximise engagement, attainment and successful transitions through the areas of career development, multiple learning pathways, and mentoring
• a Compact with Young Australians which comprises a National Youth Participation Requirement, an entitlement to education or training places for 15 to 24 year olds, and changes to Youth Allowance (Other) and Family Tax Benefit Part A, making education and training a precondition for these payments, and
• $47 million for national career development initiatives administered by the Commonwealth.

Reward funding of up to $100 million will also be made available based on achievement of participation and attainment targets set out in the National Partnership.

Reporting

Under the National Partnership Agreement the states and territories will provide annual reports to the Commonwealth on progress against the outcomes, performance benchmarks and performance indicators specified in the agreement.

ACT Strategic Funding Pool

The Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and ACT Department of Education and Training (ACT DET) have established an ACT Youth Attainment and Transitions Strategic Funding Pool to provide funding for innovative, catalytic projects that support or enhance the youth attainment and transition programs and activities in the ACT and the achievement of the ACT targets identified under the National Partnership.