Bendigo Kangan Institute has received a $864,000 grant from the Victorian Government to launch a new youth support service expected to transform the lives of 150 young people in Broadmeadows and its surrounds.
The funding is part of the state government’s Reconnect: Engagement and Learning Support Grants Program that aims to support and re-engage 15 to 24 year old school leavers.
To be based at Broadmeadows campus, the new youth service, First Step, will provide young people with individualised, one-on-one support to identify and resolve barriers to education and employment.
Participants will also receive vocational education and employment guidance. A key focus will be to connect participants with suitable work placements and job opportunities in the region through the Institute’s Skills and Jobs Centre and its partnerships with local industry and group training organisations.
Bendigo Kangan Institute’s CEO Trevor Schwenke expressed his appreciation to the Victorian Government and said the funding will go a long way to enhance the employability of local youth.
“We’d like to thank the Victorian Government and the Minister for Training and Skills, the Hon Steve Herbert MP, for this vital funding,” said Mr. Schwenke.
“Bendigo Kangan Institute is committed to improving youth employment outcomes within the communities it operates in.
“Hume, in particular, has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in Victoria, and there’s a real need for a dedicated service that not only helps young people to dissolve the barriers they’re facing, but also connects them to real job opportunities. This funding is an instrumental part in enabling us to
bridge the gap and provide this crucial support.”
First Step is expected to launch in September and will work closely with local referring agencies including jobactive providers, schools, learning and employment networks, Centrelink and the Department of Human Services.
