Jobs 4 U 2 gets tick for first year
Wednesday, 22 March 2006

Attachment: School to work evaluation 1 Feb 2006.pdf

Project officer Tania Murray conducting an information session with potential participants

An independent evaluation has praised the first year of a three-year (2005-2007) vocational education Program for Indigenous school-age young people in Shepparton-Mooroopna.

Two criteria underpin the Jobs 4 U 2 Program, which is conducted by Ganbina Koori Economic Employment & Training Agency Inc:

• Very low regional Indigenous school retention rates (23.8% Years 7 to 12 in 2004)
• Poor linkages of community with vocational education, school-based work experience, defined career paths & skilled employment.

Outcomes in 2005 included

• participation of 33 Years 7-10 students in the Program (about 70% of all eligible students in the two participating schools)
• all participants completed the first year of the Program & their school year, which is significant in view of low attendance & completion rates prevalent among Indigenous students.

Ganbina had hoped to cater for Indigenous students from all 4 state secondary schools in Shepparton-Mooroopna but is now focusing on these two schools only, following the simultaneous establishment of two similar Programs in local secondary state schools.

The evaluation report, which is available at www.ganbina.com.au, also identified a number of implementation issues and recommendations for improvements in the programme for 2006- 2007.

Jobs 4 U 2 is funded by Telstra Foundation, the AMP Boost! Fund through Social Ventures Australia, ANZ Bank, Coles Myer Ltd and VicHealth.