Indigenous School-to-work Demonstration Project

This project, initiated in 1999 and funded by the Commonwealth Government, involved a detailed mapping of services and programs that could support the transition of young indigenous people from school into work. Through extensive interviews and focus groups and examination of participation levels in each year at high school the project identified gaps and barriers including:

	Lack of programs to assist indigenous youth to identify available career options and assist in selection of their preferred option
	Lack of motivation to stay at school. The focus groups indicated that indigenous youth would stay in school if they had a reason to stay, ie. A career outcome in mind.

The overall school retention rate of young people within the Shepparton area is 65% (10% lower than the State average), however retention rates for young indigenous students are far lower - anecdotally around 25% to 30%.

This research project resulted in the creation by Ganbina of the Jobs 4 U 2 program.