Dear Get Set for Work Provider,

I am writing to you to give you an update on the information we have collected so far in regard to the decision of the state government to cease funding the Get Set for Work program. As December is around the corner you might like to make representations to your local LNP members as well as the Minister for Education Training and Employment and Premier in regard to this matter.

Background information

The Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 places a statutory obligation on parents to ensure that their children participate in earning or learning activities when they are in the compulsory participation phase of their education. It also places a statutory obligation on young people to participate in earning or learning when they are in the compulsory participation phase. The Act has provisions for parents and young people to be fined if they do not comply with the legislation.

The Act also places an obligation on the state government to ensure that ‘employment skills development programs’ are provided. The Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 is complimented by the Vocational Education Training and Employment Act, which states in Section 106 C that the Chief Executive of the Department of Education Training and Employment must ensure that ‘employment skills development plans’ are available to meet the diverse needs of the young people in the compulsory participation phase and that they are accessible to these young people.

YANQ has received a written response from the Minister of Education Training and Employment to our letter pointing out their statutory duty to provide employment skills development programs.  A copy of his letter is available here. As you will see from his response he has not addressed the statutory responsibility of his department to provide 'employment skills development programs' that meet the diverse needs of young people and are accessible. YANQ is currently drafting a response to his letter and it will be posted on our website once we have sent it.

No time to slow down this Christmas...

The youth sector landscape in Queensland is changing rapidly and the next couple of months will be the only opportunity for the youth sector to collectively have input into the future of youth programs in Queensland.

As you are probably aware, the most significant changes to the youth sector in decades are currently under way. There has been much change in Queensland this year which has impacted in various ways on the youth sector, however the current Youth Services Review is much broader and will no doubt have the most significant impact on services funded by the Department of Communities and Department of Education.

The Government has commenced consultations with the youth sector in regards to the Youth Services Review with a view to recommission all youth programs in the very near future. Time lines are incredibly tight and we might have less than two months to have any input before changes are made to various programs.

YANQ has spoken with the Minister for Communities as well as senior Departmental officers in regards to the role YANQ can play in this review. The Minister has made a committment to YANQ that she will genuinely listen and take on board the views of the youth sector in the review and recommissioning process. As a result, YANQ has organised youth sector forums in various parts of the state in the next 2-3 weeks. These consultations are specifically for the Non-Government youth sector, and will focus on the experience and needs of community based organisations. No State Government employees will be in attendance.

We urge all youth workers and youth service managers to attend these forums and help shape a collective response to the review and help shape the new youth sector landscape in Queensland. The forums will also be an opportunity to hear how YANQ is working with the youth sector across the state and the Queensland Government to ensure the review and forthcoming changes are informed by the full breadth of experience and evidence gathered by the sector over many years.

RSVP to Steve at [email protected] or 3844 7713

Download the event flyer - click here

YANQ understands it is a statutory duty of the Director General of the Department of Education and Training to provide Get Set for Work for young people. For this reason, we wrote to Julie Grantham, DG of the Department, requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the issue. Click on the image below to read the letter.