Decent Work
Australian Training Company
Overview of Year Three
“Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow - they are valuable contributors to our communities and economy today. However, they face systemic barriers that result in youth unemployment being double the general population, reaching more than 20% in some regions.”
The Brotherhood of St Laurence - Decent Work Partner
This year has been headlined by major political reforms with respect to youth employment, including the release of the Employment White Paper, the review of Workforce Australia and the development of the Jobs and Skills Taskforce. The Federal Government has acknowledged that the employment services system is broken and that place-based approaches where government and communities work together in long-term partnerships are part of the solution. This is good news and encouraging for VFFF’s Decent Work partners who have been both working hard to influence this policy change as well as working on the ground to develop local solutions to local problems.
Through the Decent Work portfolio, VFFF funds employer driven, innovative models for work that integrate learning to ensure young people gain the work and experience they need and value with a focus on two funding outcomes:
- Increased employer engagement in work-based learning relevant to the needs of local industry
- More young people access decent secure work
VFFF funds the “demand side” of youth employment – building partnerships with employers and others for young people to access decent work and work-based training opportunities. VFFF’s ambition is to back leaders who have a proven track record and demonstrate readiness to scale their impact.
This year three grants were approved under the Decent Work focus area.
Good Cycles are expanding their work to Queensland where they have secured a contract to provide the workforce for Lime e-bikes in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, providing opportunities for young people facing barriers to employment with a motto of “learning while doing”.
Jigsaw Australia is committed to young people with a disability by “preparing (them) for work through work”. VFFF funds will scale the Jigsaw impact by replicating the model in regional communities.
VFFF supported the Youth Enterprise Trust in Logan, QLD whose mission it is to support young people disengaged from education. The Exploration Grant enabled them to work with consultants from SEFA to develop a model that will guide their pathway to sustainability.
Grants Snapshot
$1.8m
approved
3
grants
18%
of total funding
96%
for core operations and capacity building
7%
to regional areas
Grants
2024
Good Cycles Limited, $789,000 over three years
Supporting the GoodCycles expansion to Queensland providing employment to young people facing barriers to work
Jigsaw Group Limited, $950,000 over two years
Supporting young people living with a disability into open employment
Exploration Grants
Youth Enterprise Trust (YET), $75,000
Development of the YET social enterprise model
Ongoing
Australian Training Company
$312,000 distributed ($597,000 total)
School based apprenticeships in the Agriculture industry across southeast NSW
Brotherhood of St Laurence
$764,630 distributed ($2,622,000 total)
Delivery of the National Youth Employment Body program and the BSL youth employment policy reform agenda
Habitat for Humanity Australia
$252,000 distributed ($501,000 total over two years)
Supporting the Habitat Women program creating employment opportunities for young women entering the construction industry
Miyay Birray Youth Service
$300,000 distributed ($580,000 total over two years)
Towards the establishment of the Warrama-Li social enterprise in Moree that supports First Nations young people into jobs in building and maintenance
Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Stage Queensland and Arts Centre Melbourne
$250,000 distributed ($750,000 total)
Towards the Tech Connect program to deliver skills training and VET qualifications to young trainees in performing arts venues across Queensland
Work Integration Social Enterprise Grant Program
$262,500 distributed ($525,000 total)
Philanthropic Peer Fund to collaborate with six philanthropic peers to support social enterprises that exist to create jobs and employment pathways for Australians facing barriers to employment.
Highlight: The Brotherhood of St Laurence
The Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL) is backing leaders on a number of levels in their work responding to youth unemployment. VFFF is working alongside Paul Ramsay Foundation to support the piloting of the BSL National Youth Employment Body (NYEB) model across nine sites. BSL are working to facilitate collaborative efforts in these communities that enable young people to secure decent work while addressing the needs of local industry for a diverse and adaptable workforce.
VFFF admires the importance BSL places on youth participation in their work. The NYEB ‘Youth Crew’ includes 10 youth advisors whose voices have led to the development of a ‘Youth Advisory Board’ ensuring greater agency for young people and accountability to young people by embedding their involvement in the NYEB governance structures.
At a community level, BSL identifies and backs local community leaders through the Community Investment Committees. These leaders are equipped and empowered to work with their community to test new innovative approaches to solving youth unemployment in their region.
Ultimately, this work is building an evidence base to influence youth employment policy through advocacy and submissions. The past two years have been a critical time in the political environment's interest in employment reform and a compelling opportunity for BSL’s leaders to leverage their networks to influence policy for the benefit of young people facing barriers to decent work. BSL have been actively involved in the Jobs and Skills Summit, the Working Futures White Paper, the Workforce Australia Review and the National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development.
VFFF’s knowledge of the youth employment landscape continues to grow through this partnership by accessing BSL’s unique combination of research, program delivery and advocacy, along with their extensive networks.