National Youth Employment Body Practice Guide - A guide to strengthening youth employment pathways - Local to national
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National Youth
Employment Body
Practice Guide
A guide to strengthening youth employment pathways –
Local to national
The Brotherhood of St Laurence’s National Youth Employment Body
is funded by the Australian Government
National Youth
Employment Body
Practice Guide
A guide to strengthening youth employment pathways –
Local to national
The Brotherhood
The Brotherhood
of St Laurence’s
of St Laurence’s
National Youth
National
Employment
Youth Employment
Body Body
is fundedis
byfunded
the Australian
by the Australian
GovernmentGovernment
© Copyright is held by the Brotherhood of St Laurence. First published in March 2020 Second edition published June 2020 This work is copyright. It may be reproduced in whole or in part for study or training purposes, or by community organisations subject to an acknowledgment of the source and no commercial use or sale. Reproduction for other purposes or by other organisations requires the written permission of the copyright holder(s). For more information on, or for a copy of, this Practice Guide contact: Brotherhood of St Laurence t +61 3 9483 1183 f +61 3 9417 2691 e NYEB@bsl.org.au w nyeb.bsl.org.au Authors Luella Monson-Wilbraham with Sally James, Shelley Mallett, Emma Cull and Elle McLachlan Editing Jane Yule @ Brevity Comms Design Svetlana Andrienko @ Studio Elevenses Images Sourced from stock image libraries For citation Monson-Wilbraham, L. with James, S., Mallett, S., Cull, E. & McLachlan, E. 2020, National Youth Employment Body Practice Guide: A guide to strengthening youth employment pathways – Local to national, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Melbourne. ii National Youth Employment Body Practice Guide
Table of contents
Acknowledgments iv ⊲ Developing and implementing community-driven,
action-based solutions in place to improve
About this Practice Guide v employment outcomes for young people, and
business and community 29
Abbreviations vi Case study 4: Developing action-based solutions
in place 30
Section 1: Why we need a National Youth Linking place-based responses to the national
Employment Body 1 agenda 31
The Brotherhood’s approach to addressing youth ⊲ Fostering collaborative governance to develop
unemployment 3 innovative and systemic national solutions to
Working towards sustainable youth employment youth employment 31
and meeting local workforce needs 4 Case study 5: Influencing change: from local to
national 32
Context for reform and systemic change 8
⊲ Connecting knowledge across the youth
High-risk transitions for young people 8
employment ecosystem to drive new
Marketised employment services system 9 understanding and solutions 33
Systemic change – a coordinated national Case study 6: Listening to the voices of young
approach to youth employment 10 people 34
⊲ Generating evidence to address youth
Section 2: Harnessing community unemployment 35
investment 11 Case study 7: Examining young people’s
An enabling organisation – building practice for pathways to employment 36
change 12
Section 4: Tools and resources 37
National governance groups 12
Resource A: National Youth Employment Body
Local Community Investment Committees 14 Community Investment Committee Toolkit 39
Activating employers 16 Resource B: Community Investment Committee
Youth participation 16 employer champions of youth employment 40
Resource C: National Youth Employment Body
Section 3: The practice – How we are labour market scans 42
working in place 17
Resource D: National Youth Employment Body
Building a shared vision in place to develop workshops 44
sustainable youth employment pathways 20
Resource E: National Youth Employment Body
⊲ Building collaboration and trust with community 20 pathways to employment 46
Case study 1: Connecting and working in new
ways towards a shared vision for the Shoalhaven 21 Endnotes 48
Embedding community-driven solutions in place 23
Appendix: National Youth Employment
⊲ Establishing local Community Investment Body – Theoretical underpinnings 51
Committees 23
A focus on place 52
Case study 2: Mobilising critical stakeholders to
bring about change in place 26 Coordinated and coherent policy making 55
⊲ Enabling understanding of the local youth Aligned and active employer engagement 58
employment landscape 28
Youth participation 61
Case study 3: Bringing together data and local
knowledge to inform youth employment pathways 28 Enabling collaboration 64
Summary of concepts guiding the NYEB 67
A guide to strengthening youth employment pathways – Local to national iiiAcknowledgments
Content for the National Youth Employment We would also like to acknowledge and thank our National
Body Practice Guide was developed by the Youth Employment Body (NYEB) staff – Jay Sikorski,
Youth Team at the Brotherhood of St Laurence Jessica Brown and Edward Dunstan – for their important
contributions to the development of this Practice Guide.
(the Brotherhood) and informed by the
Brotherhood’s Research and Policy Centre. In addition, we would like to thank our partners at each of
the demonstration sites, members of local Community
The National Youth Employment Body (NYEB) model Investment Committees (CICs), and in particular the three
draws on the evidence-informed youth transitions Lead Partner organisations for their willingness to come
approach, developed and refined by the Brotherhood over on the journey with us and share their expertise, local
the last decade, with its focus on enabling young people knowledge, relationships and learnings along the way:
to build their capabilities for achieving a sustainable + Mission Australia (New South Wales)
livelihood. This model has been applied across a number
of service systems through government-funded programs + yourtown (Queensland)
and pilots, and in particular stepped out through practice + Workskil Australia (South Australia)
frameworks for the Education First Youth Foyers and the
Transition to Work Community of Practice (TtW CoP). We also acknowledge that the National Youth
Employment Body builds on the exceptional work of
The BSL team includes: the following TtW CoP partners: Australian Community
+ Sally James (Head of Youth) Support Organisation and Schools Industry Partnership
(New South Wales); YouthWorx NT (Northern Territory);
+ Professor Shelley Mallett (General Manager, Research Gen-Z Employment: Vocational Partnerships Group and
and Policy Centre) Workways (Queensland); Anglicare South Australia (South
+ Elmina Joldic (Senior Manager, Youth Transitions to Australia); Colony 47 (Tasmania); Brophy Family and Youth
Work) Services, and Workways with Berry Street (Victoria); and
Joblink Midwest (Western Australia).
+ Elle McLachlan (Service Development Manager, NYEB)
We also acknowledge the NYEB’s funding support from
+ Luella Monson-Wilbraham (Service Documentation the Australian Government Department of Education,
Officer, NYEB) Skills and Employment and its collaboration on the
+ Emma Cull (Senior Manager Service Development and NYEB model.
Strategy, Youth)
+ Dr Joseph Borlagdan (Principal Research Fellow,
Research and Policy Centre)
The National Youth Employment Body model draws
on the evidence-informed youth transitions approach,
developed and refined by the Brotherhood over
the last decade...
iv National Youth Employment Body Practice GuideAbout this Practice Guide
This Practice Guide outlines the National This Practice Guide is intended as a tool for developing
Youth Employment Body model that will and implementing place-focused solutions that enhance
inform the development of a scalable national young people’s meaningful and sustainable participation
in the labour market. It is designed for local, state and
approach that both strengthens youth
national stakeholders across the employment system,
employment and meets local workforce needs.
including employment service providers, educators,
It has been developed by the Brotherhood of employers, community organisations and policy makers.
St Laurence, an independent non-government It is comprised of five sections as outlined here.
organisation with strong community links
that has been working to reduce poverty in Section 1: Why we need a National Youth
Employment Body
Australia since the 1930s.
To inform a coordinated and scalable national approach
Poverty is more than a lack of material resources. It often to youth employment, the Australian Government
means being denied what most people take for granted: Department of Education, Skills and Employment funded
a secure job, a home, a sense of valued inclusion and the Brotherhood in 2018 to establish and coordinate the
connection to the wider community. Unprecedented NYEB. The aim of the NYEB is to facilitate collaborative
social and economic change is accelerating economic efforts that enable young people to secure decent work
insecurity and inequality for those facing disadvantage, while addressing the needs of industry for a diverse and
and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the risk of adaptable workforce.
more people falling into poverty and experiencing long-
Section 2: Harnessing community investment
term scarring from unemployment. The Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warns The NYEB’s collaborative components enable critical
that ‘the short and medium-term impacts of COVID-19 will stakeholders from multiple sectors to work together and
be particularly severe for the most disadvantaged and risk develop flexible strategies to address youth unemployment,
compounding existing socio-economic divides’, especially including employers and industry, youth employment
for young people.1 service providers, skills and training, government, research,
young people and key community organisations.
The right to inclusive work and to economic security are
key areas of the Brotherhood’s innovative approach to Section 3: The practice – How we are working in place
addressing disadvantage in the labour market, which it
does through: The NYEB is working to foster collaboration that
empowers participants, communities and policy makers
+ Extensive employment-related research conducted with to review and respond to youth unemployment in new and
jobseekers, employers and service providers. innovative ways. In practice, the NYEB model enables a
+ Expertise in the development, delivery and place-based focus with national reach. Local communities
real-time evaluation of active labour market programs are supported to harness their expertise to co-develop
particularly for those facing disadvantage. strategies to improve youth employment pathways,
and inform a national conversation on how to build the
+ Practice expertise that includes developing and capabilities of young people and meet the needs of
implementing a Youth Transitions model, to engage employers in place.
and sustain young people experiencing disadvantage in
education, training and employment. Section 4: Tools and resources
+ Advocating and building knowledge of collaborative The development of NYEB-tailored information and tools
policy making, governance and co-design work in support place-based approaches and link local to national.
communities to address complex issues. These tools and resources are designed to help build the
capacity of NYEB Lead Partner organisations and other
The NYEB is building on the Brotherhood’s knowledge and
CIC members to drive the work of the NYEB locally, as
practice in this area to foster collaboration that empowers
well as to inform national stakeholders on approaches for
participants, communities and policy makers to review
strengthening youth employment.
and respond to youth unemployment in new ways. Now,
more than ever, support is needed for stakeholders from Appendix: National Youth Employment Body –
multiple local and national sectors that influence youth Theoretical underpinnings
employment to work together on flexible strategies for
structural change based on a commitment to place-based The work of the NYEB draws on national and international
action, and ongoing learning of what works. evidence, and the concepts and approaches that support
good practice across the youth employment system.
A guide to strengthening youth employment pathways – Local to national vAbbreviations 4IR fourth industrial revolution Brotherhood Brotherhood of St Laurence BSL Brotherhood of St Laurence CICs Community Investment Committees CoI Community of Interest CoP Community of Practice ILO International Labour Organization ICT Information and Communication Technologies NDIS National Disability Insurance Scheme NERG National Employers Reference Group NYEB National Youth Employment Body OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development READ Research, Evaluation and Design (Working Group) RPC Research and Policy Centre (Brotherhood of St Laurence) SAYE Shoalhaven Aboriginal and Youth Employment (Forum) TAFE Technical and Further Education TtW Transitions to Work TtW CoP Transitions to Work Community of Practice VET Vocational Education and Training vi National Youth Employment Body Practice Guide
Section 1
Why we need
a National Youth
Employment
BodySection 1: Why we need a
National Youth Employment Body
Young people in Australia want to work.2 The key NYEB model components and practices needed
Unfortunately, too many of them feel like to harness community effort and investments at a local
Lelani ‘that a future without financial and national level are:
hardship is hard to achieve, or having a job + An enabling organisation: to provide leadership that
that is rewarding is simply not meant for drives and evaluates practice, strategies and collaborative
them...’ processes, and to share key learnings between local and
national governance groups and the community.
… being a young person living alone trying to support + National governance groups: to link place-based
myself independently, I felt trapped because I didn’t have employment, education and training responses to the
the resources or finances to pursue education, or the work national agenda; to increase awareness of structural,
experience to change from that area and apply for better policy and practice barriers to youth employment;
positions. It felt like a hamster wheel of unemployment, and to inform policy design and investments in local
job dissatisfaction and no way out… A lot of… employment employment, education and training opportunities.
services solutions [don’t have] … the time to invest in a
+ Local Community Investment Committees: to develop
young person and give support to all their needs so they
cross-sector stakeholder relationships and community-
can achieve long-term employment.
led trials that meet local employer priorities and
— Lelani, female, aged 233 enhance youth employment outcomes.
+ Activating employers: to share expertise, co-design
To inform a coordinated and scalable national approach
work entry pathways, and to promote the benefits
to youth employment, the Australian Government
of investing in young people so they can realise their
Department of Education, Skills and Employment* funded
contribution to building productivity.
the Brotherhood of St Laurence in 2018 to establish and
coordinate the National Youth Employment Body. The aim + Youth participation: to contribute their expertise,
of the NYEB is to facilitate collaborative efforts that enable perspectives and experiences to maximise the
young people to secure decent work while addressing the effectiveness of the NYEB model in securing
needs of industry for a diverse and adaptable workforce. employment outcomes.
The Brotherhood understands that successful youth As the enabling organisation providing facilitative
employment outcomes must build enduring skills and leadership across the NYEB model, the Brotherhood is
capabilities in young people, while also resourcing well positioned to assist community and government
communities to provide opportunities for them to make in aligning the necessary efforts, expertise, sectors and
choices and progress towards meaningful and sustainable investments to support a more coordinated and coherent
employment. This can include studying for a career or approach to youth unemployment. The model will build
attaining a secure job that extends their skills and talents. on the Brotherhood’s non-competitive approach to service
delivery, deep engagement with national and international
Youth employment opportunities and outcomes cannot
research and evidence (discussed and summarised in the
be generated successfully by individual, community or
Appendix), and extensive experience in testing innovative
government efforts alone. They require a system-level
models and working collaboratively. This includes
response that pays equal attention to policy, program
supporting employment providers to move beyond an
design and practice-level drivers of youth employment
outcomes-driven practice focused on service delivery, to
outcomes.
fostering collaboration in the design and implementation
The NYEB seeks to multiply young people’s employment of youth employment solutions in place.
opportunities and outcomes through implementing a
Case studies presented in this Practice Guide reveal early
scalable national model that builds effective place-based
findings of how the NYEB is enabling a shared vision,
practice and solutions that are mutually beneficial to
embedding community-driven solutions, and linking place-
employers, the community, the local economy and young
based responses to the national agenda. Both the Practice
people themselves. The NYEB model will harness the
Guide and the work of the NYEB will continue to be
expertise and social resources of others to build a form
developed and updated in response to the learnings and
of ‘network capital’ across critical sectors of the youth
experiences of stakeholders as they work collaboratively
employment system to facilitate youth employment and
at local and national levels to improve employment
meet employer needs.
pathways for young people.
* Formerly the Department of Jobs and Small Business at time of first funding in July 2018, and the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and
Family Business from May 2019 to 1 February 2020.
2 National Youth Employment Body Practice GuideFigure 1: Transition to Work Community of Practice model
The TtW CoP model is currently being delivered in 12 communities around Australia by the Brotherhood and
11 other community organisations. By bringing together the expertise of TtW employment service providers
into a collaborative effort to address youth unemployment, the model operates on two levels.
Local level National level
The model seeks to test the effectiveness of a new The model seeks to test the effectiveness of a
approach to service delivery through: new approach to practice and policy development
through:
+ A capabilities approach delivered in practice as
Advantaged Thinking – to build motivation and + Forming a TtW CoP among service agencies
agency by working with young people according using the Brotherhood’s TtW service model to
to their talents and aspirations. develop and improve the service delivery model.
+ Evidence-based service offers – consisting of + Engaging national employers and other
activities and opportunities that equip young stakeholders to harness community effort to
people with the skills, experiences and networks increase opportunities for young people.
needed to plan their journey to work.
+ Advocating to, and working with, government
+ Harnessing community effort to increase work about issues affecting the delivery of TtW and
opportunities – linking young people with local youth unemployment more broadly.
employers and other community stakeholders
+ Evaluating the value of collaborative learning and
by combining ‘supply side’ support with ‘demand
action, to capture impact and drive innovation.
side’ interventions.
The Brotherhood’s approach to a sustainable livelihood.^ The concept of capabilities
addressing youth unemployment underlying much of this work is understood as the
freedom of an individual to make choices they value,
Young people experiencing disadvantage face multi- and to have opportunities available in the community to
dimensional challenges to participation in mainstream achieve them.6 A capabilities-driven employment approach
social and economic life. They often lack the necessary thus enables young people to identify and advance their
resources, opportunities, or family and social networks aspirations, access and engage in real-world opportunities
that could support them to complete school and to and realise their potential through sustained engagement
enter and remain engaged in decent employment.4 in education, training and work.
Those young people with early experiences of long-term
The Brotherhood’s understanding of what works has led
unemployment are also more likely to experience a
us to develop and deliver innovative practice in youth
‘scarring’ effect over their lifetime, with negative impacts
transitions and employment. This includes the delivery
on future health and wellbeing, such as lower earnings
of Transition to Work (TtW) employment services,# and
and higher job insecurity.5
convening the TtW Community of Practice (CoP) that
Over the past decade the Brotherhood has developed an brings the expertise of TtW employment service providers
evidence-informed youth transitions model for enabling across the country into a collaborative effort to address
young people to build their capabilities for achieving youth unemployment. The TtW CoP model is briefly
outlined in Figure 1 above.
^ This model has been applied in a number of service settings through government-funded programs and pilots, including: homelessness
(the Education First Youth Foyers and associated sub-pilots); out-of-home care and leaving care (OoHC Developing Independence Pilot and
the Better Futures Pilot); refugee settlement (the Youth Transitions Support Pilot); and the employment services sector through Transition to
Work. Practice Guides in all areas are available upon request.
The TtW service, which was announced in the 2015–16 Federal Government Budget, provides a distinct, youth-focused employment
#
service that provides specialised, longer term support for 15–21 year olds at risk of long-term unemployment. This includes ‘intensive,
pre-employment support to improve the work-readiness of young people and help them into work and/or education’. Australian Government
Department of Employment 2017, Transition to Work Evaluation Strategy, Australian Government, Canberra, p. 1. Accessed 5 March 2020 at:
https://docs.employment.gov.au/documents/transition-work-evaluation-strategy.
A guide to strengthening youth employment pathways – Local to national 3Building community solutions to Working towards sustainable
connect our young people to jobs youth employment and meeting local
through COVID-19 and beyond workforce needs
A recent campaign produced by the TtW CoP Although the Brotherhood has generated evidence of
and the NYEB includes a video showcasing the good practice in the delivery of services to young people,
experiences of young people, and employer the work of the NYEB aims to influence systemic change
champions who believe in young people, their in the larger structures and conditions that make up
capabilities and the value they bring to the the context of the wider system of employment. This
workplace and their community. The COVID-19 involves supporting services to work beyond the delivery
Snapshots video highlights the importance of of programs by furthering their engagement with the
community-led solutions to address the impacts community to work together in new ways.
of COVID-19 on young people’s transition to
The role of the Brotherhood is to provide collaborative
employment. For although ‘everything has gone
leadership and coordination of the NYEB model. It does
downhill’ due to the pandemic, the young people
this by bringing critical stakeholders together and building
supported by TtW providers remain focused on a
their capabilities to harness community investment
better future and ‘cannot wait to go back’ to work.7
at a local and national level to co-develop solutions,
COVID-19 Snapshots demonstrates how the NYEB and collate evidence of the key elements required for a
and the national TtW CoP are able to provide coordinated national approach to youth employment.
opportunities for young people to enter the labour Critical stakeholders of the youth employment ecosystem
market, and stay connected through this global include employers and industry, youth employment service
pandemic. In the video: providers, skills and training, government, local council,
research, young people and key community organisations
+ Young people share their stories of how TtW
in place (see also Figure 6, pp.24–5). The components
has supported them on their learning and
and practices that drive this collaborative approach to
employment pathways: ‘It’s my first job ever… I’m
systemic change in youth employment are outlined in the
very proud of myself… now I can set some goals
NYEB Theory of Change (see Figure 2, pp.6–7).
for my future’.
+ Employer champions of young people share how
they are working with local employment service
providers, training and skills providers and other
employers: ‘To ensure that young people are not
overlooked’.
+ Members of Community Investment Committees
share how they are linking the local to the
national at this crucial time: ‘To influence better
... bringing critical stakeholders
outcomes based in our local situation’.8 together and building their
capabilities to harness community
investment at a local and national
level to co-develop solutions...
A guide to strengthening youth employment pathways – Local to national 5Figure 2: National Youth Employment Body Theory of Change
Impact The NYEB informs the development of a coordinated and coherent national approach to youth
employment.
Long-term 1 Local place-focused solutions to youth participation and local workforce needs developed by local and
systemic national stakeholders that maximise the flow, alignment and effectiveness of national and State-based
resources and investments in place
outcomes
Locally developed solutions to youth unemployment Coordinated and coherent policy making leads
add value to local efforts, and inform government to more flexible funding arrangements, incentives
investments in place, and over time contribute to and accountability for sectors and services
inclusive and sustained economic growth to work together to share learnings, create
employment opportunities and drive innovation
in place
Progressive Innovative solutions to youth unemployment are Increased awareness of structural, policy and
outcomes realised through employment-related projects practice barriers impeding youth employment
developed by local CICs, demonstrating the potential in local areas inform collaborative processes,
of cross-sectoral collaboration to positively impact policy design and investments that enhance
employment pathways and the quality of local local opportunities and innovative solutions to
workforce, and inform national policy making youth employment
Mechanisms Establishing a CIC based on common purpose, Collaboration and knowledge exchange between
trust, engagement with data and evidence, and local and national participants links policy and
a commitment to act enables sharing of diverse practice
perspectives and expertise to develop solutions to
address local barriers to employment
Interconnecting
Local Community Investment Committees National Governance Groups
components
Activities Each CIC works together to build intentional Facilitate knowledge exchange and cross sectoral
relationships and share expertise and efforts collaboration that connects to local contexts
Stakeholders Employers, industry, education and training providers, NYEB Advisory Group, Cross-Government
employment service providers, councils, community Community of Interest (CoI), Working Groups,
CICs
Outputs Community-led projects that meet local priorities and Multi-sector perspectives and engagement at
aspirations for youth local and national levels informs government
decision making and investments
Problem Local stakeholders and efforts to improve youth National policies and programs to address youth
employment opportunities are not aligned, do not employment and social and economic development are
reflect diverse stakeholder interests, nor systemically not designed across relevant government departments
inform national policy nor informed by what is happening in place
Assumptions Focusing on place and building the capacity of key Collaborative approaches to policy making,
stakeholders in a community to work together to governance and commissioning will bring
define and address common local priorities will lead together traditionally siloed sectors and
to the development of innovative local initiatives stakeholders to better understand the interrelated
that build the capabilities of young people and their parts of the employment system and design
communities, and can inform the conditions required policy that gives local communities autonomy
to promote sustainable inclusive growth to innovate and adapt, rather than compete for
resources
6 National Youth Employment Body Practice GuideIt does this by enabling key stakeholders to work collaboratively across local and national levels to invest in employment pathways that
align with both the aspirations and capabilities of young people; and the needs of local employers.
2
Young people’s participation in the labour market is enhanced 3 Local employers and industries invest in shaping local
through innovative local initiatives that span both supply and workforces and removing policy, social and material
demand side approaches infrastructure barriers to employment pathways for young
people and job creation
Critical stakeholders from multiple sectors Employers are actively invested in the Young people are valued as experts
that influence youth employment are supported design of policy and programs that align of their own lives and are active
to work together to develop flexible strategies education and training, employment contributors to solutions and change
for structural change, based on local evidence, services and industry objectives to
commitment and ongoing learning of what workforce needs, and the aspirations and
works for employers, community and young needs of young jobseekers, in the short and
people long term
The interconnected relationships, conditions Employers value young people’s Young people experience multi-
and practices that build capabilities and work capabilities and potential contribution to sectoral support to make meaningful
pathways for young people in place are shared their business and, with multi-sectoral contribution to the design and
with NYEB governance groups, and learnings support, create opportunities for entry implementation of policy and programs
are documented, adapted and applied in level pathways for young people through to improve youth employment pathways
different communities across Australia tailored recruitment and induction practices
Facilitation and evaluation of strategies, Platforms and practices are created across Platforms and practices are created
collaborative processes, research and sharing the NYEB network for employers to share across the NYEB network for young
of key learnings between local and national knowledge of how to strengthen work entry people to share their experiences and
governance groups and the wider community pathways and promote the benefits of contribute to decision making at local
builds evidence of what works and potential for investing in young people and national levels to ensure actions and
adaptation strategies are fit for purpose
An Enabling Organisation Activating Employers Youth Participation
Align NYEB components through coordination, Facilitate employer collaboration and Engage young people to contribute their
service development, research and evaluation, contribution to policy and practice in youth expertise, perspectives and experiences
training and support employment, education and training across all levels of the NYEB
NYEB Advisory Group, CoI, Working Groups, Employers, government, employment Young people, employers, NYEB
demonstration sites, CICs service providers and industry groups, local governance groups and Working Groups
councils
Facilitate information flow between NYEB Employers are engaged in local initiatives Young people are participating in
components; document and share evidence of that build and utilise the capabilities and co-developing solutions to youth
key elements and processes to drive learning skills of young people unemployment
and policy impact
Lack of facilitative leadership and an authorising Employers are not able to systematically Young people’s voice and experiences
environment to bring together diverse sectors, contribute to efforts that mutually benefit are not valued or reflected in the design
expertise and efforts to improve young people’s the demands of industry and the capabilities and support of their capabilities and
transitions into employment and work pathways of young people work pathways
Diverse sectors across communities and Engaging employers in the development Young people’s active contribution to
levels of government need to work together of employer-orientated solutions to local strategy design and decision-making
to build investment in young people as they youth employment initiatives will drive will build capabilities, expectations and
transition between employment, education and collaboration with other sectors and sustainable work pathways for young
training. Facilitating collaboration to build trust, government, to aid both the supply and people and the wider community
interdependency and accountability will create demand sides of skills development and
opportunities to share and develop new ways of opportunities that mutually benefit young
thinking and doing people and local economies
A guide to strengthening youth employment pathways – Local to national 7Context for reform and systemic change High-risk transitions for young people
Australia, along with other countries, is navigating a Many young Australians are finding it difficult to enter the
period of significant social and economic change that labour market, and those who do often find themselves
is impacting the future of work. It is largely agreed that in highly insecure, low skilled and poorly paid work. In
changes in the modern labour market are the result of four October 2019 the national rate of youth unemployment
megatrends: globalisation, climate change, technological was 12 per cent, representing more than 265,000 young
change and demographic shifts such as population Australians, with 18 per cent of those unemployed having
growth, ageing and mobility.9 Challenges inherent in these looked for work for a year or more.14 This will only worsen
changes are being experienced alongside natural disasters as the world scrambles to deal with the economic fall-
and the COVID-19 health crisis, with predicted long- out from the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Grattan
term negative impacts on local and national economies Institute, for instance, warns that ‘younger generations
and employment, especially for those already facing are among those hardest hit by the economic costs of
disadvantage.10 COVID-19… and will also bear the long-term costs of a
severe and prolonged recession if government support is
Everyone looking for employment is impacted by these
not forthcoming’.15
economic and labour market changes, but new risks
and opportunities will not be distributed equally across Risks inherent in the changing economy were
society, especially for those young people with limited compounded for young people even before the pandemic
work experience or work-readiness skills.11 Technological due to their life stage, as evidenced by:
change, for example, which has been dubbed the fourth
+ A decline in entry-level positions in areas that have
industrial revolution (4IR), has the potential to increase
traditionally employed the young, and the displacement
productivity and generate more meaningful jobs. However,
in the labour market of young people experiencing
it also poses risks without accompanying change to skill
disadvantage by those more advantaged now
development that aligns with jobs growth, social support,
occupying these low-skilled jobs.
and regulation to support the adoption and fair use of
technology.12 + An increasingly insecure and casualised workforce,
typified in the low-paid or seasonal work of the Gig
economy, leaving workers underemployed with limited
protections.
Figure 3: Global trends in the future of work13
) G
4IR geo loba
gy( po + The future of jobs (loss of existing
lo lit
lis l ch
jobs, creation of new ones, raising of
no
at
ic
ch
the skills bar)
ion
a
Te
/
+ Their quality (increasing
ang
casualisation, insecurity, Gig
e
economy)
+ Wage and income inequality (the
working poor)
(ag
De
m
ein
+ Social protection
e
og
ng
ap
g,
r
ha
ig hi c
cs + Industrial relations
m
ra e
ti o at
m
n) C li
8 National Youth Employment Body Practice Guide+ The distribution of work with most growth in inner Young people transitioning from school to work are still
urban areas, poor housing affordability, and low benefit developing identities, self-confidence and directions in life,
rates for income support, which all impact the mobility and many are uncertain about their vocational aspirations
of young people in the labour market. and options. These issues are often compounded for
those experiencing disadvantage who face a range of
+ The global shift to a knowledge economy and a highly
challenges – such as negative experiences of schooling,
qualified workforce has seen a decline in workplace
low language literacy and numeracy skills, unmet health
training and expectations that young people come
and wellbeing needs, or limited social capital – which
to employers already able to be fully productive
places them at significant risk of being shut out of
employees.
education and training and, ultimately, excluded from the
The shift towards a knowledge economy has seen a labour market.
renewed focus on the critical role that education and, in
particular, Vocational Education and Training (VET) have
Marketised employment services system
in equipping people with the capabilities they need for
the workforce of the future. As research by the National Unemployment in Australia is largely addressed
Centre for Vocational Education Research notes: through an externalised and marketised employment
services system that is premised on the assumption
Vocational education and training… is a stepping stone
that competition between outsourced providers results
for many into further education, training and work. It
in increased efficiency, effectiveness and innovation
is also an essential tool for tackling a range of barriers
in employment service delivery.20 However, research
to workforce participation, which include long-term
suggests that competition across human service delivery,
unemployment, early school leaving, low literacy or
including employment services, often leads to increasingly
numeracy skills, and the need to retrain or upskill. As a
homogenous services with tight contract management
result, VET is a fundamental contributor to productivity,
and compliance regimes that hinder providers’ flexibility to
workforce development and social inclusion.16
respond to the needs of service users, especially the most
Projected growth occupations requiring a VET qualification disadvantaged.21
provide potential pathways to employment for many Unintended consequences of competition also include
young people, including personal and child carers, the erosion of service and workforce social capital,
education aides, ICT support technicians, plumbers and collaboration and sharing of good practice between
electricians.17 Young people experiencing disadvantage providers at the local level. Working to a contract places
make up a significant proportion of the VET population, providers in direct rivalry when leveraging opportunities
although poor completion rates are an ongoing problem in and building relationships with local employers and other
the sector. Recent data show that only 40–60 per cent of community networks vital to achieving employment for
those who enrol in VET go on to attain their qualification,18 young people. As a consequence, few employers source
and in 2013 only about 33 per cent of VET completions their workforce from government-funded employment
obtained work in the occupation associated with their programs.22
qualification.19 This means that higher enrolments and
completion rates in more relevant training are required Despite a plethora of State- and Territory-targeted
to ensure a flow of suitably qualified workers to meet employment programs, the Federal Government remains
projected demand. the main architect and procurer of the employment service
system. However, responsibility for the delivery of active
In addition to recent Australian Government measures to labour market programs is distributed across the country
strengthen the VET sector, including support for career at the local service level.23 This leaves the government
advice and skills achievement under the Skills Package with a limited view of what is happening in practice,
announced in the 2019–20 Federal Budget, preparing and unduly reliant on administrative data to understand
young people for lifetime transitions in a fast-changing provider performance and employment outcomes, thereby
workforce will require a coordinated effort between all inhibiting the capacity for policy or program development
levels of government, VET providers, industry and the or improvement for the duration of contracts.24 When
community. the government’s role is limited to narrow contract
management, rather than market stewardship, the public
sector has limited capacity to leverage the expertise and
social, intellectual and cultural capital of community-
embedded providers.
A guide to strengthening youth employment pathways – Local to national 9In turn, providers are not encouraged to engage in Systemic change – a coordinated
transparent reporting to government about their national approach to youth employment
challenges or what enables successful local adaptation
and implementation of services.25 Neither are they Youth unemployment cannot be reduced to individual
supported to leverage public sector knowledge and factors alone; it is also a consequence of structural
expertise about the dynamics of the national employment issues in the labour market, compounded by institutional-
services system, the shape of the labour market and the level arrangements such as the commissioning and
range of effective policy levers for reform. governance of training and employment services. To
influence the future of work, change needs to occur across
Until recently, government-led changes to the employment
all interacting levels of the system. The International
services system have focused on increasing welfare
Labour Organization (ILO), for example, has been
conditionality, tighter eligibility criteria for services, and
calling for more diverse forms of collaboration to co-
stronger mutual obligation requirements (including non-
produce an effective response to youth unemployment
compliance penalties) for jobseekers.26 These shifts reflect
with government, providers, business, community and,
deeply held assumptions by some policy makers and
importantly, young people themselves.30
governments that individuals are partially, if not wholly,
responsible for their unemployment and, subsequently, for A coordinated approach to youth employment requires a
gaining employment. systemic response that leverages diverse expertise by:
A recent review of the successive iterations of the current + Bringing together critical stakeholders from
employment services system – Job Network, Job multiple sectors and levels (governance, leadership,
Services Australia and most recently jobactive – revealed management through to practice) and mobilising
positive outcomes for some groups of jobseekers. their expertise to develop coordinated and flexible
However, it also revealed that the one-size-fits-all model policy and strategies based on local evidence and
is not delivering for cohorts facing complex barriers to ongoing learning.
finding work, and recommended an ‘increased focus and
+ Investing in a place-based focus with national
investment in job seekers who need the most help’,27
reach that enables local innovation and adaptation of
including young people.
employment pathways to meet both the aspirations
In recognising this, the Australian Government has and capabilities of young people and the needs of local
invested considerable resources and effort into employers.
addressing youth unemployment, most notably through
+ Supporting organisations to expand their practice
the Youth Employment Strategy, and expanding eligibility
approach and develop intentional community-facing
for the Transition to Work employment service from
partnerships to build sustainable employment,
21 to 24 years of age in the 2019–20 Federal Budget.28
education and training outcomes.
The design and commissioning of the TtW service marks
a significant step towards addressing a number of the + Encouraging employer investment in shaping local
systemic issues experienced by successive mainstream workforces by designing policy and programs that
employment services.29 mutually benefit young people and industry.
+ Enabling young people to share their expertise and
experiences and contribute to decision making at local
and national levels.
+ Driving reform by building and utilising robust data
sources and evidence-based key elements to inform
flexible service and policy design, processes and
investment that effect positive change.
10 National Youth Employment Body Practice GuideSection 2 Harnessing community investment
Section 2: Harnessing community investment
The NYEB’s collaborative components enable An enabling organisation – building
critical stakeholders from multiple sectors to practice for change
work together and develop flexible strategies
The NYEB is supported by the Brotherhood to act as the
to address youth unemployment, including
enabling organisation, providing facilitative leadership to
employers and industry, youth employment
drive work to support participants to co-develop flexible
service providers, skills and training, employment strategies (including education and training),
government, research, young people and key document and share local and national learnings, and
community organisations. inform coordinated and coherent policy making to improve
youth employment pathways and outcomes in place.
Effective collaboration that delivers strong outcomes The NYEB’s enabling role involves:
is funded on high trust, and fosters interdependent
relations and commitment to accountability that creates + Establishing and managing a local and national
opportunities to not only share information but ‘develop governance structure, to connect local and national
new ways of thinking and behaving, form new types of knowledge and innovative ideas to improve youth
relationships and be willing to make changes in existing employment pathways.
systems of operation and service delivery’.31 + Building local capacity to co-develop local solutions,
The NYEB focuses on harnessing community investment through utilising the Brotherhood’s on the ground
across a local and national level, through: knowledge of service delivery to better support and
walk alongside local employment service providers,
+ An enabling organisation employers and other critical stakeholders to develop
+ National governance groups enduring relationships and practice in place.
+ Local Community Investment Committees + Resource development, including tools and resources,
governance and operational processes and the NYEB
+ Activating employers website.
+ Youth participation. + Training and knowledge translation of the NYEB model
and practice approach via site visits to organisations,
facilitated workshops and forums.
+ Collation and utilisation of community expertise,
data and evidence to inform all aspects of the model,
through ongoing research and evaluation.
+ Facilitating the documenting and sharing of learnings
to build a national platform of knowledge, and inform a
coordinated national approach to youth employment.
National governance groups
The NYEB has established the National Advisory Group
and expert Working Groups, and the Federal Cross-
Government Community of Interest Group, to provide
expertise and collaborative governance at the national
level. Enabling collaboration at a national level aims
to maximise investment in place – the investment of
expertise, funding and alignment of activities to avoid
duplication of effort – to inform national policy and
practice across the sectors that impact employment.
12 National Youth Employment Body Practice GuideNYEB Advisory Group Skills and Training Working Group
The Advisory Group provides high-level strategic The Skills and Training Working Group provides expertise
guidance and expertise to the NYEB from multi-sector and advice on the design and implementation of good
representatives across industry, research, employment, practice in education and training that builds the skills and
education and training, Aboriginal and Torres Strait capabilities of young people, and mutually benefits local
Islander partnerships, unions and government. Advisory industry and economic development by its relevance to
Group members leverage their particular expertise and current and future job opportunities.
networks to advocate for and support the work of the The Group focuses on ways to: increase flexibility within
NYEB, including to: schools and the post-secondary ecosystem to test
+ Contribute to the development of innovative responses training offers that align with local workforce; and build
to existing and emerging challenges identified in local governance for driving innovation and streamlining
demonstration sites. access to employment training and services.
+ Bring different sectors together to deepen Youth Alliance Working Group
understanding of local issues and connection to
The NYEB leverages the Transition to Work Community of
national policy and context.
Practice Youth Alliance Working Group, convened by the
+ Advise on the creation of new training and employment Brotherhood to provide a platform for the voices of young
opportunities that will mutually benefit young people people impacted by unemployment. The Youth Alliance
and employers in place. Group enables young people at a local organisation level
to advise on the development of resources, how to share
+ Support the role of the Community Investment
learnings, and how to connect with young people in
Committees and advise on action-based plans.
meaningful ways.
Expert Working Groups The NYEB will support the expansion of the Youth Alliance
to become a national voice for young people, to gain
The Advisory Group’s oversight of the strategic direction insight and advice on how initiatives can better support
of the NYEB is assisted by a series of expert Working those experiencing unemployment or facing challenges on
Groups that focus on specific areas in youth employment their learning and employment pathways.
to provide advice on the work at demonstration sites; and
provide a national response to regional themes and issues Research, Evaluation and Design Working Group
identified through local collaboration. The Research, Evaluation and Design (READ) Working
Group (formally the Service Design Working Group)
National Employers Reference Group
provides expert input into the design, implementation
The Transition to Work National Employers Reference and refinement of evidence informed service models for
Group (NERG) convened by the Brotherhood, acts as the moving young people into sustainable work, both locally
employer’s working group for the NYEB. Employers from for each NYEB demonstration site and for national scale.
around the country provide advice on how to co-develop
The READ Working Group is working on ways to improve
better work opportunities and industry links to the wider
access to relevant national and local data and evidence
employment system, such as with education, training and
that will enable key stakeholders in place to plan,
policy.
navigate and respond to regional themes. The Group
The work of the NERG has been extended to actively also collaborates with the Brotherhood’s Research and
engage employers in supporting the development of Policy Centre to conceptualise outcome and impact
local employer-orientated youth training and employment measurement tools for testing the NYEB model.
strategies across demonstration sites, government policy
and employment initiatives, and further collaboration with
the NYEB and young people.
A guide to strengthening youth employment pathways – Local to national 13Cross-Government Community of Interest The NYEB focuses on adding value to local mechanisms,
Group on-the-ground expertise and existing community
connections within demonstration sites. It supports the
The Cross-Government CoI Group aims to maximise and Lead Partner organisations to engage local stakeholders,
more closely align existing programs and investments including employer champions willing to invest in young
in youth employment, and to integrate efforts towards people’s capabilities, create opportunities for them to
a more coordinated policy approach. The CoI Group participate in the workforce, and advocate for inclusive
is facilitated by the NYEB and coordinated by the workplaces across their networks. In this way, the NYEB
Department of Education, Skills and Employment, to supports local stakeholders to share knowledge and
bring together representatives from Federal Government discuss how they can work collaboratively to enable
departments involved in youth employment pathways, innovation that builds employment pathways and the
such as Education and Training, Infrastructure, Social economic development of their community.
Services, and Indigenous and other policy areas of the
A local CIC is established at each demonstration site
Prime Minister and Cabinet.
as a critical collaborative mechanism to recognise the
The sharing of information and findings from the context of place and harness local capabilities and effort,
NYEB’s demonstration sites into the CoI Group deepens while building and sustaining local governance and
understanding of local issues and connection to national action beyond program and political cycles. The CICs are
policy. Linking national to local also provides insight into coordinated by the Lead Partner organisation and led
how to address blockages and establish flexible funding by local champion employers, bringing together critical
and incentives for collaboration in youth employment stakeholders from employment services, education and
pathways. training, employers, government, local council, young
people and community organisations in place. Critical
stakeholders bring knowledge of, and connection to,
Local Community Investment
existing State and Federal Government programs
Committees operating in the region, links to support and training
organisations, and experience of what brings value to
The NYEB is harnessing community investment locally
young people and economic development in place.
by developing strong community relationships and
establishing Community Investment Committees to The CICs work to share this diverse local knowledge;
provide a central community-owned mechanism for leverage community support and partnerships to
coordinating and building solutions to address youth understand barriers to youth employment; and identify and
unemployment in place. co-develop opportunities and action-based plans that add
value to work already taking place in the community.
The NYEB has established initial demonstration sites
to test the NYEB model for scalability in the areas for The scaling of CICs to further sites experiencing high
scalability. These sites are in the areas of Logan in youth unemployment is planned, as is alignment with
Queensland, the northern region of Adelaide in South similar initiatives to avoid duplication of efforts. CICs are
Australia, and the Shoalhaven region in New South Wales, also in a position to become a central local mechanism for
through a partnership with a local youth employment information and coordination of place-based strategies,
service provider as the NYEB Lead Partner organisation programs and investments for all stakeholders of youth
in each region. Working agreements with Lead Partners employment in the local community.
outline work towards a shared vision of a nation where all
young people can realise their aspirations and potential
through engagement and participation in meaningful and
sustainable work.
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