The four communities participating in the Cape York Welfare Reform trial are to benefit from a $24.5 million investment from the Australian government over the next two years, set to build on the ‘significant gains’ made.
This funding will help continue the Family Responsibilities Commission (FRC) as well as introducing new measures to re-engage disengaged youth with jobs, education and life skills in the areas of Coen, Hope Vale, Aurukun and Mossman Gorge.
Ms Macklin said that the recently released evaluation of the Cape York trial revealed that there were a number of young people who weren’t engaging in education, employment or training.
“We want to see young people fulfilling their potential and learning the benefits of personal responsibility,” Ms Macklin said.
“That is why we will also introduce a package of measures to support disengaged young people between the ages of 16 and 21.”
Youth workers will be able to provide better support to young people in these communities, working closely with the FRC, to help them develop the skills needed to get a job and tackle any barriers to participation.
Opportunities for Indigenous employment was also recently given a further boost with a new program, Indigenous Engineers: Partners for Pathways, which will help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with career development and provide scholarships.
