Youth employment policy

Wollongong – a city that supports young people

Community Voice will make the creation of good jobs for young people a central issue for a democratically elected Council. The Illawarra has one of Australia’s highest rates of youth unemployment. Associated with a weak economy, this is the major challenge confronting our city. This is not a short term problem but has been going on for more than a generation. Of those who have employment, many are spending 3-5 hours a day travelling to Sydney and back. Young people experience job insecurity and low incomes and, as a consequence, social isolation.

Wollongong Council, working in partnership with young people, business, schools and communities, should be a national leader in supporting young people’s aspirations for jobs and learning. Wollongong Council needs to be pro-active in coordinating and delivering state and federal programs to support young people. We need to be a champion for our young people to find work opportunities with local businesses. Council workers need to be skilled in linking youth initiatives with employment outcomes. Council needs to address the massive wastage in failed tourism promotion strategies and redirecting human resources to providing support for young people.

Community Voice has a 10 point plan to drive opportunities for young people:

1. Establish a Youth Employment Council with schools and community organisations to empower and engage young people and ensure that they are valued, listened to and involved in finding solutions to local challenges.
2. Create an Office of Sustainability and Economic Development to encourage, amongst other things, investment in green entry level jobs.
3. A Young Entrepreneurs Program to tap and nurture local creativity and innovation.
4. Prepare a people-centred local economic strategy focused on emerging jobs, occupations and learning opportunities for young people.
5. Strengthen local employment partnerships with resources provided by Councils, business, unions, schools, young people and parents.
6. Work with business and TAFE to establish a well-designed “100 Mentors Initiative” to be implemented within the first 12 months of a Community Voice led Council.
7. Implement new programs to support Young People at Risk – with priority for activities that encourage self-esteem, job readiness, fun and communication skills.
8. Make use of under-utilised Council assets to promote youth led initiatives including film and multi-media, experiential and formal learning, simulated work environments, incubators and co-operatives.
9. A global connect youth program that seeks cultural and educational exchanges between young people in Wollongong and in particular, developing countries, and provides encouragement for international students to settle and pursue business opportunities in Wollongong.
10. Improve firm, job and student quality data and job information and monitoring systems