By CHERIE DONNELLAN
A new Barwon Youth progam has helped 140 at-risk teenagers “re-engage” with education since January, according to its manager.
Youth Connections program manager Jill Meade said limited understanding of literary and numeracy was a key barrier for teens who failed to complete the Victorian Certificate of Education.
The program’s success had led to a recent funding extension until December 2014, she said.
An example of the program’s outcomes included a teen plagued with housing and mental health issues who participated in Youth Connections and was now enrolled in a Certificate IV in Business Administration and hoping to study nursing despite initially leaving school in year nine.
“It’s pretty incredible that this girl has gone from hopelessness to now being able to work her way back into education and to have nursing as a goal,” Ms Meade said.
Federal Minister for Human Services Senator Jan McLucas and Member for Corangamite Darren Cheeseman visited Barwon Youth on Tuesday to meet participants in the program.
Senator McLucas said hearing the success stories of the youths who had completed the program was “encouraging”.
She commended Youth Connection’s “street surfer bus”, which travelled throughout the Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula, Surf Coast and Golden Plains areas with information and support for youths struggling in the education system.
