The Engagement Express
Issue no. 9
August 2018
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Latest News
FedUni excels again in Good University Guide
Federation University Australia has maintained its strong record as a national leader in university rankings following the release of the 2019 Good Universities Guide. Among the highlights, the University has the highest percentage of First Generation students throughout the nation - 44 per cent. These students are the first in their family to attend University.
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Exciting Resources & Reading
Every Suburb, Every Town: mapping poverty in Victoria
Read the report: Poverty in Victoria
Key findings
- 774,000 Victorians live in poverty (13.2%)
- Regional Victoria has a higher poverty rate than Melbourne (15.1% versus 12.6%)
- More than 1 in 6 Victorian children live in poverty (18.7% or 198,600 children)
- Women comprise the majority of adults living in poverty (54.1% or 311,800 women)
- The majority of people experiencing poverty live in families with children (57.8% or 447,300 people)
- The majority of people living in poverty live in owner-occupied homes (51.4% or 397,900 people)
- More than one-third of adults living in poverty have a disability (34.3% or 197,600 people)
- More than a quarter of adults living in poverty have a job (28.2% or 162,600 people)
- Even the richest communities had poverty rates from 6%
- High poverty communities had poverty rates of up to 40%
Website:
https://vcoss.org.au/policy/every-suburb-every-town/
be you
be you aims to transform Australia’s approach to supporting children’s and young people’s mental health in early learning services and schools, from early years to 18.
Website:
https://beyou.edu.au/?utm_source=YACVic+newsletters&utm_campaign
VET Infographics
APC has developed a suite of free, downloadable info-graphics for families and schools to let everyone know about the opportunities Vocational Educational and Training (VET) offers.
Downloads:
https://austparents.edu.au/information-and-advice/vet-infographics/
Supporting all students to enjoy good mental health
Published on 25 October 2018
Youth Affairs Council Victoria (YACVic), the state peak body for young people, welcomes the Victorian Government’s announcement of substantial new investment in mental health workers for Victoria’s state secondary schools.
A new Mental Health in Schools program will employ over 190 mental health professionals, such as counsellors, youth workers or psychologists.
Publication:
https://www.yacvic.org.au/advocacy/supporting-all-students-to-enjoy-good-mental-health
Phone Call Practice for School Students
So many of our SWL employers, teachers and students are telling us that more young people are avoiding talking over the telephone. They lack the experience and confidence to make a voice call to enquire about a placement, a job or talk to a stranger generally. Despite modern technology facilitating text messaging and online communication platforms, most employers still require people to pick up the phone and speak!
The City LLEN is offering Phone Call Practice, find out more below:
Download:
http://cityllen.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Phone-call-practice-for-school-students-CityLLEN-2018flyer.pdf
VCE overhaul: Students to be tested on literacy and numeracy standards
Every Victorian secondary school student is to be tested against new literacy and numeracy standards under the biggest overhaul of the VCE in decades. But there are fears the move could lead to increased pressure and higher dropout rates among students who don't like exams.
From 2021, students undertaking the certificate and its vocational alternative, VCAL, are to receive a grade of "not demonstrated", "demonstrated" or "highly demonstrated" against reading, writing and numeracy. These assessments will be recorded in their statement of results, which is scrutinised by employers and universities.
State Education Minister James Merlino said “This is a change that has been called for by employers for some time, and with this additional support we will give every student the opportunity to be job ready.”
Article:
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/vce-overhaul-students-to-be-tested-on-literacy-and
'I can always tell the students who’ve had a gap year'
Extensive academic research shows us that those who take a gap year do better at university. Not bone-crushingly better. Not university medal-winning better. But enough to have a significant academic advantage. A positive academic experience in first year is a good predictor of what follows. Every single year I tell parents how important gap years are and they rarely believe me. More and more often, academic researchers tell parents that full-time work will soon be a minority activity and parents still opt for sending their children to those courses which those same parents think are identified with a job at the end. Yet none of us knows what those jobs are (although if it can be done by a robot, it soon will be).
Skillsroad 2018 Youth Census Report
In September 2018 Skillsroad conducted the largest Youth Census in Australia with over 30,000 youth, aged 15-24 completing our survey. The research was commissioned by Apprenticeship Support Australia in response to concerns regarding rising youth unemployment and a range of evident changes in today’s workforce.
Check out the results below:
Website:
https://www.skillsroad.com.au/youth-census-2018?fbclid=IwAR0MymU
National youth 'commission' to tackle employment, pathways and career advice
There will be an added focus on pathways for Indigenous youth, young people with a disability, and other youth facing socio-economic barriers.
YDA says the national youth commission concept is modeled on “a rigorous official inquiry into all aspects of youth transitions but without the government in control of the process or the outcomes.” It produced the 2008 National Youth Commission into Youth Homelessness.
The charitable institution, Youth Development Australia (YDA), plans to conduct another of its “national youth commissions” – this time into the area of “youth employment and transitions”.
Submissions can be made until 30 June 2019 at the inquiry website.
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National Youth Commission CALL TO ACTION 2
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Research & Data
After the ATAR II
Fifty-two per cent of youth believe they have either a bad (29%) or no (23%) understanding of VET, according to Year13’s research paper, After The ATAR II: Understanding How Gen Z Make Decisions About Their Future.
In contrast, only 15% of youth say they have a bad (12%) or no (3%) understanding of university,
The paper says there’s also confusion regarding what an apprenticeship actually entails, with 51% of youth viewing them as an employment pathway and only 23% viewing them as an education pathway.
It found that 61% of youth believe social media helps expand their career/life aspirations, however, 74% believe older generations don’t communicate with them effectively.
Website:
http://youthsense.com.au/research/?utm_source=TDA+Newsletter&utm_campaign
Apprenticeships produce the best results for youth, survey finds
The Skillsroad 2018 Youth Census gathered more than 30,000 responses from youth aged 15-24 and found that those undertaking an apprenticeship, traineeship, or working in some capacity were happier overall and experienced higher levels of ‘meaning,’ ‘resilience’ and ‘optimism’ than all other pathways after school.
An apprenticeship results in the highest level of wellbeing among young people out of all post-school pathways, according to a report by the organisation Skillsroad.
Website:
https://www.skillsroad.com.au/life-hacks/what-s-on/all-news/november-2018/youth-are-happiest
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Media
Looking to get ahead in your career? Start by being nice to your coworkers, says leadership researcher Christine Porath. In this science-backed talk, she shares surprising insights about the costs of rudeness and shows how little acts of respect can boost your professional success -- and your company's bottom line. Watch video...
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Fun Fact
Just checking if you were paying attention
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