How does the Youth Options Guarantee work?

The Youth Options Guarantee works at two levels to ensure the sustainability of the initiative. Firstly, an agreement had been made between Heads of Agencies to ensure Grampians Region-wide, ongoing, high level planning and support for the Youth Options Guarantee. Secondly, each of the four LLENs has developed, with partner organisations, a Memorandum of Understanding to support the implementation of the Youth Options Guarantee at the local level. More detail of each of these levels of agreement are provided below:

Heads of Agency Agreement

Agencies which sign the agreement have agreed to:

• work collaboratively to develop policies and facilitate arrangements that will assist the implementation of the Youth Options Guarantee,
• encourage their constituent member organisations and staff to actively support the development of Youth Options Guarantee arrangements at the local level through the respective LLENs, and
• actively promote, and raise awareness of, the Youth Options Guarantee within their communities.

Each agency has developed an accompanying Action Plan which details a set of actions to support these three commitments, and measures so that they can be assessed. The Agreement is being reviewed every two years and each organisation has the opportunity to review their commitments and develop new actions and measures, if it is felt changes are required.

Signatories to the 2008-2009 Heads of Agency Agreement

State Government Departments

• Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Grampians Region
• Department of Human Services, Grampians Region
• Department of Planning and Community Development, Grampians Region
• Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development - Workforce Participation Division

Other Education and Training

• Catholic Education Office, Diocese of Ballarat
• University of Ballarat
• ACFE, Grampians Regional Council

Industry

• Australian Industry Group Regional Board, Western Region

Local Learning and Employment Networks

• Central Grampians LLEN
• Highlands LLEN
• North Central LLEN
• Wimmera Southern Mallee LLEN

Local Government Authorities

• Ararat Rural City Council
• Ballarat City Council
• Buloke Shire Council
• Golden Plains Shire Council
• Hepburn Shire Council
• Hindmarsh Shire Council
• Horsham Rural City Council
• Moorabool Shire Council
• Northern Grampians Shire Council
• Pyrenees Shire Council
• West Wimmera Shire Council
• Yarriambiack Shire Council

The Memorandum of Understanding

The Youth Options Guarantee is a region-wide initiative. However it is the four LLENs which have developed, with their constituents, a multi-sectoral and holistic approach to its implementation in their local areas. While there are some differences between the local models which have been developed, there are common elements:

• school transition teams based on a holistic model comprising curriculum, career, pathways and well-being representatives
• University of Ballarat-TAFE campus transition teams based on a holistic model comprising program, student services and transition worker staff
• community teams based on a holistic model comprising representatives of education, training, employment, health and well-being sectors, and
• the LLEN as the independent coordinator of the community team and broker of transition support.

Each LLEN has developed a Youth Options Guarantee Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with partner organisations committing to the initiative in their local area. In the case of the Highlands LLEN, given its geography, there are separate MoUs for the Local Government Areas of Ballarat, Moorabool and Hepburn.

The MoU details the responsibilities of each organisation involved in the provision of programs and services for young people as they work towards gaining Year 12 or its equivalent. Referral Protocols have been developed to assist in the smooth operation of this part of the Guarantee and to ensure compliance with privacy legislation.

Download the Generic Memorandum of Understanding as a pdf document.