Youth Services

BGT Youth Services is contracted to deliver the Youth Connections service from the beginning of 2010 for the Highlands Service Region with centres in Ballarat, Ararat and Horsham. Youth Connections is an Australian Government initiative funded through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

The aim of Youth Connections is to assist young people who have left school, or who are thinking of leaving school to continue with their education and gain a year 12 (or equivialent certificate) level education. Individual case management may include motivation, problem solving, skill development, advocacy, mediation, assistance to access education training and employment services and where appropriate, referral to specialist support services.

Youth connections also run outreach activiities for young people in the community and aim to strengthen services so young people are better connected to education.

Factors that may affect young people’s successful participation in education or training may include but are not limited to the following:

• Educational factors – bullying, poor behaviour, school refusal and low academic performance
• Personal factors – poor social skills, mental health issues, substance abuse and low self esteem
• Social, Cultural and Community issues – such as a history of criminal behavior, homelessness and institutionalsation 

Youth Connections is also an approved activity under Mutual Obligation and is one of the approved activities that a job seeker can include in their Preparing for Work Agreement (PfWA) administered by Centerlink.*

*Participants must be eligible for Youth Connections