about youth services
BGT Youth Services is contracted to deliver the Youth Connections service from the beginning of 2010 for the Highlands Service Region. Youth Connections is an Australian Government initiative funded through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
BGT is a regionally based ‘not for profit’ organization that maintains strong partnerships with employers, industry groups, secondary and tertiary education sectors and the community. Since 1986, BGT has been supporting young people in the community, earning the respect of thousands of young people, parents and stakeholders.
The aim of Youth Connections is to assist young people most at risk by to overcome barriers that prevent their participation in education, further training or employment. This 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.
Factors that may affect young people’s successful participation in education or training may include but are not limited to the following:
- educational factors – ie bullying, discouragement with school, low academic performance;
- personal factors – ie poor social skills, depression, substance abuse,;
- social cultural and community issues – ie such as a history of criminal behavior, homelessness, institutionalsation etc.
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