Youth Partner Network Launches

Representatives from some of Australia’s largest businesses and philanthropic organisations have thrown their support behind a Victorian Government initiative to improve volunteering, mentoring and career opportunities for young people.

The Victorian Minister for Youth Affairs, Ryan Smith has launched the Youth Partner Network at a panel event attended by representatives of BHP Billiton, National Australia Bank, Foundation for Young Victorians and The Reach Foundation, along with around 70 representatives of the business and youth sector.

“A key focus of the new Youth Partner Network is to encourage innovative partnerships between government, business, industry and the youth sector to support young people to reach their full potential,” Smith said.

“There are more than one million young Victorians between the ages of 12 and 25 and the Coalition Government believes in the active role young people can and do play in their communities and in building an even better Victoria."

The Minister says that they have identified a range of actions to give young people the best possible opportunities to create their future and maximise their potential.

Smith said the Youth Partner Network’s key priorities were to:

• increase volunteering opportunities for young people;
• increase mentoring opportunities for young people;
• create more career pathway opportunities for young people; and
• increase the responsible use of social media by young people.

Among a range of activities the Youth Partner Network will:

• focus on increasing the youth sector’s ability to engage with business and philanthropy;
• help business and philanthropy better understand key issues and priorities of youth and the youth sector; and
• make it more accessible and less onerous for business and philanthropy to work with the youth sector and young people.

“The activities of the Youth Partner Network will be open to all organisations with an interest in supporting young Victorians, and will be supported through the Coalition Government’s Office for Youth,” Smith said.

The CEO of The Reach Foundation Sarah Davies commended the Youth Partner Network.

“The Government’s initiative serves not only to highlight the valuable work of the youth sector in Victoria, but to promote and foster collaboration within and across sectors, that can result in positive and sustainable outcomes for young Victorians,” Davies said.

For more information about the Youth Partner Network go to www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/ypn.