ALTERNATIVE LEARNING OPTIONS PROGRAM

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:06): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education. What is the government doing to support young people at risk to remain connected to education and training?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:06): I thank the member for Florey for her question and, of course, acknowledge her commitment, along with that of the government and this parliament, to key social inclusion commitments.

One of the government's key social inclusion commitments is to increase school retention rates by supporting young people to remain connected to education and training. Keeping young people connected to learning during their vital school years dramatically improves their opportunities for maintaining sustainable employment throughout their adult life.

TAFE SA plays an important role in assisting young people through the Alternative Learning Options Program (ALOP). This program offers hands-on, off-campus learning experiences to young people aged between 15 and 19 years who are at risk of disengaging from learning. This approach increases their self-confidence and ability to successfully complete vocational training and re-engage with their secondary schooling.

Delivered through TAFE SA since 2004 as part of the Social Inclusion Board's School Retention Action Plan, ALOP has re-engaged nearly 2,700 young people who were experiencing difficulties in the mainstream school system. This program has demonstrated that the most effective way of achieving this is:

through small learning groups and individually tailored learning plans;

by providing responsive and flexible learning programs outside mainstream learning environments; and

through intensive support that meets young people's learning and life needs.

The program's success has been recognised through an additional funding of $3.5 million to continue this work over the next four years as part of this government's ongoing commitment to supporting young people to complete their year 12.

The program will maintain its broad coverage across the state, just as it did in 2007, within metropolitan Adelaide, Adelaide Hills, Barossa and Lower Light, Copper Coast, Murray Bridge, Riverland and Eyre Peninsula. I know that each and every one of the local members representing those areas speaks very highly of this program and the advantages it offers not only to the young people participating in those programs but also to the community. They are outstanding programs, and I know that this is a program that has bipartisan support across this parliament.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: You are interested in this. You cover the Hills area, don't you? I mentioned the Hills. It is something we should be proud of.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: That's right. Schools have advised that when their students participate in ALOP their attendance improves and they are motivated to approach their studies in a far more positive way than otherwise has been the case; in fact, many were not studying prior to entering into the ALOP program.

Many students have overcome significant learning and personal barriers and gone on to commence apprenticeships, enrol in VET courses and commence careers in skilled trades. It provides a foundation for those people to move into areas where they can certainly take opportunities to gain sustainable employment that will set them up for the rest of their life.

ALOP has delivered some outstanding results to young people, and it has developed and improved collaboration between TAFE SA and the school community. I very much appreciate, as we go forward, the relationship that is developing between the further education sector, the TAFE sector and education. I cannot speak for the Minister for Education—nor would I—but we certainly know that education is a continuum, from early childhood development right through, and we cannot necessarily compartmentalise education in the way we might have traditionally. The fact is that we need—

Mr Griffiths interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: I am getting lots of support. The simple reality is that we are going to—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: I have not finished yet. We are going to continue to make sure that that relationship is further developed. The $3.5 million funding commitment from the state government will make further inroads into our social inclusion objectives and lead to more positive and sustainable life outcomes for young people at risk. I thank each and every member in this chamber for the support they have shown for this program.