LAUNCHPAD PROGRAM

Mr SIBBONS (Mitchell) (14:37): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills. Can the minister inform the house about employment and training programs assisting young people at risk and entering the juvenile justice system?

The Hon. T.R. KENYON (Newland—Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for Recreation and Sport) (14:38): I was pleased to attend a recent awards night to acknowledge the achievements of participants in the LaunchPad program last week. The LaunchPad program began in July 2011 as a partnership between Whitelion, In2 Life and the state government. At the time, the state government provided a grant of $100,000 to assist this program. LaunchPad engages young people aged 16 to 24 at risk of entering or re-entering the youth justice system by working with them to address barriers and challenges to employment, such as stable housing, mental health and drug and alcohol issues. Importantly, the LaunchPad program provides pre-employment and skills development training, as well as job matching and continued support whilst in employment.

While these measures are vital to preventing young people from entering the juvenile justice system and in steering them away from reoffending, it is even more important that participants themselves have chosen to walk a different path to the one on which they were travelling. I was privileged to meet two young men at the recent awards night who were acknowledged for their achievements with the LaunchPad program. One young man had moved from regional South Australia to Adelaide to be closer to his family. When he first moved to Adelaide he was unable to find work and life was getting on top of him. Since starting the LaunchPad program and receiving an individually tailored pre-employment program, he has now gained employment with Sodexo at Prominent Hill. Through hard work and determination he overcame a number of significant challenges and now has a bright future.

This is the kind of program that is really making a difference to people's lives, and that is why I am especially pleased to inform the house that the state government will provide a further $100,000 for a 12-month extension to the LaunchPad initiative. This will help support an additional 25 young people to take part in the program.

I would like to acknowledge and thank those who have helped support and guide the participants of this life-changing program. These include: case managers, trainers, mentors, staff and management of Whitelion and In 2 Life; employers who chose to accept the challenge of taking on a LaunchPad participant; corporate sponsors wanting to help make a difference in young people's lives; and LaunchPad participants themselves who have overcome personal challenges and, through perseverance and hard work, have achieved their skills training and employment goals. I look forward to being able to report back to the house on the future success of this program.