Youth Symposium: Leading for our Future

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:47): My question is to the Minister for Human Services about the Youth Symposium: Leading for Our Future report, which was launched recently and which event I also had the pleasure to attend. Can the minister please provide an update to the council about whether the report of the youth symposium will inform the government's strategic directions about youth going forward?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:48): I thank the honourable member for her question. On 20 February, at the Australian Migrant Resource Centre, a number of people attended the launch of the youth symposium report, which was a project undertaken jointly by the AMRC and the Commissioner for Children and Young People. I acknowledge that the honourable member participated very much in the consultations in October last year.

Also in attendance was the Hon. David Pisoni, who gave an outline of a range of things that are taking place in the industries and skills portfolio; the Hon. Rachel Sanderson, as the local member and the Minister for Child Protection; and, I think, the Hon. Irene Pnevmatikos as well; along with a range of other distinguished guests. We heard from a range of speakers—as I mentioned, the Hon. David Pisoni—and some of the participants through the symposium from last year as well, who I think were particularly touched that a large number of government members had attended, which they took as an endorsement and support for the important work of this youth symposium report.

The symposium report focuses on a very important cohort of newly-arrived migrant young people, who can face particular challenges in gaining employment and pathways into various sectors. So it is a very important piece of work to advise government about how to assist young people going forward.

Through the Department of Human Services we are also undertaking a youth strategy, and this particular report is very timely as we go forward with our consultations. It will certainly assist us in some of the key areas for young people, which are pathways to employment, technical education and other areas of education, and a range of areas going forward. We look forward to integrating that into our learnings as we embark on a much broader strategy for South Australia.