Youth services provide support and/or advocacy for people 25 years and younger. This can include planning for youth wellbeing, early intervention and prevention services for at-risk young people, and youth support coordination services.
In 2010/2011 Youth Affairs Network of Queensland (YANQ), the peak body for the youth sector in Queensland, produced two reports: The Youth Sector in Queensland and the Murri Youth sector in QLD. These two reports outline the findings of the Youth Sector Workforce Skilling and Training Research Project and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth Sector Skilling and Training research Project. These reports provide baseline workforce data and discuss key workforce themes that emerged and recommendations around skills and workforce development.
Since the release of these reports a number of initiatives to support the youth sector workforce have begun. YANQ continues to focus attention on workforce planning and development for the youth sector. YANQ has established ten Communities of Practice Leaders Action Networks (CPLANs) in regions across Queensland to enable the sector at a regional level to identify workforce development needs and sector issues. YANQ has worked closely with Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE to ensure that CPLAN facilitator’s progress through a skill set which is comprised of four units of competency from the Diploma of Community Development.
YANQ, together with MSIT and QUT will work collaboratively to ensure the content and delivery of the skill sets meets the needs of the students specifically in relation to facilitating CPLANs. Participants will also be able to apply for scholarships to support their training through the Community Services Skilling Plan. In November 2011 a state-wide gathering of CPLAN facilitators was held in Brisbane. This gathering provided an opportunity for the facilitators of the Leaders Action Networks to meet both their TAFE teachers, QUT support team and learn about the facilitator’s role in action research.
For more information view the 2012 Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report - Youth Services summary
