The Jobs For Youth page was an initiative as a result of the Public Meeting that was organised by the City of Ballarat, conducted in June 2003. The Public Meeting was called following the release of the Highlands LLEN youth profile 'Young People at the Crossroads' environmental scan. This document gave a snapshot of young people in the region, their education and training, as well as employment/unemployment status.

The alarming statistic identified was that unemployment of Ballarat youth was 23.5%, 48% higher than the state average. The Mayor proposed a short-term strategy by challenging local industry/business to find 100 jobs for young people and advertising them in The Courier. The Highlands LLEN played a significant role in facilitating a community response with key stakeholders, including The Courier to promote and advertise youth specific jobs.

On Wednesday 15th October 2003 saw the launch of the first Jobs For Youth page. The initial target was easily reached and surpassed and continued to generate 200 jobs. So successful was this initiative it continues today and is a major catalyst in promoting young people, employers and successful employment outcomes. Continued support from Tracy the employment people, BGT Employment, MEGT, BEST and BRACE and more recently Direct Recruitment ensures the viability of the page.

Jobs for Youth - Archives