YSC Program information

Youth Support Coordinators (YSCs) work with young people aged between 12 and 18 years at risk of not completing the senior phase of learning, including secondary schools or equivalent TAFE or other training programs.

YSCs work with young people, and their families (where appropriate), individually and in group work settings and also undertake community development and capacity building in order to meet the following objectives:

• to develop linkages between schools, TAFEs, community organisations and the broader community to enhance access by young people and their families to support and assistance
• to assist young people and their families to resolve issues contributing to not transiting into and completing the senior phase of learning
• to contribute to the development of supportive school/TAFE environments that are responsive to the needs of young people at risk of not transiting into and completing the senior phase of learning
• to assist young people to develop social and personal skills for independent and successful community living
• to encourage and support community services to respond to the needs of students and their families

History and Background

The Youth Support Coordinator program was originally funded in 1997 as a response to research which showed strong connections between homelessness and early school leaving. The research showed that in order to provide the best support for young people the following elements are essential:

• Early identification and intervention – that support was most likely to be successful when it was offered as early as possible
• Strong networks of support – that support that was holistic and incorporated the skills and expertise of a range of service providers was most successful

In order to facilitate the above elements YSCs were funded as community workers working in schools to build networks of support around young people and to support schools to provide innovative responses to young people at risk.

The development of the Initiative was based upon the assumption that services located in the community are well positioned to fulfil a coordination and school-community linking role at the client and local community level.

Program Outline and Objectives

The YSC program is a key component of the Queensland Government’s Education and Training Reforms for the Future agenda, providing more support for young people at risk of leaving school early.

YSCs works in partnership with Education Queensland schools, non government schools and TAFE Institutes to provide meaningful responses to young people in order to complete their senior phase of learning.

The program is managed by the Queensland Department of Communities and funded by the Department of Education and Training.

YSC work is guided by a Memorandum of Understanding signed between these three Departments.  For a copy of the MoU click the following link: Memorandum of Understanding

YSC Program reports

» Summary Report for Youth Support Coordinator Initiative Evaluation Phase One: 2006 - 2008

» The 1999 Evaluation of the YSC, Preventing student homelessness and early school leaving: Putting into practice school and community collaboration (PDF), program further highlights the success of the program.

» Queensland the Smart State Education and Training Reforms for the Future – A White Paper (PDF)

»Young Person's White Paper (PDF)