Community Investment Committees

The National Youth Employment Body (NYEB) currently supports six Community Investment Committees across different regions of Australia.

Community Investment Committees are a core part of the place-based model used by the NYEB and Transition to Work National Community of Practice. Committees collaborate to build community-led solutions to youth unemployment, beyond those achieved by programs and agencies working alone.

Lead Partner organisations implement the NYEB model in each region. Lead Partners are youth employment specialists who are embedded in their local community and have experience working with young people who face multiple challenges to entering the world of work.

Each Committee brings together local representatives from industry, youth employment services, skills and training, all levels of government, young people and community, to create and strengthen youth training and employment pathways.   

Committees are achieving this by leveraging existing efforts and government investments, drawing on local and national expertise and data to identify barriers and opportunities, and developing strategies that benefit young people and local employers. 

The NYEB supports committees to achieve local priorities and facilitates the ongoing exchange of information and ideas between local Committees and the NYEB’s National Governance Groups to connect local and national solutions, and inform wider systemic change in youth employment. 

Priorities to improve youth employment

Each Committee develops and reviews community priorities and strategies set out in a local Youth Employment Action plan. Key priorities across Committees includes work to: 

  • Design training pathways to strengthen and align young people’s skills and training to local growth industries and job opportunities.  
  • Create structural solutions and enablers to increase young people’s ability to overcome local barriers and access experiences and opportunities to transition into employment. 
  • Build partnerships and employer champions to gain key stakeholder input into the design of training and employment pathways and champion investment in young people across industry networks. 
  • Strengthen the leadership and voice of young people to enable local young people to meaningfully contribute to the design and delivery of training and employment pathways.   
  • Bring community together to make change to provide a coordinated effort to increase the confidence, capabilities, and wellbeing of young people. 
  • Act on knowledge and evidence to connect young people to training and employment opportunities, subsidies and investments; and to advocate learnings of what works both locally and nationally. 

Community Investment Committees 

Logan-Beaudesert Community Investment Committee 

yourtown
Logan, Queensland

Established in August 2019, the Logan-Beaudesert Community Investment Committee has a focus on developing flexible pre-employment pathways, engaging Employer Champions and addressing local structural issues. Members represent local Councils, State and Federal Government, the Local Jobs Program, TAFE Queensland, community organisations and employers from food services, retail and construction. 

Progress on priorities: 

  • Implemented the National Skills Trial into aged care and disability support for young people to gain entry level roles 
  • Youth contribution to Committee meetings 
  • Drawing on the successful employer-led pathway with local McDonald’s franchisee to develop further processes to onboard and support young people into work 
  • Co-designing pathways into construction, logistics and the care sectors 
  • Developing solutions to improve community transport and youth mental health. 

Adelaide North Community Investment Community

Workskil Australia
Adelaide North, South Australia

Established in November 2019, the Adelaide North Community Investment Committee is focused on working together in new ways, addressing structural barriers, and building and advocating young people’s capabilities. Members include State and Federal Government, the Local Jobs Program, TAFE SA, community organisations and large employers from IT, retail and call centre sectors. 

Progress on priorities:  

  • Established a Driver Mentor Program with a Geared 4 Work vehicle 
  • Implemented and evaluated the National Skills Trial into aged care and disability support 
  • Developing pre-employment pathways into call centres, web design, civil construction and horticulture with employers and training providers  
  • Implementing a high school work experience pilot program to connect young people to the world of work  
  • Development of innovative training and foundational skills support with TAFE SA 
  • Advocating for youth employment at the national level. 

Shoalhaven Community Investment Committee 

Mission Australia
Shoalhaven, New South Wales

Established in November 2019, the Shoalhaven Community Investment Committee maintained momentum through bushfires, floods and the pandemic, with committed members from the local Council, Business Chamber, TAFE NSW, the Local Jobs Program and Federal government, community employment service organisations and employers. The Committee is focused on supporting young people and employers to invest in training pathways, overcoming structural barriers and advocating placed-based knowledge and issues at the local and national level. 

Progress on priorities:  

  • Leading youth employment strategy on the Local Jobs and Skills Taskforce, and developing transport solutions with the Transport Working Group 
  • Building pathways for young people into construction, hospitality and the care sector 
  • Supporting and developing entry level opportunities with IllawarraYES, the Shoalhaven City Council, TAFE and other organisations 
  • Innovate skills development through Productivity Bootcamp and an art therapy skill set  
  • Advocacy and submissions with partners to improve transport and youth mental health. 

Warrnambool Moyne Community Investment Committee 

Brophy Family and Youth Services
Warrnambool and South West Victoria

The Warrnambool Moyne Community Investment Committee has focused on career development and reimagining vocational pathways to encourage local young people to work locally, since their first meeting in December 2021. Members represent local Council, employers in dairy, aged care and automotive, TAFE and other training providers, and an Aboriginal community organisation.  

Progress on priorities: 

  • Youth led video production exploring dairy career roles 
  • Developing training pathways with employers and industry peaks into agriculture and aged care sectors 
  • Dedicated staff to coordinate Committee projects 
  • High School teacher/career educator development tours to increase relevant career information for young people 
  • Identifying Employer Champions in the community as examples of fit for purpose engagement with young people. 

Darwin NT Community Investment Committee  

YouthWorx NT
Darwin, Northern Territory

Established in May 2021, the NT Community Investment Committee’s initial focus is to align skills and training offers with local growth sectors. Members represent local City and Aboriginal Land Councils, industry peaks and employers in transport, construction, farming, food and accommodation services, community organisations, education and training, the Local Jobs Program, State and Federal government, and young people. 

Progress on priorities: 

  • Building on the National Skills Trial into aged care and disability support for young people to gain entry level roles 
  • Youth and strong employer representation on the Committee  
  • Developing strategies to address job seasonality, limited transport, learner driver support and accommodation. 
  • Developing sustainable pathway opportunities in agriculture, the NDIS, renewable energy, construction and hospitality. 
  • Exploring good practice of how employers investing in young people. 

Gold Coast Community Investment Committee  

Gen-Z Employment
Gold Coast, Queensland

Established in May 2021, the Gold Coast Community Investment Committee has a strong focus on embedding young people’s experiences and expertise into Committee projects, pre-employment pathways, real experiences of work, and supporting youth mental health in the workplace. Members represent employment and training providers, youth, local Council and State government, health and Aboriginal community services, employers in marine, tourism, food and accommodation sectors. 

Progress on priorities: 

  • Implemented and building on learnings of the National Skills Trial into entry level care roles 
  • Youth representation on the Committee, and participation at a national NYEB level 
  • Implementing Careers Happen, a work inspiration recruitment program and pathway for young people to enter the marine and theme park industries 
  • Developing an employer toolkit and other strategies for employers to support youth mental health 
  • Working with TAFE to highlight facilities and opportunities. 

Resources

Community Investment Committees

  • Community Investment Committees (CICs) (PDF, 84 KB)
  • The Community Investment Committee Deal (PDF, 212 KB) outlines how members commit to work with each other to improve youth employment pathways.
  • Snapshots from CICs  (PDF, 93 KB)
  • National Youth Employment Body: Establishing a Community Investment Committee, Toolkit provides broad guidance on the key elements and steps of developing a Community Investment Committee, and supporting resources such as:
    • Agenda, terms of reference and action plan templates
    • Overview of key roles
    • Mapping the local youth opportunity landscape
  • COVID-19 Snapshots: Youth employment across Australia features young people and their experiences of employment during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also features Employer Champions working locally and nationally with Transition to Work providers to harness community effort and create pathways to employment for young people.
  • Pathways into Caring Roles features the experiences of young people who participated in the National Skills Trial into aged care and disability, by completing the Entry into Care Roles Skill Set, Transition to Work activities and work experience. Hear their journey and how they were inspired by the pathway and the opportunities now available to them.