When NYEB lead partners and members came together in Melbourne in November 2023 for the Community of Policy and Practice (CoPP) focused on skills and training, they highlighted the need for more detailed evidence of the innovation that is taking place across the NYEB.
In the first half of 2024, 39 members from across the NYEB were interviewed by the BSL research team to build a detailed picture of why, how and in what ways Community Investment Committees (CICs) are strengthening the role of skills and training for young people.
Interviewees were asked a range of questions about their CIC’s change ambition for skills and training, the activities they were currently undertaking to progress that ambition, and the barriers and enabling conditions impacting their work. Interviewees also shared their insights on topics currently on the Commonwealth Government’s policy agenda, such as apprenticeship supports and digital literacy and equity.
By sharing the findings emerging from these interviews we can improve the visibility of what works when building stronger opportunities and pathways for young people. The insights shared from the skills and training work of the CICs are also central to the advocacy and policy influencing work of the NYEB, at a time when community voices are critical to a range of education and training reform opportunities.
Some highlights from this research are:
- 89% of interviewees said their CIC had an ambition to influence change in skills and training practices, programs, or policy.
- The three most common types of change that CICs are looking to influence within the skills system are:
- Improved practices and policies by making them more young-person-centered
- Improved models of delivery to meet young people’s needs
- 60% of interviewees said their CIC was undertaking activities to progress their ambition in 2024.
- 55% of the CIC activities that interviewees described were bridging activities (activities aimed at strengthening the connections between young people and employers)
- 87% of interviewees said young people were involved in their CIC’s skills and training work in some form.
To explore the findings in further detail, download the ‘At A Glance’ [PDF 202KB].
What’s next:
Over the next few months, the BSL research team draw on theses insights to draft the NYEB Skills and Training Position Statement. We will continue to work with interviewees as we develop this statement, and will launch it at the upcoming CoPP in November. The research team will also develop a long-form research paper, which will communicate in more detail the insights and expertise across the CICs.
A big thank you to all who agreed to take part and so generously contributed their time and insights. If you are interested in contributing to the ongoing development of the NYEB skills and training policy position, please contact David Longley, Senior Research Officer, at david.longley@bsl.org.au