Education Engagement
Partnership 2012
Summary Review Across Cities of Stonnington & Port Phillip
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Education Engagement Partnership Summary:
The Education Engagement Partnership (EEP) is a partnership of fifteen agencies including local
government, schools, youth services and community health. EEP supports services who work with
young people aged 10 – 19, who are currently disengaged or at risk of disengaging from education,
employment or training, across the local government areas (LGA’s) of Stonnington and Port Phillip.
The partnership adds value to education and youth services by providing data collection and
analysis, cross agency and evidence based responses to enhance the engagement and retention of
vulnerable young people in meaningful education or work.
Purpose of this report:
The EEP aims to provide useful data and information to partnership agencies and to support a model
of collaborative response to gaps and opportunities that emerge from this data and other sources.
This report represents the second year (2012) of data collection through the partnership and the
regular data updates and analysis that is delivered by the EEP Project Officer and the Data Analysis
Working Group to partnership agencies and youth networks.
This report includes:
a. 2012 quantitative and qualitative data
b. An overview of the EEP in 2012
c. Summary of future work
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Education Engagement Partnership Vision:
All young people 10-19 studying, residing or engaging in the Cities of Stonnington and Port Phillip
have access to meaningful and sustainable education, training or employment.
Project Officer’s Report:
The Education Engagement Partnership Across Cities of Stonnington & Port Phillip strived and
succeeded to embed its collaborative practices and recommendations into the service landscape
during a year of change. The EEP role was relocated from Swinburne University of Technology (with
its closure) to Stonnington Youth & Adventure Playground Services.
The EEP has been impacted by the closure of direct services such as First Stop at Swinburne
University of Technology and the Education Support Coordinator at Ardoch Youth Foundation with
submitted data down by approximately 400 young people from 2011. However, EEP’s data continues
to provide strong and clear evidence of what youth disengagement from education, employment or
training looks like in the Cities of Stonnington and Port Phillip.
2012 was a year of consolidating EEP’s purpose and reaping the benefits. The EEP has moved from a
period of data collection and analysis to drawing from the evidence and developing
recommendations to the Steering Committee to respond to identified trends, themes and gaps.
EEP Objectives
1. Improve education, training and employment outcomes for young people 10-19
most at risk of disengagement or already disengaged
2. Increase support to all stakeholders working with young people 10-19 at risk of
disengagement (schools, services, parents, police, mental health services)
3. Gather information about young people 10-19 at risk of disengagement in order
to best target resources and programs
4. Identify gaps and advocate for long term policy and funding responses from
Government and other community stakeholders.
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a. Data 2012: Quantitative and Qualitative
Collection methodology
Data is gathered via seven agencies (the Action Team) who submit data regularly or on a monthly
basis. The fields of data collected include; age, gender, LGA of residence, referred by, length of
disengagement, reasons for disengagement and last level of education completed. All quantitative
data is stored on the EEP database. Information is gathered about each young person at the time
they make contact with the Action Team worker. Qualitative data in the form of individual and group
case studies of vulnerable young people has also been submitted by Action Team workers and is
stored on the EEP database.
The organisations collecting data are:
Prahran
Community
learning Centre
(PCLC)
St Kilda Youth
Services
(SKYS)
Inner South
Community
Health Service
(ISCHS)
Youth Connect
(Youth
Connections)
Ardoch Youth
Foundation
Stonnington
Youth Services
First Stop:
Swinburne
University of
Technology
Education
Engagement
Partnership
900
Young people’s
data
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Database development:
EEP has developed an online database with the assistance of private contractor Per Halvarsson. The
database holds all data submitted by Action Team members. Action Team agencies have the ability
to log-on with their own password and download reports on their own agency’s data as well as Total
Data Reports1. Steering Committee members whose agencies are not represented on the Action
Team can also download Total Data Reports. The database now has the capacity to breakdown data
into Local Government Area’s (LGA) and Age Groups in correlation with Reasons for Disengagement
and Length of Disengagement.
Using and accessing the data
The data is owned by the partnership and partnership agencies are encouraged to employ the data
in any way deem useful. The EEP Project Officer can be contacted at any time to provide data to
partnership agencies.
Direct access to aggregate (de-identified) data including case studies, reports and emerging analysis
is available to all partnership agencies via password access to the EEP database.
Data analysis
The partnership undertakes ongoing analysis of current and future data through the Data Analysis
Working Group (DAWG), which reports back to the EEP Steering Committee on emerging trends and
opportunities. Two years worth of data reflecting 900 vulnerable young people connecting with local
schools and agencies has now been gathered and strong trends, themes and gaps have emerged.
Interested Steering Committee members are encouraged to join the DAWG by contacting the EEP
Project Officer.
1 Total Data Reports are the entire Action Teams data collated into one table with no identification of
individual agencies.
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Data report: Quantitative
EEP data has been tested for its validity and has been endorsed by Dr Sue Green PhD Psychology,
Psychology Board of Australia. EEP data does come with its limitations which include all data collated
and analysed depict young people who are at risk or have disengaged from education, employment
or training and have accessed a service for support purposes. This data does not encompass all young
people residing or having a meaningful connection to Cities of Stonnington and Port Phillip.
Table 1: Referred by
• From January 2012 – December 2012 services referring to other services, or education
providers referring to services is the most common way in which young people access
partnership agency support with 49% of all referrals coming through these channels.
• 34% of young people have either self referred or have been referred to a service by a family
or friend.
• 14% of young people were referred to an Action Team service by a government provider
(such as Centrelink).
Table 2: Gender
More males than females are accessing partnership agencies although the divide is not great - 56%
male and 44% female.
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Table 3: Local Government Area young person resides
• 35% of young people live in Port Phillip and 25% in Stonnington.
• 35% of young people reside outside the Local Government Areas of Port Phillip and
Stonnington. These young people are either attending an educational facility, employed or
accessing a service in the Cities of Port Phillip or Stonnington.
Table 4: Age at point of contact
• 69% of young people who are at risk or have disengaged were aged between 15 – 19.
• 15% are aged between 10 – 14 and 14% are over the age of 19.
Table 5: Last level of education completed
• Years 9 and 10 represent the highest level of education attained by the majority (44%) of
young people accessing support from partnership agencies during 2012.
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• 18% of the young people accessing services have between grade 6 – year 8 as the highest
level of education completed.
• 13% of all young people who accessed support services during 2012 have year 11 or 12 as
there last year of education completed.
Table 6: At risk of/ Length of time disengaged
• 60% of young people accessing Action Team services throughout Port Phillip and
Stonnington fall into the “at risk2” categories with the majority of them in the “medium” risk
category.
• Significantly, 20% of young people were disenaged for 1 – 6 months and 12% of young
people had been disenagegd for over 12 months beofre contacting a partnership agency.
2 The definitions of “at risk” of disengagement include:
At risk – low: Short term intervention needed (2 hours or more), support to maintain education through
material aid, pathway planning, one off referral or information.
At risk – medium: Short term engagement through case management, two or more reasons for
disengagement, young person is attending more than 50% of classes.
At risk- high: Case management, multiple barriers to education, young person is attending less than 50% of
classes. These definitions were established by a steering committee working group which reviewed current
government definitions and literature.
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Table 7: Factors3 relating to disengagement
• Most young people identified one or more factors relating to their need for support or as
reason for disengagement.
• EEP’s qualitative information supports the premise that when young people present to
agencies seeking support into alternative education, as highlighted in this data set, there is
generally more than one factor relating to why that young person is looking to move out of
mainstream education.
• Mental health4 was the leading factor for young people at risk of or already disengaged from
education.
• Family breakdown, low levels of literacy and numeracy, drugs and alcohol and housing also
related to young peoples vulnerability in staying enagged in education.
• The “Other” category has strong themes emerging such as; young people having
experienced bullying in school, young people at risk or disenaging from school due to
Dyslexia or Aspergers, parents with mental health or drug and alcohol issues, Culturally &
Linguistically Diverse (CALD) or Indigenous background as well as behavioural issues.
3 These factors are self identified by young people or highlighted through agency case manager assessment
processes. 4 The partnership acknowledges the potential variation in the definition of barriers to engagement such as
mental health.
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Comparison of 2011 and 2012 data:
The 7 fields of data’s emerging trends of 2011 and 2012 did not alter greatly, although the ‘Other’
category in Factors Relating to Disengagement differed somewhat.
Reason for
Disengagement
2011 2012
Referred by 1. Service
2. Self referred or referred by
family or friend
3. School/ education provider
1. Service
2. Self referred or referred by
family or friend
3. School/ education provider
Gender Spilt fairly evenly – primarily males Spilt fairly evenly – primarily males
LGA The split between young people
residing in Cities of Port Phillip and
Stonnington approximately 25%
each with the majority of young
people living outside the 2 LGA’s but
having a meaningful connection with
either of the LGA’s
The split between young people
residing in Cities of Port Phillip and
Stonnington approximately 25%
each with the majority of young
people living outside the 2 LGA’s
but having a meaningful connection
with either of the LGA’s
Age at point of
contact
15 – 19 yrs old was the primary age
of young people accessing support
15 – 19 yrs old was the primary age
of young people accessing support
Last level of
education completed
1. Years 9 and 10 represent the
highest level of education
attained by the majority
(47%) of young people
accessing support from
partnership agenices.
2. 19% of young people have
between grade 6 to year 8 as
the highest level of
education completed.
1. Years 9 and 10 represent
the highest level of
education attained by the
majority (44%) of young
people accessing support
from partnership agencies.
3. 18% of young people have
between grade 6 to year 8
as the highest level of
education completed.
At risk / Length of
disengagement
The ‘at risk/length of
disengagement’ category came in to
the data set mid-way through 2011;
comparisons with 2012 are not
feasible.
The ‘at risk/length of
disengagement’ category came in to
the data set mid-way through 2011;
comparisons with 2012 are not
feasible.
Factors relating to
disengagement
1. Most young people
identified one or more
factors relating to their need
for support or as reason for
disengagement.
2. Most young people who
contact partnership agencies
1. Most young people
identified one or more
factors relating to their
need for support or as
reason for disengagement.
2. Most young people who
contact partnership
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were seeking alternative
education or employment as
one factor in their need for
support.
3. Mental health was the
number factor relating to
disengagement
4. The ‘other’ category
included:
Parent with mental health
or drug & alcohol issues
CALD and behavioural
factors.
agencies were seeking
alternative education or
employment as one factor
in their need for support.
3. Mental health was the
number factor relating to
disengagement
4. The ‘other’ category
included:
Bullying, Dyslexia,
Aspergers, Indigenours,
CALD, parents with mental
health and drug & alcohol
issues.
Data report: Qualitative
Case studies are submitted by partnership workers to the action team in order to brainstorm
responses, develop a multi service response and to highlight potential gaps in local provision.
Themes identified from the 2012 qualitative data includes:
MENTAL HEALTH
RELATIONSHIPS
SOCIAL
EDUCATION
SERVICES
Anxiety, depression, AOD, fear,
trauma.
Negative experiences with family,
friends, peers.
Feeling isolated, experiences of
bullying.
Long periods of time spent in and
out of education, issues fitting in
with current learning model, lack of
availability of alternate learning
models in school, learning
difficulties.
Issue maintaining engagement with
services.
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Two case studies are included below.
Case 1:
Gender: Male
Age: 14
LGA: City of Port Phillip
Last year level of school completed: Year 7
Outline reasons for disengagement:
• Currently residing in emergency housing with Mother and younger sibling.
• Has previously resided in residential housing and has lived in eight different areas in the last 3
years
• Father is not in the picture and has been in and out of jail all of young person’s life
• Child protection is involved with the younger sibling
• Young person drinks alcohol frequently
• Mum has identified as having a problem with alcohol
• Young person is hard to get in contact - changing mobile phone numbers regularly
• Young person is reluctant to engage with services
• Young person associates himself with older people
• Young person carries out risk taking behaviours such as catching public transport throughout
the night all over Melbourne
• Young person carries knives on his body
Outline implementation of supports in place /pathway response/ case plan:
• Young person has been referred to Oakwood School (however has stated he does not want to
attend this year)
• Has completed some of the “Roll On” engagement program
• Mum is having some support around her own mental health issues and drug and alcohol use.
Outline EEP approach taken:
• Draw on physical activities such as sport & recreation as a way of engaging him
• Kombiz Youth Drop-In on Friday nights as a way to link in with services and PCYC, have PCYC
worker as a kind of mentor. Link into other PCYC (gym) programs through this avenue.
• Kombiz Youth Drop-In: meet other local people his own age through local, safe social
situations.
• Ensure there is a format to appointments with case manager
• Need to be clear and open about boundaries and limitations to the case manager’s role.
• Make sure expectations of your role are reasonable and achievable
• Recognition that the young person has already experienced adults letting him down – must be
very clear about boundaries with your role.
• Develop a case plan with small achievable goals each week and reflect on them.
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Case Study 2:
Gender: Female
Age: 18
LGA: City of Port Phillip
Last year level of school completed: Intermediate VCAL
Outline reasons for disengagement:
• Long term client
• Mother has significant mental health issues
• Mother believes young person also has mental health issues – although this is not endorsed
up by CYMHS workers
• Not much of a relationship with Father
• Has started to disengage from school (Swinburne - senior VCAL)
• Has not applied for VET subject – this will impact VCAL completion
• Mother inundates school staff and support worker with communication either through
email s or by dropping in
• Young person acts as a carer for mum
• No drug or alcohol issues
Outline implementation of supports in place /pathway response/ case plan:
• Initially attended appointments regularly and was attending school
• Initially case plan was around supporting young person to link in with VET and general
support – however young person is no longer presenting
• Considering exiting her due to lack of contact
Outline EEP approach taken:
• Exit young person – saving vs empowering
• Let her know she can always come back to the program – ensure it’s a positive experience
for her
• Explain young person has choices including not linking in with service
• Try for one last appointment to look at practical outcomes ie Avidity CII Hair & Beauty IMVC
• For worker: Ensure you sit with your supervisor and reflect on what the positives of this
case have been, what you have learnt and what the outcomes have been for both you and
the client.
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b. An overview of the EEP in 2012
Key Achievements of the EEP 2010 - 2012
1. FRAMEWORK:
The development of a framework of collaborative partnership across Cities of Port Phillip
and Stonnington as evident in EEP governance documents and policies and procedures
associated with the partnership. This level of collaboration is considered best practise.
1. DATABASE:
A comprehensive database has been developed. This is a unique collaboration regarding the
collation and analysis of data with 8 agencies pooling this information. All 15 EEP partners
can access and generate specific reports.
2. VALIDITY / METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION:
Solid quantitative and qualitative evidence of what youth disengagement from education
looks like in Cities of Port Phillip and Stonnington. This data has been tested by Dr Sue Green
(PHD) and the results are the data set is being collated meticulously and rigorously and can
be used in the public domain.
3. THEMES:
Six major themes have emerged from the EEP database identifying factors relating to
disengagement these include: mental health, literacy and numeracy, systems within schools,
transitions (from grade 6 to year 7), drugs and alcohol and family breakdown.
4. INFORMED PRACTICE:
The implementation of strategic/ evidence based responses to youth disengagement.
Benefits of the EEP
1. YOUNG PEOPLE
a) ACCESS:
• Between 2010 – 2012 over 900 young people have accessed EEP and partnership agencies
for support to re-engage into education, employment or training.
• Support to young people regarding information and referral to appropriate support services.
b) NEW SERVICES:
• Oakwood School satellite campus out of South Melbourne: An identified gap in
education delivery in Port Phillip was identified through EEP data for young people aged in
the “middle years” (8 – 14) who are completely disengaged from education. Oakwood
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School is a Department of Education & Early Childhood (DEECD) educational model and is
now delivering literacy and numeracy education and pathways back into either alternative
or mainstream education.
C) IMPROVED SERVICES
• Improved service delivery of case managers due to the analysis of qualitative data and the
delivery of secondary consult by The Alfred Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Service(CYMHS); topics addressed include client confidentiality, intake and assessment skills,
and creating boundaries with clients.
2. SCHOOLS:
a) NETWORKING & COLLABORATION:
• A unique networking opportunity for schools to work closely with community agencies, local
government and other local schools.
• EEP Policy & Directions Statement: This policy is currently being developed in conjunction
with Melbourne University and is based on the EEP data findings. The Policy has a set of
statements regarding keeping ‘at risk’ young people engaged in school. The policy also has a
set of actions/ recommendations for schools to utilise to keep their most ‘at risk’ students in
school. Schools have been consulted and have contributed in this process.
B) REFERRALS & SUPPORT
• Utilising EEP for information and referral schools have indicated this service is vital for them
when working with ‘at risk’ students.
3. COMMUNITY:
a) ENTRY POINT
• For parents and young people EEP is a simple contact point for any information and referrals
regarding education, employment or training for young people who’re at risk of disengaging.
b) EVIDENCE
• For the first time 15 agencies have access to data relating to young people who’ve accessed
agencies due to issues relating to disengagement. From this database, agencies can run
reports specific to their needs such as for funding applications, evidence of needs, gaps and
trends.
c) NETWORKING & COLLABORATION
• Networks in Cities of Port Phillip and Stonnington have access to evidence of where
professional development is required for direct service delivery.
• A cross collaboration and care team approach of 7 key services across Port Phillip and
Stonnington who now meet monthly (action team meetings) to discuss and disseminate
complex cases with The Alfred Hospital undertaking secondary consult with the group.
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c. Summary of future work
2013 and beyond:
Through the strength of EEP’s collaborative approach and drawing on our strong working
relationship with the Youth Research Centre, Graduate School of Education at Melbourne University,
EEP is looking forward to an exciting year of collaborating with the partnership in delivering evidence
based responses to the trends, themes and gaps as identified by the EEP data.
Projects such as the EEP Policy and Directions Statement and the Good Practice and Partnership
Report will roll out over 2013 in response to the identified themes. These important documents
have been established through rigorous consultation with local schools and key services and are live
documents to assist in supporting the continuous quality improvement of educational and service
delivery to our most vulnerable young people. EEP will carry on exploring innovative responses to
emerging needs throughout 2013 – 2014.
EEP will continue to act in an advocacy role to government departments such as Department of
Education and Early Childhood Development and Department of Human Services giving marginalised
young people a voice during a time of state and federal policy reform.
Membership in the EEP has grown from 2012 to 2013; EEP welcome’s Holmesglen TAFE, Taskforce
Community Agency and Southport Uniting Care in becoming members and say thank you to
Swinburne University of Technology and Elwood College who have withdrawn from the partnership.
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Comments from local services providers:
The statements below have been provided solely for publication in this report.
Youth Connect – Youth Connections
“The benefit that Youth Connect have in being involved with EEP is that hands on ability to gather
relevant data that can influence the work that our Youth Workers undertake. The data is a ‘real
time’ reflection of what is happening on the ground in relation to the circumstances that young
people are experiencing. Further, I would also say that the collaborative approach taken by EEP is
useful in establishing inter-service relationships that has a flow-on effect for our workers and the
young people that they work with.”
Megan Dow
Youth Services Team Leader
St Kilda Youth Services (SKYS)
“The EEP has been of great benefit to SKYS. The action team has enabled shared practise across a
number of partner organisations. Youth workers taking part have been able to gain expertise and
insight from other professionals on cases that have been presented. This forum has proved very
useful to SKYS workers around problem solving particular issues relating to difficult cases and has
increased their access to external opinions and expertise as to the best way to solve particular
challenges.
Further it has been really useful having solid local evidence regarding disengaged young people.
Having this available to all partnership members has been of great use to analyse trends in the local
youth population. In 2013 SKYS plans to build on the strategic use of this data to support its
directions in working with young people across the region who are disengaged from education,
employment and training.”
Nick Johns
Education manager
Inner Easter Local Learning Employment Network (IELLEN)
“Analysis of local data is a key factor in providing an evidence based response to critical issues/gaps
identified in the IELLEN Environmental Scan. The Environmental Scan and the identified critical
issues/gaps are fundamental to developing a current and locally relevant strategic plan.
EEP data has started to provide a valuable range of information to inform the IELLEN’s strategic
direction and planning. The 2012 IELLEN strategic plan uses a baseline established from the EEP data
to identify the number of at risk young people who have been connected with local services,
programs and case management to support their retention and or reengagement in education and or
training.
As partnership brokers the LLENs see partnerships as the most effective way to build community
capacity. The EEP has created a platform for building that capacity through ongoing commitment
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and collaboration. In addition EEP has highlighted the value of partnerships to not only address
current but also identify emerging issues at the local level.”
Gill Meek
CEO
City of Stonnignton - Youth Services
“The Council is extremely supportive of the EEP program, which aims to work collaboratively with
local government, key agencies, the education sector and young people.
EEP sits in the service landscape as a central point of data and information for disengaged youth. This
function of monitoring engagement over 12 months serves to provide a continuity of care to
disengaged youth, whilst also allowing data collection for accurate research on youth disengagement
and evaluation of the EEP program.
The City of Stonnington is highly supportive of its ongoing participation in the EEP program and the
opportunity to continue to work in partnership with the City of Port Phillip, schools, key agencies and
young people.”
Cath Harrod
Coordinator - Youth & Adventure Playground Services Coordinator
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APPENDIX 1- PARTNERSHIP MEMBERS 2012
The Inner Eastern Local Learning & Employment Network
Ardoch Youth Foundation
City of Port Phillip
City of Stonnington - Youth Services
The Inner Melbourne VET Cluster
Prahran Community Learning Centre
St Kilda Youth Service
Youth Connect
Southport Uniting Care
Swinburne University of Technology
Elwood College
School Focussed Youth Service
Victoria Police
St Kilda Primary School
The Department of Education & Early Childhood Development
Inner South Community Health Service
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APPENDIX 2- PARTNERSHIP MEMBERS 2013
The Inner Eastern Local Learning & Employment Network
Ardoch Youth Foundation
City of Port Phillip
City of Stonnington - Youth Services
The Inner Melbourne VET Cluster
Prahran Community Learning Centre
St Kilda Youth Service
Youth Connect
Southport Uniting Care
Holmesglen TAFE
Taskforce Community Agency
School Focussed Youth Service
Victoria Police
St Kilda Primary School
The Department of Education & Early Childhood Development
Inner South Community Health Service
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