Through working with communities across Australia and with community stakeholders in the Barwon South West region it is apparent that addressing youth unemployment requires a place-based response. This requires engaging with diverse stakeholders. In this project, the project partners are Brophy Family and Youth Services, South West TAFE, Food and Fibre Great South Coast, Dairy Australia, Skills Impact, and the Brotherhood of St. Laurence. Each of these partners are part of the agriculture, youth unemployment and training ecosystem and are invested in trialling an innovative approach that simultaneously addresses youth unemployment and agricultural labour shortages.
AgFutures Governance Structure
Our partners
Working for an Australia free of poverty
The Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL) is a social justice organisation working alongside people experiencing disadvantage to address the fundamental causes of poverty in Australia. BSL believes no one should live in poverty. Their mission is to pursue lasting change, to create a more compassionate and just society where everyone can thrive.
BSL is the lead partner managing the operations of AgFutures.
Local coordination and employer support
Brophy is a quality accredited Child Safe, not for profit organisation, with a community-based Board of Directors. They are a multi – site organisation, with sites based in Warrnambool, Portland, Hamilton and Colac and provide outreach services throughout the region.
Connecting employers
Dairy Australia is the national services body for the Australian dairy industry. They provide practical tools, services and advice to assist farming operations and the dairy supply chain. An integral part of this is attracting people to the industry and building skills by educating people on the diversity of careers in the dairy industry from animal management to plant production.
Connecting employers
Food & Fibre Great South Coast (FFGSC) is the representative body for food and fibre in the Great South Coast region of Victoria. They aim to realise the region’s untapped capacity to increase food and fibre products and value-add to build capacity to build the viability and resilience of our local communities.
Skills service organisation partner
Skills Impact is a not-for-profit industry-owned organisation that works across Australia identifying and defining skills standards to meet industry needs. They are one of six Skills Service Organisations contracted by the Commonwealth and support the Agriculture and Production Horticulture Industry Reference Committee to improve and develop the AHC Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management Training Package. This involves collaborating with industry, government and training providers to review and develop vocational units of competency, skill sets and qualifications.
Delivering fit for purpose training
South West TAFE has a long history of providing technical and specialist education in the Barwon South West region of Victoria. They offer over 150 nationally-recognised qualifications and short courses with campus in Warrnambool, Hamilton, Portland and Colac and training facilities at Glenormiston and Sherwood Park. Their Glenormiston campus has been recently upgraded to provide new horticulture and agriculture facilities which will aid in the delivery of the agricultural qualifications and short courses we offer.