The Hon Julie Bishop MP - Minister for Education, Science and Training, and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues

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Media Release

Expanding education options for Indigenous young people

8 May 2007

BUDB 13/07

The Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, today announced funding of $84.5 million to provide increased employment, education and training opportunities for approximately 1,600 Indigenous Australians living in rural and remote areas.

The 2007-08 Budget initiative will expand the highly successful Indigenous Youth Mobility Programme (IYMP) and Indigenous Youth Leadership Programme (IYLP), providing assistance for more young Indigenous people who wish to relocate to major regional centres to take up education, training and employment opportunities.

The IYMP, which provides training and employment opportunities, will be expanded from the current 640 places to 1,500 places over four years. The IYLP, which provides educational opportunities while developing students’ leadership potential, will be expanded from the current 250 scholarships to 1,000 scholarships over four years.

The initiative also includes $15.3 million over two years to existing boarding schools which cater for significant numbers of Indigenous students. The funding will allow the urgent upgrade of accommodation facilities to prevent a loss of existing boarding places.

This is over and above the $50 million also provided in the Budget to block grant authorities to further assist private schools to provide more boarding opportunities for Indigenous students.

"Secondary education and training choices for many Indigenous students living in remote communities are limited," Minister Bishop said.

"This initiative will allow Indigenous young people, with the support of their families, to access high quality education, training and employment opportunities that may not otherwise be available to them."

Approximately 25% of 15 to 19 year old Indigenous people live in a remote area.

This initiative will offer the promise of a high standard of education to a generation of Indigenous Australians living in rural and remote areas, further expanding their education, training and career options.

Media Contacts

Minister Bishop’s Office: Tory Vidler 0414 228 727

Dept of Education, Science & Training: Virginia Cook 0412 971 323

Non-media queries:
1300 363 079

Supporting Information

Why is this important?

There are limited secondary education and training choices for many Indigenous students living in remote communities.

This measure offers the promise of education to a generation of Indigenous Australians living in rural and remote areas who wish to relocate to major regional centres for the educational, training and employment opportunities not otherwise available to them.

It expands the successful Indigenous Youth Mobility and Indigenous Youth Leadership Programmes, which provide more choice for Indigenous young people to access high quality education and training opportunities.

The initiative also provides for contributions to existing boarding schools, catering for significant cohorts of Indigenous students, for urgent upgrades of accommodation facilities to prevent a loss of existing boarding places.

Who will benefit?

Some 1,600 Indigenous young people, their families and their communities will benefit through accelerated improvement in education, employment and training outcomes. On completion of their education and training, many of these young people will return to their home communities with enhanced knowledge, life skills and job readiness.

What funding is the Government committing to the initiative?

$84.5 million over four years.

What have we done in the past?

The Indigenous Youth Mobility Programme and the Indigenous Youth Leadership Programme were introduced through the Australian Government’s 2004 election policy Indigenous Australians – Opportunity and Responsibility and implemented in 2005.

The programmes provide the additional support needed for young people from remote areas to relocate to take up apprenticeships, other post secondary training or employment options in major centres, and for Indigenous young people to attend high performing schools and universities while developing their leadership potential.

These programmes build on opportunities supported through ABSTUDY and are in addition to the measure in this Budget which provides $50 million in 2006-07 to block grant authorities to further assist private schools to provide more boarding opportunities for Indigenous students.

When will the initiative conclude?

This is an ongoing initiative.