Tuesday, 15 October 2024

Passions & Pathways program

Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (18:54): (1178) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education. The Goldfields LLEN – local learning and employment network – has run its successful Passions & Pathways program since 2012, connecting primary students to local industries to develop an understanding of career opportunities and possibilities in the world of work. Students participate in workplace tours, entrepreneurial projects and weekly lessons, culminating each year by showcasing student projects at a career expo. In 2024 Passions & Pathways connected 468 students from 10 schools with more than 60 local businesses participating in the program. This program provides a vital link for young students to career pathways at a pivotal developmental age, empowering them to see possibilities and opportunities beyond their current circumstances. This is the only evidence-based primary school careers learning program in Victoria. I have spoken with representatives from participating schools who understand that this program is a key resource to break generational cycles of disempowerment and inequality.

Currently Passions & Pathways is funded through Regional Development Victoria, with contributions also coming from the City of Greater Bendigo. However, this funding runs out in April next year; they do not have the funding to continue the program in 2025. Regional Development Victoria has been supportive of the program, but the Department of Education needs to step in to provide long-term secure funding.

The Victorian local learning and employment network established 31 LLENs under a model that empowered each local network to develop programs that targeted the needs of their local communities, and the Passions & Pathways program has been highly effective and could be rolled out to other locations. The Goldfields LLEN regularly gets requests from other schools and LLENs from across Victoria who are keen to engage with the Passions & Pathways program. To see Passions & Pathways cease due to a lack of long-term funding at this crucial stage would undermine 13 years of work at the Goldfields LLEN along with the financial commitment and support of Regional Development Victoria, and it would impact on the lives and careers of young people across our region. The action I seek is for the minister to provide insights into how the department will continue to support the ongoing success of the Goldfields LLEN’s Passions & Pathways program.