Youth Pathways Facilitator Project

​Kirkland Lake Gold invests in Loddon Campaspe youth
A new project led by the North Central LLEN will take a collaborative approach to reducing youth unemployment in the Loddon Campaspe region over the next three years.

Funded through the Kirkland Lake Gold Community Partnership Program the Youth Pathways Facilitator project will address the problems young people face entering the labour market after leaving school, particularly in a post Covid-19 environment.

A partnership between the North Central (project lead), Goldfields, Central Ranges, and Campaspe Cohuna LLENs, the project will work across the Loddon Campaspe region to bring together people and resources to effectively address the significant challenges faced by some young people transitioning from school to work in our local economies.

North Central LLEN Executive Officer Jane Hosking said that youth unemployment is high in our region and has been impacted further by COVID-19.

“We have employers in the region who say they have entry level work and want young people, but young people say they don’t know how to find it, that the process to find work is complex, and the support system difficult to navigate. This project will help address that.”

“Over the next three years the LLEN’s across Loddon Campaspe will be looking to tailor services and programs to support the young people using our experience as partnership brokers, and our expertise in engaging young people, industry and community organisations,” she said.

“As a small charity, this type of project is only possible with the investment from Kirkland Lake Gold which will enable us to better achieve our vision of creating opportunities for young people to thrive in education, work and life,” said Ms Hosking.

For 20 years, the 31 organisations that comprise the VicLLEN’s Network have brought partners and their resources together to effectively address the challenges that face young people transitioning from school to work in local economies.

LLENs are focused on improving the participation, engagement, transitions and aspiration of young people through partnering, collaboration and capacity building to create systems to support young people and building stronger communities.

Ms Hosking says this means they facilitate ‘place based’ responses, convening stakeholders (from government, businesses, community organisations and philanthropy), to identify local needs, and combine resources to develop local solutions.

“We welcome this investment for Kirkland Lake Gold in our young people and look forward to the many positive outcomes this project will create,’ she said.​

PHOTO CAPTION:
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Pictured at the funding announcement of Kirkland Lake Gold Community Partnerships Program projects are (L-R) Felicia Binks (KLG Director Environment and Government Relations Australia), Ion Hann (KLG Vice President Operations Australia), Jane Hosking (EO, North Central LLEN) and Tim Birthisel (Consultant to KLG).

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