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In 1998, the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) and the Department of Family and Community Services, Indigenous Policy Unit (IPU), undertook research into how the aspirations of young Indigenous people in remote regions match the Commonwealth government’s income support programs for the unemployed. The aim was to assess the relevance of two particular programs, Newstart and Youth Allowance, and propose how they might be made more relevant. The project aimed to be longitudinal, covering the five years between 1999 and 2003, and analysed data from surveys of a sample of Indigenous males and females aged between 15 and 24 in two remote locations of Australia, the Kimberley and Torres Strait. Three interrelated discussion papers resulted from an initial survey in Torres Strait. The papers (indexed at TD/TNC 75.335, TD/TNC 75.337 and TD/TNC 75.344) examine job searching, career aspirations, orientation to work, and education and training.

This paper aims to determine what role, if any, young Torres Strait Islanders see education and training playing in their future careers. It examines the pattern of secondary education and training within the survey sample. The findings reveal that these young people do value education and training as a form of investment that will enable them to develop their careers. The general perception of education was positive. Staying on at school to Year 12 to improve career prospects sometimes appeared to be compromised by family commitments. Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) were found to facilitate career pathways but was not in itself sufficient. Relevant levels of infrastructure, instructors and a commitment from community leaders were also required if communities were to have the capacity to train their young people. Show less

In 1998, the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) and the Department of Family and Community Services, Indigenous Policy Unit (IPU) undertook research into how the aspirations of young Indigenous people in remote regions match the Commonwealth government’s income support programs for the unemployed. The aim was to assess the relevance of two particular programs, Newstart and Youth Allowance, and propose how they might be made more relevant. The project aimed to be longitudinal, covering the five years between 1999 and 2003, and analysed data from surveys of a sample of Indigenous males and females aged between 15 and 24 in two remote locations of Australia, the Kimberley and Torres Strait. Three interrelated discussion papers resulted from an initial survey in Torres Strait. The papers (indexed at TD/TNC 75.335, TD/TNC 75.337 and TD/TNC 75.344) examine job searching, career aspirations, orientation to work, and education and training.

This paper examines the strategies that young people in Torres Strait adopt to further their careers. The survey revealed that they are likely to use informal strategies when searching for jobs or training. These strategies include approaching employers and trainers directly or using the contacts of family or friends. They are less likely to use the formal job-search facilities of Centrelink and Job Network. Payments such as Newstart appear to lack the flexibility to allow people to move on and off payments quickly to take up occasional job opportunities. Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) appear to be more flexible. The results suggest that people do not always know what and where formal labour market services are available. It is proposed that in order to improve young people’s access to the labour market and career options through Centrelink and Job Network, these agencies should do more to advertise their services. The secondary school system is proposed as a possible means of achieving this. Show less

In 1998, the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) and the Department of Family and Community Services, Indigenous Policy Unit (IPU), undertook research into how the aspirations of young Indigenous people in remote regions match the Commonwealth government’s income support programs for the unemployed. The aim was to assess the relevance of two particular programs, Newstart and Youth Allowance, and propose how they might be made more relevant. The project aimed to be longitudinal, covering the five years between 1999 and 2003, and analysed data from surveys of a sample of Indigenous males and females aged between 15 and 24 in two remote locations of Australia, the Kimberley and Torres Strait. Three interrelated discussion papers resulted from an initial survey in Torres Strait. The papers (indexed at TD/TNC 75.335, TD/TNC 75.337 and TD/TNC 75.344) examine job searching, career aspirations, orientation to work, and education and training.

This paper aims to identify how young Torres Strait Islanders view their careers and to assess their orientation or approach to work. The survey revealed that young Torres Strait Islanders often express their view of their future in terms of their work. However, commitments to career may have to be balanced with those to family. Notions of career are influenced by their social and economic environment and by cultural background. In some respects, Indigenous youth approached work in a similar way to other young people. They placed high value on work that is interesting, reasonably paid and secure, and with the potential to help in achieving career goals. The Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) scheme with its part-time work opportunities on community projects was viewed negatively by many young people but they valued its potential in some communities to provide career pathways in the form of full time positions, traineeships or apprenticeships. Show less

This research paper was commissioned by the Indigenous Policy Unit of the Department of Family and Community Services (DFaCS) and is part of a larger long-term project which aims to determine the relevance of the Department’s programs (particularly Newstart and Youth Allowance) and consider ways in which their relevance could be increased. The research project, scheduled to run over five years, will obtain data from a sample of indigenous people living in the remote locations of the Kimberley and Torres Strait. Males and females between the ages of 15 and 24 will be surveyed, with the aim being to compare their aspirations with the Government’s employment related policies and programs, and consider ways in which the programs might be better adapted to suit local conditions. This paper discusses conditions in Torres Strait and issues associated with how Torres Strait Islanders approach their work and their careers, and will serve as a basis for future research there. Show less

This paper concludes a five-year research agreement conducted jointly by the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) and the Indigenous Policy Unit (IPU) of the Department of Family and Community Services. A major part of this agreement was the creation of an ongoing research project which aimed to explore the aspirations of young Indigenous people in remote regions, particularly Torres Strait Islanders aged between 15 and 24 years. This paper reports on the results of a survey carried out in 2003, which updated the original 1999 survey which investigated job searching strategies, career aspirations and education and training issues amongst young Torres Strait Islanders. One hundred and eight young people participated in the first survey, and a proportion of these, now aged between 19 and 28, were re-interviewed in 2003. The principle issues which arose from the interviews with participants centred on: how young people perceived commercial fishing as a career; factors that helped or hindered people in achieving their aspirations between 1999 and 2003; and the extent to which they use opportunities on the mainland to further their aspirations.

Data from the 1999 survey was presented in three earlier CAEPR reports indexed at TD/TNC 75.335, TD/TNC 75.337 and TD/TNC 75.344. Show less