THE Hume region, which includes Wodonga, was last year identified as having a youth unemployment rate of 15.6 per cent, the fourth highest in regional Victoria.
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It’s part of an Australia-wide trend; more than one in three unemployed Australians are aged between 15 and 24.
Now business and community leaders and young people have been invited to a forum this month, aimed at finding a way to turn these figures around.
The North East Local Learning and Employment Network will host the event at The Cube, Wodonga, on February 26.
Chief executive Lisa Mahood said the trend would not be reversed quickly, but the community needed to work together.
Among the guest speakers will be the mayor of New Zealand’s Otorohanga District Max Baker, who was part of a nationwide taskforce of mayors aimed at ensuring all those aged under 25 were involved in training, education or work.
Kevin Robbie, from Social Ventures Australia, has worked in the creation of job opportunities for young people who were normally excluded from the labour market.
Hopefully the forum can encourage a sharing of ideas that may in turn help to focus on the creation of more jobs for our young people.
