A community approach is needed to tackle youth unemployment, according to a Melbourne University professor.
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Jeff Borland, who attended a youth unemployment forum in Wod-onga yesterday, said top-down solutions from governments were often not enough to address the problem.
“Instead of solutions where the government proposes a uniform way of trying to help the unemployed in all regions and all areas, you really get much better solutions when you allow local decentralised solutions to be developed,” he said.
“Those solutions ideally involve partnerships with not-for-profit organisations or other service providers and employers, who have knowledge of what the problems are and can design solutions.”
One of the major problems was a slowing economy led to fewer jobs being created, which had a greater impact on young people trying to enter the workforce.
Max Baxter, the mayor of Otorohanga District Council in New Zealand, said his shire had great success in reducing youth unemployment.
“The key to success is getting a group of very passionate people working together for the community at large, rather than looking after their little nest,” he said.
“We need to ensure we work globally to benefit the district.”
The Personnel Group chief executive Christine Sanger said the agency was finding it hard to place people in full time work.
“The majority of jobs available are part-time,” she said.