Working with community

Community Investment Committees leading an economic development strategy to benefit local young people and employers together

   

As part of our approach to working with business and community, the TtW CoP is supporting partner organisations to establish a Community Investment Committee in their local area. Community Investment Committees collaborate to create and strengthen local employment pathways that intentionally support young people into meaningful jobs, now and into the future.

They are community-led and bring together key stakeholders across youth employment such as employers and industry, employment service providers, skills and training, local Council, State and Federal Government, young people and key community organisations, who work towards a shared vision for change.  

The aim of the Community Investment Committee is to share diverse local knowledge, leverage community support and partnerships to co-develop opportunities that add value to work already taking place in the community. A Community Investment Committee works to achieve this through identifying barriers to youth employment pathways and developing ways to overcome these.

While the form and work of each Community Investment Committee is tailored to the context of the community, each group provides a supported space for critical stakeholders to work together to:

  • Share diverse knowledge, and increase understanding of local labour markets, policy, investments and other impacts on local youth employment pathways to inform solutions.
  • Co-design and trial innovative, action-based approaches to youth employment that leverage community expertise, efforts and investments.
  • Coordinate and strengthen work already taking place in the community, while also informing national policy and practice through the TtW CoP and other national governance groups.
  • Participate in wider campaigns and activities to improve youth employment, and promote a positive view about the potential of young jobseekers to contribute to their community.
  • Contribute to the ongoing review of the TtW CoP model by providing feedback on outcomes, and taking part in research evaluation of what works at a local level.

Working at a national level

The TtW CoP established the National Employers Reference Group (NERG) in May 2018, as a key mechanism for leveraging business expertise; driving collaborative effort with government to inform policy; and linking local, regional and national action for change.

Employers represented on the NERG are recognised as Employer Champions from across Australia, with many working alongside TtW CoP providers to create pathways to employment for young people.

The NERG also acts as the employer’s working group for the National Youth Employment Body to provide advice on how to strengthen work opportunities for young people, and how to better link industry to the wider employment system, such as with education, training and policy.