Youth Pathways available in 28 Gold Coast schools

Youth Pathways kicked off in a big way this year in 28 schools on the Gold Coast. To ensure the program has a wide reach, there are Youth Pathways officers based in the schools to provide ready access for young people most at risk of disengaging from school.

The officers work closely with the administration team within each school to identify students who need intensive support to stay on track within the schooling system.

‘We get to know the young person on their level and spend time with them to find out what their needs are’, says Arian Schapp, SCISCO’s Youth Pathways team leader. ‘As non-teachers, we have a different approach that puts us in a unique situation to be non-threatening.

‘Once we identify their needs or barriers we come up with creative solutions to address those needs. Helping the young person to set goals and to consider career options is a good start, and we often find work experience helps them with that.’

Each young person receives a minimum of six hours of face-to-face contact with a Youth Pathways officer, and is closely supported and monitored to maximise their success.