About the South East LLEN

The South East Local Learning and Employment Network (South East LLEN) is a community managed regional network made up of local organisations in Melbourne’s South East, interested in working to give 10 to 19 year olds a better go at successfully moving through the education system to employment.

Our network membership includes approximately 250 members, including organisations such as schools, TAFE’s, local businesses and youth welfare agencies, as well as individuals.

We DO NOT charge young people or our members any fees or try to sell them anything.

We DO work with our network members to develop sustainable partnerships between education providers, business and industry, community groups and parents and families that will benefit student participation, retention, attainment and transition.

We do that by:

• Researching within the local region (City of Casey, Cardinia Shire and the City of Greater Dandenong) to identify systemic gaps in education and services to young people
• Developing sustainable partnerships between our members to address participation, attainment, retention and transition issues

The South East LLEN is governed by a Board of Directors elected by the membership of the network. The Board of Directors is made up of one representative from each of the membership categories plus 5 co-opted positions.  Half of the 10 elected Board positions are renewed at the Annual General Meeting of the Association (usually held in May each year) and the co-opted positions are reviewed annually by the Board and renewed at the discretion of the Board.  The current Chairperson of the South East Local Learning and Employment Network is Mrs Sara Edwards.

What is the LLEN?

 Established in 2001 as a result of a recommendation form the Kirby Report, the South East Local Learning and Employment Network (South East LLEN) was developed to bring together educators, employers, industry, welfare agencies, local government and non-government organisations.

Under the current funding agreement (School Business Community Partnership Brokers), South East LLEN is funded by the Australian and Victorian Governments under the National Partnership on Youth Attainment and Transitions, a joint initiative of the Australian and State and Territory Governments.

The core objective of a LLEN is to improve participation, engagement, attainment and transition outcomes for young people 10 to 19 years old within its geographic boundaries.

A LLEN also has a particular focus on those young people who are at risk of disengaging or who have already disengage from education and training and are not in meaningful employment.

The key focus of the current agreement is the development of innovative and distinctive, sustainable partnerships and collaboration between education providers, business and industry, parents and families and community groups, to improve participation, engagement, attainment and transition outcomes for young people aged 10 to 19.

The primary functions of a LLEN are:

Evidence-based local planning to address gaps in the area of youth retention, attainment and transitions

• Engagement of, and communication with appropriate stakeholders from the education provider, business and industry, parents and family and community group sectors of the community that promotes working together to improve career development and education, training and employment outcomes for local young people and closes the gap in education, training and employment outcomes for indigenous young people
• Developing partnerships between parents and families, community and education and training providers to assist in achieving good education, training and employment outcomes for young people and improved career development
• Engagement with local Youth Connections providers, School Focused Youth Service and other youth service organisations and networks
• Partnership facilitation and brokerage to develop and promote initiatives and services that address identified gaps
• Providing policy advice to th Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), the Victorian Skills Commission and other government agencies.

The secondary function of a LLEN is to:

• Trial or pilot initiatives designed to support young people to make effective transitions that cannot be trialed by other network partners

 South East LLEN Strategic Goals

To enhance overall availability and opportunity of education and training pathways, thus increasing access for migrant refugee, recently arrived and indigenous young people aged 10 to 19.

To develop and enhance sustainable partnerships with business and industry to increase the number of young people engaged in education, training and employment.

To improve the knowledge of parents, families and care givers and their capacity to influence the education, training and transitional outcomes for vunerable young people.

To strengthen links between community groups, Youth Connections providers, education and training providers and business and industry to increase community participation in education, training and employment.

To improve current support structures and develop new partnerships to support key education transition points for ‘at risk’ youth, including refugee, migrant and indigenous young people aged 10 to 19 years. 

To develop sustainable partnerships to benefit and advocate for better educational opportunities for young people residing in recognised growth corridors within the south eastern region.

*Endorsed by the South East LLEN Board of Directors – awaiting endorsement from the Youth Transition Division of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD).