The short-term survival of Victoria’s local learning and employment networks (LLENs) has been secured by funding promises made by both the state government and Labor opposition.
The Melton and Brimbank LLEN is one of 31 across Victoria helping people between 10 and 19 engage in education and training.
The network has been operating under a cloud of uncertainty following the announcement in the May budget that the federal government would discontinue the $10 million annual funding at the end of the year. Then early last week, Labor promised to support the LLEN with $32 million over four years, a pledge welcomed by network chairman Mike Grogan.
“The Labor funding announcement is particularly welcome, with the latest jobless figures showing the unemployment rate for people between 15 and 19 is at a 17-year high of 20 per cent,” he said.
State network acting chairman and chief executive Boyd Maplestone said the cash commitment was encouraging, but he urged the state government to commit to the network’s long-term future.
Less than a week later, the state government followed suit with a promise of $8 million in 2015, on top of $5.1 million for the Workplace Learning Co-ordinators program announced last year.
Mr Maplestone said funding for one year only created uncertainty and was disappointing.
But Education Minister Martin Dixon said new arrangements would be developed over the next two years to support LLEN from 2016 onwards.
Previously, LLEN has operated with a total budget of $12.3 million, which also included $2.3 million from the Victorian government.
Brimbank Melton LLEN executive officer Graeme Brown said the new funding announcements were still a significant drop in revenue.
He said that while the funding was welcome, it would still mean $5 million a year less across the network.
The service was important in Brimbank and Melton with the rising number of young people in the municipalities.
“The youth population in the growth corridors, like Caroline Springs, has grown significantly and the demand for services has increased with that,” Mr Brown said.
