Chris Johnson Published: July 28, 2013
Young job seekers would be forced into tough
army-style boot camps in order to qualify for the dole, under an
election policy being considered by the Rudd government.In a leaked submission put to the Labor government's powerful Expenditure Review Committee by ministers Bill Shorten and Kate Ellis in May, a Youth Start Boot Camp was tabled as a future election policy.
Senior government sources said that the army-style camps, which are designed to impose strict disciplinary regimes, remain on the table as an election policy for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
The idea was framed as a possible vote winner for the government and was slated to be announced before August 15, if accepted.
Fairfax Media has an outline of the written submission, which was discussed during a meeting of then Gillard government ministers putting up election campaign strategy proposals to the committee.
Asked how far the proposal had progressed and if it was still under consideration, Mr Rudd's office would not comment.
A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister said: ''The government does not publicly discuss the submissions that come before the Expenditure Review Committee of cabinet.''
Mr Shorten, who is now Education Minister, and Ms Ellis, who remains Workplace Participation Minister, also declined to comment.
But another senior government source insisted the submission was still alive.
''Whatever the official word, this has not been taken off the table,'' they said. ''Not everything has been thrown out with the change of leadership.''
The proposal calls for $70 million over four years to be reallocated from Jobs Services Australia providers into other programs to ''assist young job seekers and provide campaigning opportunities''.
Early school leavers aged between 15 and 21 years are the target of the proposed initiative.
There are a wide variety of wilderness and adventure boot camps being used across Australia, ranging from those teaching work-ready skills like discipline, presentation and attitude to those targeting young repeat offenders.
The Queensland government is currently giving a trial to an early-intervention youth boot camp that will focus on young people at risk of long-term offending.
Boystown, a program operating in Queensland, NSW and South Australia, mixes adventure-based learning, sport and outdoor activities with employment programs to help young men and women aged 15 to 25.
A study by Monash University found 61 per cent of participants in Boystown programs found full-time employment and nearly 12 per cent found part-time or casual work.
The Brahminy Foundation's Wilderness Camp, 200 kilometres from Darwin, is for some of society's most troubled and unemployable youths.
Founder Allan Brahminy says his camps are tough and intense but he stresses there is a therapeutic element to the programs, which include long stays of up to a year and 21-day wilderness hikes including five days' kayaking and more than 100 kilometres of walking in the NT wilderness.
In the ministerial submission, the ministers highlighted in bold their proposal for a Youth Start Boot Camp and explained that: ''Unemployed young people will participate in an army boot camp and pre-employment training.''
Other options mooted were community work experience for unemployed youth, first job programs for youth from disadvantaged backgrounds, and a combination of all of the measures, including rigorous boot camps.
The submission complains about poor recognition for the existing program that funds providers to deliver targeted assistance in the form of structured activities of up to 25 hours a week to build life, study and employment skills.
And there is ''scant data on delivery rate and outcomes''.
Boot camps were proposed as a better option.
''Youth unemployment is a growing problem that we need to address,'' the submission reads.
''There are opportunities to partner with business, particularly big business and to end intergenerational unemployment for young people.''
With JULIE POWER
This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/national/alp-eyes-youth-dole-boot-camps-20130727-2qrmk.html
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