Research & Development
Social Return on Investment
Measuring the outcomes of a program as broad as Partnership Brokers is not an easy task. The results are not as simple as plonking the number of young people our programs have helped into a spreadsheet, because the value for one benficiary will be completely different from the value for another. And the contexts in which different Partnership Brokers work are as diverse as the young people their work benefits.
So, we commissioned Social Ventures Australia to conduct a Social Return on Investment Study for us. This study looked at the results for five distinct regions of the country, and examined the impact of the work of Partnership Brokers on young people. To view the report, click here: Partnership Brokers SROI Summary Report
Quality Transitions for Young Australians
The Partnership Brokers National Network has revised the futures paper relating to the Partnership Brokers program. This paper, Quality Transitions for Young Australians, was developed with the input of the state networks of Partnership Brokers and reflects a collective view of the value of the program for youth attainment and transitions across the country.
To view the paper, click here: Quality Transitions for Young Australians
Partnership Broker National Network Policy Paper
This paper positions our vision and maps both our evolution from the previous Liberal Government and our work over the last 4 years. It highlights how in the context of falling youth participation the Australian Government should grow on the strength of the national network of organisations making up the program with a focus on partnerships that support successful school to work transitions.
We undertook writing the paper for the following reasons:
- To add to the evidence of the work we have undertaken
- To highlight the benefits of a partnership approach to support successful school to work transitions
- To highlight the role of governments, particularly the Commonwealth should play to support cross-sector collaboration through independent intermediaries as a way to support young people make a successful transition
To view the paper, click here: Partnership Broker National Network Policy Paper
Partnering to improve education and transition outcomes for young people
The Partnership Brokers National Network (PBNN) commissioned Social Ventures Australia (SVA) Consulting to research and analyse the impact of school, business and community partnerships on education and transition outcomes. This includes analysing the effort required to establish effective partnerships.
To view the paper, click here: Partnering to improve education and transition outcomes for young people
FOCUS GROUP: ENGAGING NATIONAL LEVEL BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS
On 4 March 2014, the Partnership Brokers National Network facilitated a Focus Group involving a number of national level businesses. The forum was designed to learn from national level business directly about their needs and their experiences of engaging with young people and the education sector.
The businesses present clearly told us that they want to, and need to, engage with the education sector and provided a number of reasons why engaging with schools and young people is an essential part of what they do. One of the key drivers for business was workforce development and the need for business to play an active role in building the skills and knowledge of their future workforce. Another major driver for national level businesses wanting to engage with schools and young people is a genuine commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and making a positive contribution to the community of which they are a part. However, Business also told us that there are some major challenges that impact on their ability to engage effectively. They pointed to the Australian Government’s Partnership Brokers program as a key piece of infrastructure that enabled business to connect with schools and local communities and build partnerships that deliver benefits for young people, businesses and the economy.
These views, including the critical role that Partnership Brokers play, are consistent with the feedback that the Partnership Brokers network hears from the small and medium enterprises and national level businesses that we engage with across Australia. It is only by working together that schools, businesses and the broader community can improve student outcomes, create a more agile and responsive education and training sector, and develop young people who are qualified and work ready. Within the context of falling rates of youth participation and growing demand for skilled workers, the Australian Government needs to continue to fund a network of independent intermediaries to provide both the catalyst and the support needed to build strong and enduring connections between businesses and schools.
Businesses’ support for this view is reflected in a recent letter to the Prime Minister, which was countersigned by over 600 businesses across the country. Our vision is for the education, business and community sectors to work together to support all young Australians to reach their full social and economic potential. Key Findings from Business Focus Group
The Smith Family Research Report – February 2014
The Smith Family is the provider of the Partnership Broker program in six regions (Brisbane North and West, Brisbane South East and Redland City, Gold Coast and Darling Downs in Queensland, the Illawarra in New South Wales and Darwin and Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory, employing 43 FTE Partnership Brokers and support staff.
This report examines 11 partnerships that have been developed and supported by some of The Smith Family Partnership Brokers across the six regions in which it operates. The 11 partnerships have been chosen because of their diversity, impact and maturity, with most of them being developed over a number of years.