Back in the Game
A referral service that provides specialist support to students to help them either re-engage with education, transition to vocational training or find employment.
The Back in the Game initiative provides professional support and mentoring for young people aged 15-19 who are not engaged with their education. The initiative is designed to help students overcome any barriers to their learning and then either re-engage with school or transition successfully to training or employment.
Initiative activities include:
- Professional mentoring and counselling
- Tailored career guidance with an emphasis on mapping out the student’s re-engagement with school or their transition to training or employment
- Assistance to overcome barriers to learning (e.g. assistance with obtaining ID, travel assistance, etc.)
For a young person to be eligible to participate in the Back in the Game program, they must meet the following eligibility criteria.
- be 15-19 years old;
- be a student enrolled in, and referred by, one of the participating schools; and
- not be a current, active participant in any Commonwealth, NSW or any other program or service supporting youth transitions to work or study.
Back in the Game initiative delivery partners by region
Local provider: Enterprise Plus
Offices in: Canberra, Queanbeyan, Goulburn, Moss Vale and Wollongong
Regions:ÌýIllawarra, Southern and Shoalhaven
Program Manager: Amie Baard
Contact Email: gbig@enterpriseplus.org.au
Contact Phone: 02 6297 3121
Website:
Delivering: Get in the Game and Back in the Game
Local provider:Ìý³Û´Ç³Ü°ù³Ù´Ç·É²Ô
Offices in:ÌýSt Marys and Campbelltown
Regions:ÌýSydney – Parramatta, Sydney – Blacktown, Sydney – South West
Program Manager:ÌýSue Watson
Contact Email:Ìýgetbackinthegame@yourtown.com.au
Contact Phone:Ìý0402 965 622
Website:ÌýÌý
Delivering:ÌýGet in the Game and Back in the Game
Local provider:ÌýYourtown
Offices in:ÌýSt Marys
Regions:ÌýOuter West and Blue Mountains
Program Manager:ÌýSue Watson
Contact Email:Ìýgetbackinthegame@yourtown.com.au
Contact Phone:Ìý0402 965 622
Website:ÌýÌý
Delivering:ÌýGet in the Game and Back in the Game
Local Provider:ÌýCareer Links
Offices in:ÌýMayfield
Regions:ÌýNewcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter Valley
Program Manager:ÌýEthnie Groth
Contact Email:ÌýGBIG@careerlinks.nsw.edu.au
Contact Phone:Ìý02 4967 1050
Website:Ìý
Delivering:ÌýGet in the Game and Back in the Game
Local provider:ÌýConnect Northern Rivers
Offices in:ÌýLismore, Grafton, Coffs Harbour and Tweed Heads
Regions:ÌýRichmond-Tweed, Grafton, Coffs Harbour
Program Manager:ÌýAron Hayman
Contact Email:Ìýinfo@connectnr.com
Contact Phone:Ìý1300 183 352
Website:ÌýÌý
Delivering:ÌýGet in the Game and Back in the Game
Local provider: Mid Coast Connect
Offices in: Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Taree
Regions: Mid North Coast
Program Manager: Jenny Fraser
Contact Email: information@midnorthcoast.com.au
Contact Phone: 02 6583 5910
Website:
Delivering: Get in the Game and Back in the Game
Local provider: The Skill Engineer Ltd.
Offices in: Tuggerah
Regions: Capital, Illawarra, Southern and Shoalhaven
Program Manager:ÌýPetrina Waddell
Contact Email:Ìýpetrina.waddell@theskillengineer.com.au
Contact Phone:Ìý0482 163 665, 02 4304 3031
Website:Ìý
Delivering: Get in the Game and Back in the Game
Local provider:ÌýCareers Network
Offices in:ÌýTamworth, Armidale, Moree, Inverell and Narrabri
Regions:ÌýNew England and North West
Program Manager:ÌýDebbie Taekata
Contact Email:Ìýinfo@careersnetwork.org.au
Contact Phone:Ìý02 6763 4800
Website:Ìý
Delivering:ÌýGet in the Game and Back in the Game
Local provider: Compact
Offices in:ÌýWagga , Albury , Harden , Griffith
Regions:ÌýRiverina
Program Manager: Courtney Johnson
Contact Email:Ìýcourtney.johnson@compact.org.au
Contact Phone:Ìý0428 639 879 or 02 6931 9300
Website:Ìý
Delivering:ÌýBack in the Game
Local provider:ÌýSkillsetÌý
Offices in: Broken Hill, Bathurst, Mudgee, Orange and Dubbo
Program Manager:ÌýBen Ruddy
Contact Email:Ìýyouthconnect@skillset.com.au
Contact Phone:Ìý1300 853 525
Website:Ìý
Delivering: Get in the Game and Back in the Game
Useful references for schools
Where a student has not yet completed year 10, they cannot leave school and engage in paid employment during school hours. However, if school is not the best place for them, there are options (with approval of their principal and family) outside of school that would meet legislative requirements. These options include, but are not limited to, a full-time apprenticeship or traineeship, a certificate II with TAFE NSW.
The following legislation, policies and forms may be useful references when discussing next steps for some students in Back in the Game who are looking to leave school early:
Legislation
Policy