A new pilot to help at-risk students stay in school is underway in South-East Melbourne.Member for Dandenong Gabrielle Williams, announced the organisations that will run the South-East Melbourne pilot.

Lead by South Eastern LLEN, the program will partner with Taskforce Community Agency, South East Community Links, and Youth Support and Advocacy Service. It will also work collaboratively with local schools and other support services.The Navigator program will provide assistance to disengaged students in the South-East Melbourne area, helping them to re-engage with education and training through regular contact and ongoing support.

The South-East Melbourne Navigator pilot program will cover the Casey, Greater Dandenong and Cardinia local government areas.The program will help meet the Education State target to halve the proportion of students leaving school early from years 9 to 12 over the next 10 years.

Navigator is part of a suite of Andrews Labor Government services aimed at helping more Victorian students stay engaged in education and training, including;

• The $7.9 million re-designed School Focused Youth Service, to help schools to engage 10-18 year olds at risk of leaving school,
• The $14 million Reconnect: Engagement and Learning Support Program, to support selected Registered Training Organisations to help disengaged 15-24 year olds move in to further education, training or employment,
• The $13.2 million Lookout Education Support Centres to help around 6000 vulnerable children and young people in out-of-home care achieve their potential in education and training.

Pilots are also being launched today in Mallee, Hume Moreland, Ovens Murray, Bayside Peninsula, Goulburn, Western Melbourne and Central Highlands. The Navigator pilots will be independently evaluated and will build on our understanding about how to re-engage young people. The evaluation will then inform future initiatives across the whole of Victoria.