Knowledge Bank
Increasing understanding of partnerships
In this section you’ll find reports, articles and other interesting material about school-community partnerships and improving the outcomes for our young people around Australia.
- Discover what’s working in our education and training system and what’s not in FYA’s 'How Young People Are Faring 2011' report
- Read the research behind NAB Schools First in ACER’s NAB Schools First Report
- Find out why there’s a call for a whole community approach to education in Beyond the Classroom
How Young People Are Faring 2011 report
The Foundation for Young Australians released the latest report in an annual series into the employment and education situation of young Australians on 28 November 2011. The HYPAF report shows two significant long-term trends:
- the stability of working life for young people has steadily decreased, and
- Australia’s economic prosperity is consistently not being passed on to many young people.
This year’s report also shows a disturbing trend that warning signs are not being heeded that young adults are more vulnerable than the rest of the population to economic instability, particularly in relation to employment.
Key HYPAF 2011 findings include:
- more than one quarter of all long-term unemployed Australians are now aged 15 to 24
- since 2008, the percentage of young Australians without a job for a year or longer has almost doubled, and
- despite Australia’s relative economic buoyancy, teenagers in Australia have higher rates of long-term unemployment than in many other OECD countries.
Download HYPAF 2011: At A Glance
Download the full report
Note: These reports and more can be located on the FYA website.
First interim report of NAB Schools First: Evaluation of the 2009 awards
This research evaluation into the 2009 NAB Schools First Award Winners was completed in order to assess how effective the program has been in providing:
- Financial recognition of success in establishing effective school-community partnerships; and
- Financial support to build stronger school-community partnerships.
Of our 88 award winning partnerships from 2009, 53 were involved in this research evaluation.
The report shows that NAB Schools First has contributed to enhanced levels of capacity among winning partnerships in three areas:
- Strategic planning and action;
- Enhanced partnership expertise, performance and motivation; and
- Expanded vision.
Read the report (PDF 516 KB - 34 pages)
School-Community Partnerships in Australian Schools
Based on an analysis of the data provided by Australian schools in their 2009 NAB Schools First Impact Award applications, this report provides insights into the nature of partnerships that schools have established around Australia. It looks into seven areas:
- What types of schools established partnerships
- Who partnered with schools
- What were the main reasons for setting up these partnerships
- What evidence was used to identify student need or opportunity
- How did partners contribute
- What benefits were reported
- What evidence was used to measure these benefits
The data collected from the 2009 Impact Award applications shows that Australian schools have been establishing innovative and productive partnerships with a range of community and business groups as well as some gaps that could be addressed.
Read the report (PDF 1.19 MB - 26 pages)
NAB Schools First Report – the research behind the Awards program
Completed in 2008 by ACER, the NAB Schools First Report aimed to provide a context and an evidence base for the NAB Schools First Awards – particularly the key criteria that were developed for the program.
The basis of the report was a literature review. The review had three parts:
- an overview of the concept of social capital and its relationship to school-community partnerships and school improvement
- an outline of several effective school-community partnerships
- a review of a number of national and international award schemes.
The literature review indicated that strong partnerships between schools and local community organisations can make a significant difference to outcomes for young people. Benefits can include
- increased skills
- greater engagement with learning
- improved transitions into the workforce, further education or training.
Download the summary (PDF 90KB – 4 pages)
Download the full report (PDF 324KB – 65 pages)
Be inspired and discover some award winning case studies.
Beyond the Classroom: research calling for whole community responsibility
Beyond the Classroom, by FYA Senior Research Manager Rosalyn Black, was published in 2008.
Based on findings from a year-long research project, the book offers a clear strategy through the uncertainty and controversy that surrounds current education debates.
The core message from the book is that if we continue to undertake the current piecemeal reforms to schooling, the gaps in education will keep widening.
To continue down that path translates to limited opportunities for many young people in Australia.
Find out more or order the book from the ACER Press online shop.
How Young People Are Faring 2010 report
A major research report released by FYA on 23 November 2010, How Young People are Faring 2010 reveals that despite Australia’s overall economic recovery, young people continue to feel the negative impacts of the global financial crisis.
How Young People are Faring 2010 (HYPAF), published annually, is the foremost national report on the learning-and-earning situation of young Australians. The 2010 report shows that the number of teenagers not in full-time education or work remains as high now as it was in 2009, when unemployment spiked as a result of the global economic downturn. The proportion of teenagers ‘disengaged’ from work or education has stayed at 16.4%, which means that 246,000 teenagers are currently not in full-time education or work.
Download HYPAF 2010: At A Glance
Download the full report
Note: These reports and other reports by FYA can be located on the FYA website fya.org.au.
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