Access and Equity Grants Program
The Access & Equity Grants Program provides funding for partnerships between registered training organisations (RTOs), including Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes and Community Service Organisations (CSOs) to develop and implement an innovative service delivery model to support engagement, training and employment pathways for hard to reach learners.
Projects currently funded
- Learning Communities: An Indigenous Partnership Model
- Pathways to Participation (PTP)
- 6 Steps to Employment
- E3 = Engagement 2 Education 2 Employment
- My Life; My VET Pathway
- Transitions: Partnerships in Supported Learning
Learning Communities: An Indigenous Partnership Model
Cohort: Indigenous
Location: Metropolitan Melbourne – North
Lead applicant: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)
Major partner: Fitzroy Stars Football and Netball Club
This project will establish a service delivery model for the recruitment, support and engagement of disengaged Indigenous young people. Students will enrol in Mechanical Engineering and Dental Assistance, two industries identified as providing opportunities for Indigenous employment. Student mentoring will be provided at all stages of the project, and teachers will receive professional development to build their capability in working with Indigenous learners.
Pathways to Participation (PTP)
Cohort: Refugee
Location: Metropolitan Melbourne – North
Lead applicant: Asylum Seeker Resource Centre Inc.
Major partner: Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (NMIT)
This project will develop a service delivery model that engages refugees in sustainable training and employment pathways. The model will identify how community agencies can effectively support training providers and employers to work with participants to overcome barriers to training and employment. Students will receive wrap-around support services as they undertake training in areas of high demand including Aged Care.
6 Steps to Employment
Cohort: Disability
Location: Bendigo
Lead applicant: Continuing Education Bendigo
Major partners: Radius Disability Services and Worktrainers Bendigo
E3 = Engagement 2 Education 2 Employment
Cohort: Young people at risk of homelessness
Location: Metropolitan Melbourne – outer East
Lead applicant: Anchor Inc.
Major partners: Morrisons and Outer Eastern Local Learning and Employment Network (OELLEN)
This project will develop an integrated housing, support and educational service model to support young people disengaged from mainstream education who are at risk of experiencing homelessness. Life skills and literacy and numeracy skills will be delivered through the Certificate of General Education with pathways into higher vocational qualifications.
My Life; My VET Pathway
Cohort: Young people living in and out of homecare
Location: Ballarat
Lead applicant: University of Ballarat Technical Education Centre (UB Tec)
Major partner: Child and Family Services Ballarat and Ballarat Group Training Youth Services
This project will establish a supported pathway model for young people living in or leaving out of homecare into training and employment. Participants will re-engage with learning through a vocational preparatory program delivered in a youth service. Further training pathways will be identified through vocational tasters and pathway planning. Individuals will be supported at all stages of learning through case-management provided by the teacher, and a support group of relevant agencies.
Transitions: Partnerships in Supported Learning
Cohort: Homeless
Location: Metropolitan Melbourne – Inner
Lead applicant: Hanover Welfare Services
Major partner: Centre for Adult Education (CAE)
This project will develop a model to support people experiencing homelessness to re-engage with education and training and move through to further study or employment. The students will participate in a tailored support program suited to their learning needs and goals. The project will also build the skills and capacity of the partner agencies to understand and address needs and barriers to education and training of people experiencing homelessness.
Projects funded in previous years
Reports on projects funded under the Access and Equity Grants Program in previous years are available from the Equity Project Reports section of this website.
Further information
For further information about Access and Equity grants contact:
Grants Administrator, Higher Education and Skills Tel: (+61 3) 9637 3610
Email: accessandequity@diird.vic.gov.au