Five projects for WA Youth Conservation Corps (A/Min)

The State Government today gave the green light to five community groups to kick off the WA Youth Conservation Corps - an innovative scheme to help disadvantaged young people break the demoralising unemployment cycle.

Acting Employment and Training Minister Bob Pearce said the five heritage and conservation projects would provide 75 unemployed young people with practical experience and training.

Leading world environmentalist Dr David Suzuki has thrown his weight behind the innovative scheme, which was announced in the Premier's Social Advantage package.

Mr Pearce said, as well as preparing young people for future employment and training options, the WA Youth Conservation Corps would benefit the community by improving the environment and restoring heritage places.

"The Youth Conservation Corps harnesses young people's enthusiasm for the environment as a way of introducing them to TAFE training," he said.

"Young people will emerge from their 20 week experience with new skills, TAFE accredited subjects, and renewed self confidence from having taken part in a project of community benefit.

"In South Australia, where a similar scheme has been operating, more than 60 per cent of participants found jobs or entered further education or training soon after completing the project."

Mr Pearce said the State Government met the cost of TAFE training and providing a supervisor for each project, while the Commonwealth provided the young people with income support.

Groups selected to run the first five WA Youth Conservation Corps projects were:

·         Parkerville Children's Home, which will run a conservation project to regenerate bushland and combat soil erosion on the outskirts of the Parkerville townsite;

·         Men of the Trees, Hazelmere, for a project to collect native seeds, raise seedlings and replant eroded areas of a wetland habitat;

·         Westrek, which will work with young unemployed to restore and landscape the historic East Perth cemetery;

·         Murray Job Link, which will run a project in the Coolup and South Dandalup areas to modernise degraded drainage systems, provide vegetation corridors and protect remnant bushland; and

·         Greenhouse Corps, Denmark, which will run a project for young people to undertake tree planting, landcare and other local conservation work.

Mr Pearce said the State Government had decided to fund an additional 11 Youth Conservation Corps projects in 1993 providing opportunities for 165 young unemployed.