I would like to see young people be offered a form of properly paid community service for a 12-month block, anytime that they wish to choose it between the ages of 18 to 22.
Young people could go into various streams where they could undergo a few months training and then be available as an additional backup to the workforce to undertake anything from responding and providing aid after natural disasters and/or be a roving workforce providing a bonus help on capital works for remote councils. I am sure other worthwhile jobs could also be found.
This would give every young person the chance to be engaged in the workforce and in some cases turn their life around. If a young person has never worked, and has no acceptable reason, then their dole should be reviewed and possibly ceased at 23.
|