Learning the ropes

By EMMA SUN
A HIGHER student dropout rate in the Yarra Ranges was addressed during Youth Affairs Minister Ryan Smith’s visit to Mount Evelyn last Friday.
Mr Smith toured Yarra Ranges Youth Services and Bridge Builders in Lilydale before heading down to Morrisons in Mount Evelyn to check out its Youth Enterprise Shed (YES).
YES co-ordinator Brad Colling said Mr Smith’s visit was a good chance to show him what the youths at the shed were up to and give him a glimpse into their plans for the future.
“Now the contact has been established with Ryan, there will certainly be a follow-up,” he said.
“We’re looking at starting our own enterprise and doing an op-shop where we sell second-hand surf and skate wear for young people, as well as a T-shirt printing business.”
Mr Smith said he was pleased to see the YES working so well with youths and looked forward to helping with plans for future enterprises.
“There’s another group in Warrnambool who do T-shirt printing really well so I will put them in contact with those people,” he said.
“I believe the government should also have a role in facilitating things and if we were able to put them in touch with a philanthropic group who has already gone down the path that Morrison House wants to go, then that’s a good thing.”
While Mr Smith was generally pleased with what he saw during his visit, he said he was still concerned about students dropping out of school and hoped to remedy the situation.
“From what I hear from Christine (Fyffe, MP), things are good and schools are good but my only hesitation comes from the council saying there is a high level of school dropout rate in the area,” he said.
“It doesn’t seem to be as good as it could be and I think council is focusing on capturing these people and teaching skills in a non-traditional way.”
He said he would help organisations such as Morrisons that take in kids who were at risk of dropping out and have difficulties finding employment bring them back in.
Ms Fyffe said it was great that Mr Smith got the chance to learn about the needs of the youths in the area.
“We have many young people in the Yarra Ranges whose lives are made more difficult by geographic isolation, mental illness or a difficult home life,” she said.
“I have asked the minister to look at ways his department can support our hard-working local youth services.”