Adelaide, Dec 4, 2007 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Disadvantaged children in one of the more remote corners of South Australia are to get new education and job opportunities, thanks to a decision by Beach Petroleum Limited to underwrite a new three-year assistance program.
Adelaide-based Beach Petroleum (ASX: BPT) - one of Australia's top four oil and gas producers and explorers - has committed $600,000 to fully fund the initiative of Save the Children Australia.
In what will be a pilot program by Save the Children, up to 25 youngsters from Ceduna and surrounding communities will now be given a new lease of life.
Titled "Future Pathways for Young People in Ceduna", the program will aim to provide local young people with meaningful education and sustainable employment opportunities, reduce the number of children in conflict with the law and lower levels of violence locally among young people.
"Currently there is an extremely high rate of gang violence and child abuse, children not completing education, and significant numbers of young people in this region in conflict with the law," Save the Children's SA Executive Officer, Ms Eva Varga, said today.
"As a result, indigenous young people in Ceduna have limited employment and life opportunities and expose themselves and the community to an increased risk of violence," Ms Varga said.
"Police in the town have expressed specific concern at the absence of rehabilitation programs for these youngsters to break the cycle of violence and criminal activity - and that concern is echoed by parents, community elders and local agency representatives, as well as young people themselves.
"Following community and agency consultation, we have identified two distinct groups of young people from Ceduna and the surrounding communities of Koonibba, Yalata and Oak Valley who are at different levels of risk and therefore, require different intervention strategies.
"The first group is those children aged between 10 and 14 currently at school but at risk of dropping out of the education system. The second group is those directly at risk, young people aged 15 to 18 who have dropped out of school, are unemployed, and are at risk of, or already in, conflict with the law.
"The generosity of Beach will enable the necessary three year assistance program to be fully implemented. It will primarily focus on interventions by supporting young people to re-engage with education and employment opportunities through re-establishing networks, employment and education connections for young people."
Some of these self help options include after-school cultural and recreational activities, bush trips, art activities and support for remedial education activities, including additional literacy and numeracy tutoring. Basic educational activities focused on practical skills - e.g. first aid, cooking and nutrition, child care, obtaining a driver's licence, CV preparation, interview skills and basic literacy, will also be addressed.
The Beach-backed program will also enable a full-time Youth Coordinator to be based in Ceduna, with the support of four community-based mentors.
Beach Petroleum Chairman, Mr Robert Kennedy, said the Company had been looking for some time for a relevant major community support program.
"The "Future Pathways for Young People in Ceduna" program offered genuine opportunity for troubled youngsters to link school programs to alternative education and career pathways through TAFE, and to commence networking with locals employers such as resources companies," Mr Kennedy said.
"The program will provide enormous capacity for older participants to impact positively on their peers, and provide role models for younger children aged 7-10 who could be at risk themselves.
"Beach's belief is that the biggest contribution we can make as a company is help disadvantaged children break their cycle so they have a future with hope and promise."
Contact
Reg Nelson
Managing Director
Beach Petroleum
TEL: +61-8-8338-2833
Eva Varga
Executive Director
Save the Children Australia (SA)
TEL: +61-8-8338-1777
Kevin Skinner
Field Public Relations
TEL: +61-8-8234-9555 / +61-414-822-631
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