Using case studies from seven rural and regional areas, this report looks at the impact of schools and vocational education and training (VET) on community capacity. It finds that communities have developed different models to organise school-VET partnerships and that rural areas are more likely to adopt a whole-of-community model, while regional areas have used a more specialised regional model. Successful partnerships are those that respond to community issues, including the need to keep young people at school, as well as providing a skills base for the local area.
The adult and community (ACE) sector and technical and further education (TAFE) institutes provide programs for young people which re-connect them to education. This report suggests these programs and settings are considered effective pathways for some young people who have left school early. The researchers found students are attracted to the programs by key features, including the quality of relationships between students and staff, flexible mode of delivery, choice of study areas, and opportunities for personal autonomy.