Budget 2005-06 > What's New What's Different > Keeping our Youth on Track
Mentor Marketplace Programme - Extension
What's New?
The Government will provide new funding to the Mentor Marketplace Programme for a further four years.Mentor Marketplace will continue to provide further mentoring opportunities for a wide range of young people, renew the current funding agreements for up to 12 existing Mentor Marketplace projects and provide funding for up to 15 new mentoring projects. The measure will also fund forums to identify and promulgate good practice and successes across the programme.
The continued funding of the Mentor Marketplace Programme acknowledges the Australian Government's support for mentoring and responds to calls by key community stakeholders for increased government support for mentoring opportunities for young people.
Background
Mentor Marketplace was announced in the 2001-02 Budget as part of the Australian Government's response to the Prime Minister's Youth Pathways Action Plan Taskforce Report, Footprints to the Future. The report recognised the important role of mentoring for young people, particularly for disadvantaged groups.The programme has funded 27 service providers that involve young people who need assistance to stay connected to family and community, education, training and the workplace. The service providers ensure access to mentoring for a wide range of young people, including those in foster care, young carers, young people with disabilities, Indigenous young people and those from disadvantaged groups and localities.