Department program

Reconnect Program (2021)

Reconnect 2021 is designed to support Victorians experiencing disadvantage. The program assists participants to overcome the barriers preventing them from engaging in education, training and employment and provides support into further study or employment pathways.

Who can access Reconnect 2021?

Learners referred to Reconnect 2021 must be:

  • Young people aged between 17- 19 years not engaged in education or training for six months or more (less than 8 hours per week).
  • Mature participants aged between 20-64 years; Unemployed for six months or more (less than 8 hours per week) and not engaged in education or training for six months or more (less than 8 hours per week).
  • Young people (17 to 24 years of age) who have been, or are currently on, Youth Justice Orders.
  • Asylum Seekers: A person without citizenship but holds a valid: Bridging Visa Class E (BVE); Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV); or Temporary Protection Visa (TPV).
  • Other: From time to time, the Department may approve the accommodation of additional target groups during the term of the program (for example, this may include groups such as people impacted by bushfires, COVID-19 or retrenched workers etc.). Currently, no additional groups have been added.

Support for learners

The Reconnect program is intended to improve a person's chance of breaking the cycle of disadvantage by creating equity, improving access and increasing choice in pathways through education and employment.

The program is funded to support over 1,600 participants each year, by providing wrap-around supports and interventions that aim at addressing non-vocational barriers that impact a person's ability to reach their participation potential. Reconnect 2021 providers offer a range of supports which may include:

  • Counselling and mentoring
  • Housing and accommodation services referral
  • Mental health support referral
  • Foundation skills
  • Employability skills
  • Careers information, planning and advice.

Reconnecting Victorians with educational and employment opportunities

As part of the Reconnect 2021 program, Reconnect providers (select TAFEs, Learn Locals and Community Service Organisations):

  • undertake outreach and engagement activities to locate, engage and attract disengaged people experiencing disadvantage back into a learning environment
  • assess the learning and non-learning needs of Reconnect participants and develop an agreed learning plan to transition participants into further training or employment
  • coordinate and provide access to support services that help participants start and stay in training.
  • Design and support a pathway out of the program into further training, study or employment.

Outcomes Achieved

Reconnect Participation Information

Reconnect Program (2021) Guidelines

Reconnect Program 2021 providers

Reconnect 2021 services are delivered by 34 providers:

Advanced Community College

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Mornington Peninsula

Contact details:

Telephone: 0439 547 615

Email: reconnect@advance.vic.edu.au

Australian Vietnamese Women's Association

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Brimbank
  • Melton
  • Maribyrnong
  • Casey
  • Greater Dandenong

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9396 1922

Email: training@avwa.org.au

Bendigo Kangan Institute (BKI)

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Hume
  • Greater Bendigo
  • Campaspe
  • Macedon Ranges
  • Mount Alexander
  • Loddon
  • Central Goldfields

Contact details:

Telephone: 1300 327 328

Email: jmcclimont@kangan.edu.au

BGT (Central Highlands Group Training)

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Ballarat City
  • Golden Plains Shire
  • Moorabool Shire

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 5333 8600

Email: deanne@bgt.org.au

Box Hill Institute

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Whitehorse
  • Melbourne City
  • Port Phillip
  • Knox
  • Yarra Ranges
  • Boroondara

Contact details:

Telephone: 0466 795 391 

Email: reconnect@boxhill.edu.au

Carringbush Adult Education

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Yarra
  • Melbourne

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9421 2392

Email: rei.chin@carringbush.org.au

Centre for Multicultural Youth

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Wyndham City
  • Melton City

Contact details:

Telephone: 9340 3785

Email: jsmith@cmy.net.au

Chisholm Institute

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Greater Dandenong
  • Casey
  • Frankston
  • Cardinia Shire
  • Mornington

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9238 8577

Email: reconnect@chisholm.edu.au

CIRE Education Services

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Yarra Ranges
  • Maroondah

Contact details:

Telephone: 1300 835 235

Email: reconnect@cire.org.au

Diamond Valley Learning Centre

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Nillumbik
  • Whittlesea
  • Hume

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9435 9060

Email: pandelis.papadatos@dvlc.org.au

Diversitat

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Surf Coast
  • Greater Geelong
  • Golden Plains
  • Colac Otway

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 5222 7275 (Geelong)
Telephone: 0447 624 145 (Colac)

Email: reconnect@diversitat.org.au

Djerriwarrh Employment & Education Services

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Melton
  • Brimbank
  • Moorabool

Contact details:

Telephone: (03)  8746 1000

Email: reconnect@djerriwarrh.org

Expression Australia

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Melbourne  City
  • Yarra
  • Darebin
  • Stonnington
  • Port Phillip

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9473 1111

Email: Adam.Tinkler@expression.com.au

Federation University

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Ballarat
  • Horsham
  • Pyrenees Shire
  • Ararat
  • Hepburn
  • Hindmarsh
  • West Wimmera
  • Yarriambiack
  • Northern Grampians

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 5327 8110

Email: gj.sandford@federation.edu.au

Gippsland Employment Skills Training (GEST)

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Latrobe
  • Baw Baw
  • East Gippsland
  • South Gippsland
  • Wellington
  • Bass Coast

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 5127 4544

Email: jen@gest.com.au  

Gordon Institute of TAFE

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Greater Geelong

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 5225 0700

Email: skillscentre@gordontafe.edu.au

GOTAFE

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Greater Shepparton
  • Wangaratta Rural
  • Mitchell
  • Benalla
  • Moira

Contact details:

Telephone: 0412 082 395

Email: kmichelini@gotafe.vic.edu.au

Holmesglen Institute

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Glen Eira
  • Stonnington
  • Bayside
  • Monash
  • Kingston

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9564 2762

Email: reconnect@holmesglen.edu.au

Jesuit Social Services

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Greater Dandenong
  • Frankston

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9415 8700

Email: angela.angelopoulos@jss.org.au

Jobco

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Hume
  • Whittlesea
  • Casey
  • Monash

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9326 0322

Email: kim.schubert@jobco.com.au

Migrant Resource Centre North West

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Brimbank
  • Hume
  • Whittlesea
  • Banyule

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9367 6044

Email: sue@mrcnorthwest.org.au

Mountain District Learning Centre (MDLC)

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Knox
  • Yarra Ranges
  • Cardinia,
  • Maroondah
  • Greater Dandenong

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9758 5859

Email: kerrig@mdlc.com.au

Murray ACE – Swan Hill

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Swan Hill Rural
  • Gannawarra Shire

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 5032 3719

Email: training@macesh.vic.edu.au

Pines Learning Centre

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Manningham
  • Murrindindi

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9842 6726

Email: kalli.taifalos@pineslearning.com.au

Prace (Preston Reservoir Adult Community Education)

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Darebin
  • Whittlesea
  • Mitchell
  • Banyule
  • Nillumbik
  • Moreland

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9462 6077

Email: apugliese@prace.vic.edu.au

South West TAFE

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Warrambool
  • Southern Grampians
  • Glenelg
  • Corangamite
  • Moyne

Contact details:

Telephone: 1300 648 911

Email: reconnect@swtafe.edu.au

SuniTAFE

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Mildura
  • Swan Hill
  • Gannawarra
  • Buloke

Contact details:

Telephone: 1300 478 648

Email: reconnect@sunitafe.edu.au

TAFE Gippsland

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Latrobe
  • Wellington
  • Baw Baw
  • East Gippsland
  • South Gippsland

Contact details:

Telephone: 0438 802 125

Email: reconnect@tafegippsland.edu.au

The Centre for Continuing Education (The Centre)

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Wangaratta
  • Benalla
  • Mitchell
  • Mansfield
  • Strathbogie

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 5721 0200

Email: colette.mcneill@thecentre.vic.edu.au

Westgate Community Initiatives Group (WCIG)

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Brimbank
  • Wyndham
  • Melton
  • Maribyrnong
  • Hobsons Bay

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9689 3437

Email: skillsreconnect@wcig.org.au

Wingate Avenue Community Centre

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Moonee Valley
  • Melbourne

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9212 0236

Email: manager@wingateave.com.au

Wodonga TAFE

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Wodonga Shire
  • Towong
  • Indigo
  • Alpine

Contact details:

Telephone: 1300 698 233

Email: info@wodongatafe.edu.au

Wyndham Community & Education Centre

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Wyndham
  • Hobsons Bay

Contact details:

Telephone: (03) 9742 4013

Email: enquiries@wyndhamcec.org.au

The Youth Junction Inc.

Local Government Areas of delivery:

  • Brimbank
  • Maribyrnong
  • Hume

Contact details:

Telephone: 0414 350 426

Email: jmalcolm-black@youthjunctioninc.net.au  

Funding

The Government invested $30 million across the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 financial years, on top of the initial $20 million funding in 2017 and the $14 million Reconnect Engagement and Learner Support (REALS) Grant pilot program, funded in 2016. The Government has invested a further $47 million over the next four years for the Reconnect Program 2021.

Contact

To find out more, contact reconnect.program@education.vic.gov.au