About DISCO
What is the Downs Industry Schools Co-Op?
The Downs Industry Schools Co-Op (DISCO) was formed in 1997 to provide a professional industry placement (work experience) service to schools and industry on the Darling Downs.
DISCO is an incorporated not-for-profit community organisation with a membership base made up of industry and educational representatives.
When the organisation commenced fourteen schools agreed to be part of DISCO but this has now grown to encompass schools not just in Toowoomba but across the Downs. Schools access services as required based on their needs and in line with the range of vocational alternatives available. Funding is provided by both the State and Federal Governments.
Supported by a Management Committee who are assisted by ordinary members made up of industry and educational representatives as well as a youth rep the program is monitored to ensure both education and industry work closely together to maximise the objective of giving each student or client the best chance to gain the necessary experience to obtain employment and hopefully a career.
One of the reasons for DISCO’s initial formation was to provide industry with a more centralised industry placement service to minimise the duplication caused when individual schools arranged industry placements causing employers to be visited by numerous teachers and students seeking industry placement positions. One of the major differences about this program as distinct to general work experience is that students have received instruction at school before commencing in the workplace and must be studying related subjects at school to qualify. This means that employers are helping train and prepare young people who already have a commitment to work in their field. This leads to more employment opportunities and more young people obtaining paid employment as a direct result of gaining experience working for free while they build up their skills.
In 2000 the Management Committee changed the charter of the organisation to allow diversification beyond industry placement. This allowed the organisation the opportunity to move into the provision of a wider range of services to support member schools and young people.
In 2001 the Management Committee approved a trial to allow DISCO to commence working in the area of school-based apprenticeships and traineeships. This program subsequently commenced on a fee-for-service basis and a number of member schools immediately agreed to support the trial, which has continued and now represents an additional product and service provided by DISCO.
In late 2002 DISCO was contracted to deliver the Jobs Pathway Programme (JPP). The JPP program provides students with the opportunity to benefit from assistance while at school or in the transition from school to work or from school to further study. Working in partnership with groups in Toowoomba, the JPP project allowed local schools and students as well as those young people based in different parts of the Darling Downs to benefit from the assistance available through this project. This program allowed for individualised support to clients allowing DISCO’s Career and Transition Coordinators to develop a program aimed at building self esteem by developing an action plan to achieve the objectives as desired by the client. This program ceased operation in 2005.
In 2003 the organisation widened its charter to more generally help young people. This allowed DISCO to branch out and apply for funds to develop more specific projects for our schools, students and the longer-term benefit of our employers.
During 2003 the organisation was successful in obtaining a Job Placement Licence. This allowed DISCO to work with employers in our community and identify vacancies for positions, which can be filled by students leaving school. This support from DISCO to assist school leavers to access employment enables our organisation to receive payment from the Department of Employment, Workplace Relations (DEWR) for undertaking this service when students are placed. DISCO ceased having a JPO Licence in 2005.
Also in 2003 the organisation submitted a tender to the Federal Department of Families and Community Services (FaCS) and was successful in obtaining funding for a Mentor Marketplace pilot project. This
program allowed DISCO to work with project partners across the Downs to deliver assistance to young people at risk of disengaging or leaving school prematurely. This program ceased operation in 2004.
The organisations success continued in 2003 with DISCO successfully applying for funds for a Youth Support Coordinator to support young people at risk of disengaging from formal learning. The project funded by the State Department of Communities, forms part of the State Government’s Education and Training Reforms for the Future (ETRF). The project will be instrumental in working with schools, community agencies, parents, registered training organisations and young people generally with the overall objective of minimising disengagement using innovative processes and activities with our youth. This project was further expanded in 2004 with the addition of two officers to support activity in Toowoomba and an additional officer to provide assistance to the Darling Downs region. This program is continuing in both the DISCO Dalby and Toowoomba offices.
In 2004 the organisation successfully tendered through the Department of Employment & Industrial Relations to deliver the Get Set for Work program. The objective of the Get Set for Work Program is to assist 15 – 17 year old clients who have disengaged from school prematurely to be assisted with training and life skills to allow them to be assisted into employment or onto further study. This program is continuing in both the DISCO Dalby and Toowoomba offices.
The organisation growth continued when it was successful in 2005 with funding from the Department of Education, Science & Training (DEST). Funds were provided for three years to support the expansion of Structured Workplace Learning as well as the introduction of a Career & Transition Support and Adopt-a- School initiatives designed to bring education and industry closer together. This program is continuing in both the DISCO Dalby and Toowoomba offices.
In 2006 a further application for funding was agreed to by the State Department of Employment & Industrial Relations to provide assistance for DISCO to deliver the Youth Employment Support Program. This program assists young people from 17 – 24 to gain the necessary skills to be ready to be able to obtain employment. This may include providing training to ensure they have the necessary qualifications to be successful. This program is continuing in both the DISCO Dalby and Toowoomba offices.
During 2007 DISCO was invited to apply for funds through the Department of Education, Science & Training (DEST) to support Indigenous Boarders in the Catholic and Independent school sectors. This program provides support in the Toowoomba and Warwick regions. The project has the objective to help Indigenous boarders to complete their education and helps achieve this through individualised support and group projects designed to keep young people focussed on their goals. Unfortunately this program ceased in mid 2009 but it is hoped that it will recommence with additional funding support and some time in the future.
In late 2009 DISCO in partnership with the two other organisations (the Southern Downs Industry Education Association in Warwick and Goondiwindi Training and Technology) tendered for two new contracts to be delivered from 2010 for two years. These tenders for programs called Partnership Brokers and Youth Connections will be funded by the Department of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and will replace previous funding under the Career Advice Australia initiative. Partnership Brokers has a focus to build and develop effective relationships in order to identify the needs and understand the expectations of young people, education and training providers, business & industry, parents & families and community groups. The successful provider will partner with these groups to assist in the development of projects and support initiatives. Youth Connections focuses on assisting young people who are at risk of exiting school or have exited school prematurely and offering support to help them to become reengaged appropriately. DISCO hopes to hear if it has been successful with its partners in early December 2009.
DISCO was ultimately successful with its partners and was awarded a Youth Connections contract to assist young people throughout the Southern Inland and South West Queensland areas. Unfortunately we were not successful with our application for Partnership Broker contract.
As a result of its tender success the Board of DISCO made the decision to open an office in Roma in early 2010 with this office initially delivering support to young people with the Youth Connections contract.
To view DISCO Services Charts click HERE to get the updated list of programs and services being delivered in our Toowoomba, Dalby and Roma offices.