Investing in our Disadvantaged Youth: New School-Wide Approaches to Understanding and Improving School Engagement and Social Connectedness (2011-2015)

Social connectedness is emerging as the key protective factor against school failure, bullying, and social exclusion. This research will promote the Government's agenda to support young people at greatest risk of long-term disadvantage. This research will test a model of social connectedness and from this a school-wide ecological approach will be developed to improve the social well-being of disadvantaged young people. This new school-wide approach will be implemented in industry partner schools with students, parents, and teachers. Implementing school-wide approaches to ameliorate social exclusion of youths will increase the social and academic capacity of our young people and ultimately Australia's capacity to compete globally.