We seek to address the training of employed workers in order to improve productivity and the overall growth and development of our economy. Skills development is not just about training people for employment; it must also empower people to create opportunities to make a living for themselves.

Studies have found that early childbearing – particularly by teenagers and young women who have not completed school – has a significant impact on the education outcomes of both the mother and child, and is also associated with poorer child health and nutritional outcomes. For this reason is it important to delay childbearing, and to ensure that teenagers who do fall pregnant are appropriately supported.

This includes ensuring that young mothers can complete their education, and that they have access to parenting support programs and health services. Although pregnancy is a major cause of school drop-out, some research has also suggested that teenage girls who are already falling behind at school are more likely to become pregnant than those who are progressing through school at the expected rate. Design26 Foundation’s efforts to provide skills support for girls who are not coping at school may also help to reduce teenage pregnancies.