A program estimated to have saved Australia from more than $800 million of costs in the future and teens from going on to have "tragic miserable lives" is back in full flight at Dubbo.
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Get Real's 10th anniversary of helping students to stay in school, training or work was celebrated at Dubbo College on Tuesday and this time it was with dedicated coordinators, funded by a $1.6 million investment by the federal government.
Academic Louise Lawler reported on Tuesday the Get Real program had in its first five years from 2005 made the "definitive difference" to the futures of 47 students as well as supporting more than 500 others.
Get Real is based on research by Dr Lawler, who is a senior academic fellow at the Dubbo campus of the University of Sydney's School of Rural Health.
As a new group of Dubbo College students signed a pledge board Dr Lawler had no doubts about the significance of their endeavours.
She said research showed that for every person out of work from the ages of 15 to 55 society bore a $20 million cost in the areas of social security payments, physical health, mental health and justice.
Get Real's federal funding ran out in 2010, but Dr Lawler contested it was more costly to society to do nothing.
"You're looking at a cost of more than $800 million for those more than 40 students we made the definitive difference to from 2005 to 2010.
"Is it worth doing - oh my God, yes."
The program, championed by Dubbo businessman Roger Fletcher of Fletcher International Exports since it began, was announced as the recipient of $1.6 million in federal funding in June to provide coordinators for three years.
Two full-time and two-part time Get Real coordinators were recruited and started work at the three campuses in term 4 last year, Dr Lawler reported.
"If we keep one kid at school and then in life-long employment, that's $20 million saved," she said.
"That's a good investment."
But she saw the personal side as "even more valuable" than the financial.
"Instead of people having tragic, miserable lives they become contributing, well-adjusted members of society who rear contributing, well-adjusted families," she said. "It's a ripple effect."
Dubbo College Senior Campus principal Andrew Jones told the more than 230 Year 10 students they were not alone.
"You have the support of your school and your community, the support of the Dubbo business community, the education community, local politicians and your families and friends. It is up to you as individuals to make the most of what is provided for you and make the commitment to your future."