Building skills to get disadvantaged young people into work
30 July 2019
Trying new things. That’s an important part of an employment program for young people the Brotherhood runs in the outer Melbourne suburb, Frankston, which has a youth unemployment rate among the highest in Australia.
The Creating Futures for Youth program is supported by Citi Foundation, the philanthropic arm of global bank Citi, and several Citi employees led a workshop in Frankston recently. The workshop developed participants’ interview skills through mock interviews, provided insights into a variety of workforce pathways and focused on ways to develop a positive mindset.
Nathan and Zac were jobseeking for more than a year before joining the program earlier this year. They say they have gained a lot of confidence and skills through the program, and the workshop was very useful.
‘This program has helped me to get out and about. To come out of myself,’ says Nathan. ‘At the workshop, they spoke a lot about navigating situations where you are outside your comfort zone, and that was really helpful.’
Zac says he had no firm career plans when he came to the Brotherhood. But the consistent, strong encouragement he has received from his youth development coach, reinforced by Foundation staff in the workshop, has seen his confidence grow significantly.
He is now doing an animal studies certificate course, and is considering further studies in that field. Meanwhile Nathan is about to undertake a Year 12 qualification, as a step toward a sound engineering and songwriting degree.
Head of Brotherhood youth programs, Sally James, says the support of the Citi Foundation and Citi employees allows more young people to benefit from the program, equipping them with skills and insights to develop a career plan, and start taking steps towards their goals.
‘It really demonstrates Citi’s commitment that employees from all levels, including senior leaders, volunteer to work directly with young people. That support is vital to the work we do with young people who come from a range of disadvantaged backgrounds, who are striving toward their goals in education and employment,’ she says.
