New youth mentoring employment program for Logan

Published Saturday, 24 June, 2017 at 08:00 AM

Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, Minister for Racing and Minister for Multicultural Affairs
The Honourable Grace Grace

Young jobseekers and recently employed young workers in Logan are set to benefit from a new mentoring program to help them gain and retain employment.

Employment Minister Grace Grace today announced the $900,000 Sticking Together pilot program would soon be rolled out in Logan.

Ms Grace said 90 young jobseekers and recently-employed young people aged under 25 would be selected across three sites in Queensland – Logan, Cairns and Townsville - to participate in the pilot (30 participants per area).

“Those selected will be provided with one-on-one coaching and mentoring support for 60 weeks,” Ms Grace said.

“The coaches will also work with employers to help them deal with situations that can lead to an employment relationship from breaking down.

“This is about building the skills, confidence and resilience that can help young jobseekers and workers cope with situations both in and out of the workplace."

Minister for Communities and Member for Waterford Shannon Fentiman said:

“We know that there are some young people who, for a multitude of reasons, find it difficult to enter and remain in the workforce.

“On a personal level, this can affect self-esteem and confidence and result in long-term disengagement from the workforce.

“There’s no doubt young jobseekers and workers in Logan are facing employment challenges.

“That’s why the Sticking Together pilot is so welcome in Logan – it’s specifically designed to help them gain and retain jobs.”

Health Minister and Member for Woodridge Cameron Dick said Sticking Together couldn’t have come at a better time, with the highly successful Back to Work jobs program set to be extended to the South East, including Logan, from July.

“Back to Work, which provides employers with support payments of up to $20,000 for hiring a jobseeker, will support up to 1,500 new jobs in SEQ.”

 Member for Logan Linus Power said: “Young Logan jobseekers are crying out for more support, and that’s exactly what this Sticking Together will deliver.

“The pilot will focus on young people aged under 25 years who are facing challenges to enter, and remain, in the workforce.

“Some participants will be facing multiple barriers to employment, and they’ll benefit greatly from the one-on-one mentoring this program provides - particularly here in Logan.”

Ms Grace said not-for-profit organisation SYC would deliver the pilot program.

“For over 50 years SYC has been working with disadvantaged young people, whether that be to find a safe place to sleep, develop new skills, gain and sustain employment, finish school or reconnect with their families,” she said.

“The Sticking Together model was rolled out in four trial sites across South Australia and Victoria in January 2017.

“Queensland has benefited from the early learnings from these trial locations, and from leveraging the co-design, research and implementation work already undertaken.”

Media contact: Martin Philip 0427 919 548