Sunshine Coast graduates Transition 2 Success

Six young people from the Sunshine Coast are the latest graduates of a highly-successful education and training program helping at-risk youth get their lives back on track.

Speaking at the graduation, Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women Di Farmer said the young people were the fourth group to graduate from the Transition 2 Success (T2S) program in the region.

T2S supports young people involved in the youth justice or child safety system, who have had difficulty with mainstream education, learning difficulties, or ongoing complex family situations, to gain real-world skills and hands-on training to continue their education or gain employment.

“A huge congratulations to all the latest T2S graduates who now have a Certificate II in Resources and Infrastructure,” Ms Farmer said.

“The graduates also learnt about suicide awareness and prevention by participating in R U OK? day activities, they took part in adventure-based learning activities including sea rafting, and attended the local Booin Gari cultural event celebrating Indigenous culture.

“These latest graduates join 23 young men and women from the Sunshine Coast who have already completed T2S, through the support of of committed youth workers and local community organisations and business who provide valuable opportunities for work experience.

“The evidence shows that 67% of graduates don’t go on to offend within 12 months of doing T2S, and 97% go on to further education, training or employment.

“Young people are supported in three areas, job-related training to get them ready to enter the workforce, and social skills and behaviour management training to give then the best possible chance to succeed in life.”

Ms Farmer said the T2S program was one of a suite of initiatives helping young Queenslanders to break the cycle of youth crime and improve their future prospects.

“Many of the young people who participate in the T2S program have been in contact with the youth justice system or are at risk of doing so,” she said.

“They are also often struggling with social disadvantage, exposure to domestic violence, drug abuse and unstable parenting as well as intergenerational unemployment.

“As well as earning some basic qualifications, T2S helps connect young people with other support services to help them stay on track like housing or drug and alcohol services.”

T2S currently operates in 13 locations throughout Queensland, with hundreds of young people achieving qualifications in construction, agriculture and landscaping, engineering, hospitality and business.

For more information on how to get involved with your local T2S program, visit https://www.youthjustice.qld.gov.au/program-evaluation/transition-success

ENDS

Media Contact: Cat Milton 0447 117 132