Published Tuesday, 16 January, 2007 at 09:33 AM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
HANDS UP TO STATE GOVERNMENT SKILLS SUPPORT
A $58 370 grant from the Queensland Government’s Training in Communities program will help over forty Brisbane people with a disability improve their literacy and life skills and their chances of employment.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said
Centacare had received the grant for the HANDS UP project to assist 42 intellectually disabled people improve their language, numeracy and literacy skills and provide training for ten volunteer supporting tutors.
“This project follows on from a similar State Government funded project run by Centacare in 2005 and will continue to provide training and support for participants over a 12 month period helping them become independent and gain employment,” Mr Mickel said.
“Participants will be assisted to develop skills to effectively use public transport, obtain a learner’s permit, work as a volunteer in the community and ultimately secure paid employment.
“The 2005 project helped 72 disabled participants with ten successfully gaining their learners permit, one gaining a drivers licence, 14 securing part-time employment and six volunteering their time with commercial businesses in the hope of securing paid work.”
Centacare Manager Nicole Williams said the project will be delivered at HAND in Wilston which is friendly and supportive for participants.
“Participants can learn in small groups or a classroom environment, with flexible training that is responsive to individual needs,” Ms Williams said.
“Participants will be able to improve low levels of literacy and numeracy using computers and will be supported in group work by trained volunteer tutors where possible.
“They also will be assisted to develop skills to live independently, read and interpret recipes, understand road rules to gain a learners permit, handle money, and interpret a street directory for using public transport independently.”
Training in Communities is part of the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative which together with its predecessor the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle has helped to create more than 116 000 jobs across Queensland since 1998.
The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative is part of the State Government’s $1 billion Queensland Skills Plan which aims to provide individuals and industry with the skills and workforce for the 21st Century.
Media Contacts: Chris Brown on 3224 7359 or Elouise Campion on 3224 6784
Centacare Manager Nicole Williams on 3856 0281
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said
Centacare had received the grant for the HANDS UP project to assist 42 intellectually disabled people improve their language, numeracy and literacy skills and provide training for ten volunteer supporting tutors.
“This project follows on from a similar State Government funded project run by Centacare in 2005 and will continue to provide training and support for participants over a 12 month period helping them become independent and gain employment,” Mr Mickel said.
“Participants will be assisted to develop skills to effectively use public transport, obtain a learner’s permit, work as a volunteer in the community and ultimately secure paid employment.
“The 2005 project helped 72 disabled participants with ten successfully gaining their learners permit, one gaining a drivers licence, 14 securing part-time employment and six volunteering their time with commercial businesses in the hope of securing paid work.”
Centacare Manager Nicole Williams said the project will be delivered at HAND in Wilston which is friendly and supportive for participants.
“Participants can learn in small groups or a classroom environment, with flexible training that is responsive to individual needs,” Ms Williams said.
“Participants will be able to improve low levels of literacy and numeracy using computers and will be supported in group work by trained volunteer tutors where possible.
“They also will be assisted to develop skills to live independently, read and interpret recipes, understand road rules to gain a learners permit, handle money, and interpret a street directory for using public transport independently.”
Training in Communities is part of the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative which together with its predecessor the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle has helped to create more than 116 000 jobs across Queensland since 1998.
The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative is part of the State Government’s $1 billion Queensland Skills Plan which aims to provide individuals and industry with the skills and workforce for the 21st Century.
Media Contacts: Chris Brown on 3224 7359 or Elouise Campion on 3224 6784
Centacare Manager Nicole Williams on 3856 0281