There is no better way to have an impact on your community than to help a young person develop the confidence and skills needed to enter the workforce and become a contributing member of society.

Break Through Mentoring is currently seeking mentors for its TAFE Mentoring in the Community course scheduled to begin in October 2008.  This is a FREE course offered to those employees, wanting to be a mentor, from businesses that are willing to support the program.   The course will run on the following Wednesdays from 3.00pm to 5.30pm: October 22 and 29, November 5, 12, 19 and 26. 

The course will be held at the offices of QBE Insurance in Campbelltown at 138 Queen Street; Level 6.

If your organisation is located in the Campbelltown/Macarthur area and sees value in community involvement, give Break Through a call on 0420 308 324.  The Program Coordinator is happy to answer any questions you have and provide further information.

Young locals are getting more help, than ever, finding employment thanks to a new partnership between Break Through and BoysTown.

Break Through Coordinator, Tracy Dunn, said it is a shared desire to help young people reach their potential that brought the services together.

“Break Through pairs young people, who are struggling to find employment, with mentors who are already in the workforce, while BoysTown offers youth specific Job Network services,” she said.

“Since the partnership began, ten young people referred from BoysTown have entered into a mentoring relationship.  To date, seven have found sustainable employment.”

BoysTown Regional Manager, Sharen Morton, said that 20 year old Karen came to Boystown with a dream of entering the fashion industry.

“It was enormously beneficial to refer Karen to Break Through to improve her confidence and give her an idea of what to expect when entering the job market,” she said.

“When Karen secured a job interview for an entry level position at a shoe company, her mentor Carol from Paul Wakeling Motors gave her the employer’s perspective.  Carol’s support played a big part in Karen’s success at the interview. 

“And the relationship doesn’t end when the young people find a job - mentors stay in contact to provide essential feedback, reassurance and encouragement.”

Break Through and BoysTown look forward to working together throughout 2008 and are hoping to assist more young people to realise their dreams and find lasting employment.

Break Through Mentoring is a service of the Live N Learn Foundation.  It is federally funded under the Local Answers programme.

BoysTown is a federally funded Job Network Service Provider, who is dedicated to finding jobs for young people (15-25 years).

For further information please contact:

Tracy Dunn

 0420 308 324 

 tracy@livenlearn.com.au.

Break Through Youth Employment Mentoring has been affecting change in the lives of local youth since launching in Campbelltown/Macarthur in March 2007.  Break Through aims to build the skills sets of young people to assist them to realize their employment goals.  This is done through building a 1:1 mentoring relationship with a locally employed person, who is able to use their contemporary knowledge and experience of the workforce to support the young person.

Break Through was invited to attend the Minto Employment Working Group in September 2007 by Gloria Bates of MTC Work Solutions.  This was an opportunity to work closely with those other services working in the area to improve employment outcomes for the residents of Minto.  Not only were services represented, but industry as well; showing their interest to improving the community.

Unilever/Streets are one of the largest employers in the area and are represented on this working group.  They value community involvement and desire to give back to the community in which they operate.  They also believe that the Minto population has skills that could benefit their organization.

Unilever/Streets were actively seeking a program that would offer their employees the opportunity to work directly within the local community.  Break Through was able to offer an option that allowed them to play an active role in empowering youth from the area to strive for their employment goals and learn the skills needed to succeed.  

Currently, Break Through is running its third TAFE Mentoring in the Community course, which is being hosted by Unilever/Streets at their Minto plant.   Not only have they offered to have the course onsite, but have seven employees committed to being a mentor.  This is a commitment that goes above and beyond what is expected from supporting businesses.

Unilever/Streets are one of four businesses committed to this round of training.  Break Through would like to acknowledge the valued and continued support of Camden Council, National Australia Bank and St. George Bank.

It is only by working together to building strong community networks and business relationships that it’s possible to impart change in the lives of the young people and, in turn, a lasting impact on the community as a whole.