By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
SUCCESS stories are already being forged out of an alliance helping some of the region’s most vulnerable young people get into training and work.
The Springboard program, which launched just three months ago, is giving one-on-one help to 32 youth, aged 16-21, who are living in and leaving state residential care in Melbourne’s south-east.
The four-year program pays for the young clients’ study expenses, ensuring there’s no charge for their TAFE courses.
At an official launch in Dandenong last week, Community Services Minister Mary Wooldridge said no residential care leaver would be prevented from TAFE study because of financial barriers.
She spoke of the clients having to overcome histories of neglect and abuse as they left state care and “face the world”. Half of young people leaving state care were disengaged with work and education, she said.
The Springboard alliance in the south-east includes Mission Australia, Youth Support and Advocacy Service, Southern Health, Springvale Community Aid and Advice Bureau and Berry Street Victoria.
The alliance helps clients find affordable housing and be treated for drug and alcohol issues. The clients, who often grow up without direction or role models, also get intensive mentoring from case workers.
Mission Australia youth services manager Cristiane Cunial said that for up to 48 young people in the south-east who received help this year through the program, it was all about “getting a chance”. Those young people included a 17-year-old mother who left school in year 10 and was uncertain about further education.
Another client is Jon, of Pakenham, who has found his feet as an apprentice at an inner-city hairdresser, Heading Out Hair & Beauty. His Mission Australia case worker Shannon Miller said Jon knew what he wanted to be but didn’t have the funds to achieve it.
Springboard is covering Jon’s textbooks, course fees and equipment, which can cost up to $3000 — a tough ask on apprentice wages. “It’s wonderful. I’m stress free,” Jon said. “Though with full-time work, I don’t have a social life any more.”
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