YFS believes: everyone needs skills for life, and education and training are important for economic participation. Completing school or gaining a qualification is a foundation for success. We acknowledge that some people have had negative experiences in education settings, and need support to re-engage or find alternatives that meet their needs
Children need: school attendance is critical for children, and high quality early learning before school age is important for their development. Sometimes school or child care can provide stability that might be missing in other parts of their life.
YFS does: we focus on good school habits with our clients, helping children and young people enrol, attend and complete school. We provide opportunities to learn skills through our social enterprises and all our case management programs encourage people to gain skills to avoid future crises.
YFS wants: a child care and pre-school system that is affordable for people on low incomes so their children get the benefit of early learning programs to prepare them for school. We need alternatives for people who can’t engage in traditional schooling or haven’t completed school. We want a system that enables all children and young people to succeed in learning.
SKILLS, EDUCATION & TRAINING
Most YFS services help people develop skills to live independently and link with education and training.
At our electronic waste recycling enterprise, Substation33, a wide range of people learn workplace skills in a supportive environment as part of the pathway to mainstream employment. Substation33 built up its innovation hub in 2015-16, making 3D printer kits for sale to local schools. In 2015-16, more than 300 people did almost 35,000 hours of work experience at Substation33, learning how to function in a workplace as well as how to disassemble electronic goods and use 3D printers.
Our Money Smart workers and financial counsellors helped 988 people improve their financial literacy in 2015-16 through face to face work, and 1,469 through 44 community education activities.
YFS is funded by the Australian Government and the Queensland Government.
YFS acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are Australia's First
Peoples and the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we meet and work.
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As part of her plan to improve life skills for independent living, Maria learned budgeting, planning, shopping and
cooking skills with YFS Community Connections
worker Wendy.
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Our Step by Step program builds parenting skills -
In 2015-16 Step by Step participants
through working with YFS
improved their
parenting effectiveness by
17%
“I’ve made real friends in here and I’ve also learnt a lot, even how
to use computer programs that I had never used before,” said Malorie- Kae.
Malorie-Kae is 25 and has been at YFS’ social enterprise, Substation33, for three months now, as part of her Work for the Dole placement.
She had been looking for a job before, “but no one had really been biting when I handed over my resume,” she said.
“Work for the Dole gave me a choice of where I wanted to be placed and I didn’t want to do retail anymore. I came in and they got me started on the tables disassembling electronic waste. I also went to the IT department, then expressed interest in the Innovation Hub and became the 3D Printers Manager a week after that.”
Malorie had never managed a 3D printer before she came to Substation33.
“They showed me how to do it here,” she says.
“It is wonderful. I wake up excited to come here every day. I never get tired of watching the first print because it’s just so fascinating.”
“I tell people this is a very nice place. I tell them how we recycle technology; how it all gets sorted and how it’s very much a group thing. The people that I work with are very friendly.”
She describes herself as a fast learner, pleasant and hardworking.
“I come here three days a week. I’m supposed to do 25 hours a week but I really love it here, so I do more than that.
Malorie believes she now has an engaging personality. Becoming the 3D Printers Manager at Substation33’s Innovation Hub has given her a lot more confidence and she’s really enjoying it.
“I wasn’t a very outgoing person. I would normally be in the library at lunch time in school, just doing my own thing until I graduated. But I’m feeling better and happier now. I just love it.”
A learning difficulty didn’t stop her from becoming an artist. Drawing is her passion and she combines it with her love for video games.
While working at Substation33, Malorie has also learned the value of team work and planning. She has a good sense of achievement and is also very optimistic about the future.
2015-2016 IMPACT REPORT
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