Whitelion Employment Program

Organisation

Whitelion

Project

Whitelion Employment Program

Location/Municipality

Parkville and Thornbury - Darebin Region

Grant

Pathways to Employment 11 - 12

Whitelion opens doors to opportunities, relationships and community for young people involved in (or at risk of involement with) the Youth Justice System. This is achieved through role modelling, mentoring, employment and indigenous programs, outreach services, and through prevention programs run in rural and metropolitan communities.

The Whitelion Employment Program works with highly vulnerable young people, aged 15 to 24, who are marginalised in the job market, owing to a range of risk factors including histories of neglect, abuse, drug addiction and multi-generational family unemployment.

The program includes vocational assessment, resume development, employment skills training, workplace orientation, fully-paid employment and ongoing support. Direct engagement with employers by the Employment Program has proven to be a successful way to transition young people out of Youth Justice/Community Order environments towards a more independent lifestyle.

From mid 2010 to mid 2011, the program placed 84 young people in work.

Visit the Whitelion website to learn more about this community organisation.