In 2009-2010 we supported 7 projects that provided employment and employability skills to 80 local people across Darebin, Moreland and Yarra. These projects provided 26 people with paid work.

Sprout Community Market Employment Pathways Project - Thornbury

A training project to provide 6 stallholders at Sprout Community Garden Market with intensive business training around pricing, promotions, packaging, customer service and budgeting to give them the best shot at managing their market stalls. Sprout Community Garden is a development program of Mind Australia for people living with mental illness that promotes well-being and healthy eating. The Market sells veggies to the public on the first Thursday of every month during summer. Market season starts Thursday 3 Sept 2009 (3-7pm) at Sprout - 40 Clapham St, Thornbury. Thank you Portland House Foundation for your funding contribution to this project. Sprout Community Garden

The Futures Project – Fitzroy

The Futures Project has two key purposes. Firstly it will support 20 young people currently participating in a homework program in Fitzroy to contemplate their working futures. Each young person will be guided into a 3 month work placement in their chosen field of interest and will be mentored by a local person who can help them to learn about Australian workplace standards, job opportunities and associated qualification requirements. Secondly, the project will work with 15 local migrant and refugee families to explore their concerns around their daughters taking up work and learning opportunities on offer and to look at what can be done to ensure their daughters can pursue their goals.Thank you Portland House Foundation for your funding contribution to this project.
Brotherhood of St Laurence

Employment Pathways from Abbotsford Biscuits – Richmond

This project focuses on the link in the chain for young graduates of the Abbotsford Biscuits training program to improve their chances of securing and sustaining jobs in the hospitality sector. The project has three key objectives; (a) structured work placements at local businesses for 5 young graduates to acclimatise them to real working conditions; (b) formation of formalised partnerships with 5 local hospitality providers to provide work opportunities to young graduates annually; (c) linking 10 young graduates with appropriate employment agencies so that they can receive targeted employment assistance and referral to jobs. Support young people by ordering Abbotsford Biscuits for your next meeting. Thank you Portland House Foundation for your funding contribution to this project. Abbotsford Biscuits

Next Step Project – Richmond

The Next Step project is a collaboration between Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Rotary Club of Richmond that will act as a one-stop shop for young people who are starting out on their journey to work. 20 young Richmond residents who are migrants or refugees to Australia, will work with recruitment specialists Chandler MacLeod to identify their best employment options. Rotary Club of Richmond will then use their extensive business contacts to organise a structured work experience placement for each young person and while all of this is happening Big Brothers Big Sisters will match each young person to a mentor who can support them every step of the way. This project is a great example of corporate, community and philanthropy working together. Big Brothers Big Sisters

Young Women’s Sessional Work Placement Program – Brunswick

Recent youth crime statistics show that 30% of young people involved in crime live in Melbourne’s inner northern communities of Moreland, Darebin and Yarra. Five young women who are counted in this statistic will be given a chance to stabilise their lives and build towards better days through the Young Women’s Sessional Work Placement Program at Whitelion. Each young woman will be employed for 25 hours in the Whitelion office where they will be responsible for administrative duties, assisting in organising youth camps and providing input into Whitelion programs. This will give them a taste for the rigours of the workplace, boost their CV and, if they’re ready, they can continue on to Whitelion’s employment program where they will be referred to jobs at one of 20 companies who participate in Whitelion’s employment program. Whitelion

Step Two – Fawkner

Step Two is a targeted response to the gender imbalance in the Anti-Racism Action Band’s (A.R.A.B) programs and professional gigs generally. Over 12 months, Step Two will work intensively with young women to increase their take-up of professional gigging opportunities. At the same time, 6 young men will be trained in arts administration so that they can become better at promoting, budgeting and project managing their gigs. Through Step Two, young men and women will have increased capacity and confidence to market themselves as individual artists to shows and events outside of the A.R.A.B. arena, giving them the tools to make the most of their skills and talents in the broader community. A.R.A.B.

Somali Young Women’s Employment Pathways – Preston

This project provides job-readiness training to young Somali women in and around Preston who have post-school qualifications but can’t find a job. It has been awarded a special circumstances grant on the basis that the recent overhaul of the Job Networks model (now called Job Services Australia) means that new service providers will need some time to get themselves fully established before they can offer targeted assistance to specific communities. The longer these young women remain disengaged from work and learning the harder it will be for them to find a job. In addition to jobsearch training, this project will include activities to broker relationships between the Somali community and local Job Services Australia providers to ensure that they can access their full range of entitlements on an ongoing basis. Jesuit Social Services

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