[Sub ID 4695] Hand Brake Turn Mobile (Concern Australia)

Submission ID: 4695
Organisation name: Concern Australia
State: VIC

Which priority group of the Try, Test and Learn Fund does your idea support?
Young students at risk of long-term unemployment

What need or issue are you trying to address?
For over 25 years Concern Australia has worked with vulnerable young people and children who have disengaged from traditional learning environments.

Through our Hand Brake Turn Program we provide access to learning opportunities where technical and personal skills are developed. To date, 9862 young people have undertaken Hand Brake Turn, with 69% of young people successfully completing Certificate II in Automotive Training in 2016. With a focus on the high youth unemployment in specific postcodes, we offer training from locations in South (Dandenong/Doveton) and West (Sunshine) metropolitan Melbourne. We work with young people at great risk of long-term unemployment, many already involved in the justice system. Our focus is to build hope through a supportive and practical learning environment that is outcome focussed, particularly toward workforce participation.

In 2016 77 young people were trained, many who do not have access to mentors or supports who invest in their transition from education to the workforce. In addition to the training, we facilitate connections with local service clubs such as rotary, visits to local employers to promote greater understanding of local industry needs, creates hope and highlights opportunities for apprenticeships and future employment.

What is your idea?
Building on 25 years experience, Hand Brake Turn Mobile offers a 10 week outreach automotive and life skills training program where young people are able to tap into our practice wisdom and build on their own skills and abilities within their local setting.

Our hypothesis is that we need to remove barriers to participation, particularly geographic and economic. Hand Brake Turn Mobile is community based, addressing the destructive behaviours and barriers that hamper each young person in realising their goals and potential.

This initiative will test thinking around accessibility, particularly as it relates to engagement, participation and completion. With our 1st Goal in 2020VISION, our Strategic Plan being ‘People-Centred’, we are committed to hearing the voice of the young people and embrace the opportunity to Try Test Learn.

There is a need for pre-vocational and practical experiences to be provided in geographic pockets where young people experience unemployment, and often high levels of youth recidivism exist.

As an organisation we listen to the young people with whom we work, and seek to offer engaging experiences.

Overhead costs are reduced through partnerships with local organisations (eg. schools), and the Hand Brake Turn Mobile:

• Develops technical and personal skills
• Creates hope for future prospects
• Enhances the employability of young people
• Enables local partnerships to the benefit of young people and their communities