[Sub ID 4880] Opportunity Workshops (Assignment Australia)

Submission ID: 4880
Organisation name: Assignment Australia
Contact name: Mr Rob French
State: WA
Contact email: robert_french@optusnet.com.au
Contact number: 0401970997

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

What need or issue are you trying to address?
Once people are unemployed and dependent on support it becomes increasingly more and more difficult for them to break out and into employment partly because of the mindset which develops.

This mindset can incorporate feelings of fear, adequacy and the ability to compete in a labour or business market place.

This potentially negative mindset which can develop and become more entrenched over time needs to be addressed early and on an ongoing basis to give people faith and belief in their capacity to participate and contribute and enjoy all the benefits which that sense of accomplishment brings.

What is your idea?
Having spent many years in employment and working with people who, for various reasons, found themselves struggling to find employment and having witnessed the devastating affect this had on their self image, self confidence and often on their family lives, I started putting small groups of up to a dozen people at a time together to workshop opportunity ideas. The results and ideas which came out of these workshops were outstanding.

I propose setting up similar workshops for small groups at any one time with an experienced facilitator, to explore business opportunities which these groups identify and to work in with business people invited to attend these workshops to explore possibilities that these groups can help to establish business opportunities in conjunction with established business partners.

Such business opportunities could create employment opportunities in new business ventures which the participants have helped to develop and have an emotional and mental investment and enthusiasm in.

I have seen how this process can dramatically positively impact peoples view of their ability to contribute, their desire to contribute and their sense of worth.