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AFTER SKOOL CARE TAKES AN EXCURSION!
 
Over
the Christmas holidays, Skool’s Out and T-Team students had a great time on a
number of excursions.
On
Tuesday January 12, 27 students and 9 staff set off for an overnight stay at
Jamberoo Action Park. The weather was hot so all the activities involving water
were a great relief. Taking these
kids away overnight gave both students and staff a great opportunity to get to
know each other. Everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly and were exhausted on
the trip home.
The
following week, we had two day excursions. On Tuesday January 19, we went on a
cruise around Brisbane Water. On
this trip we took 22 students and 6 staff. The weather was perfect as we left Gosford and cruised past
Woy Woy out to Lobster beach and back. On board the crew made us a delicious lunch of fish and chips. Luckily no one was sea sick!
Finally
on Thursday January 21 we went to Luna Park with 29 students and 6 staff. This was a great day with everyone
enjoying the rides and in particular, Coney Island.
The
feedback from both students and parents has been great.
During
Term 1, 2010 Skool’s Out students will be involved in a number of activities - visiting
CARES Bike safety at Ourimbah, Bowling, going to local parks to play a variety
of games, cooking and Craft activities.
SUE
GROVES
SKOOL’S
OUT CO ORDINATOR |
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You'll have to wait a whole week!!
Due to rescheduling of the Mariners game, YC Radio will not feature tonight in its usual slot on CoastFM963. Don't forget to tune in next Monday night 7pm!
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Smoking Ceremony: an intimate event
Kevin 'Gavi' Duncan begins the ceremony with a traditional song.
Ceremony participants are cleansed by the smoke.
Belinda Neal with Green Central Apprentices and Trainees
Aboriginal Elders, Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Lands Council, Belinda Neal, youthconnections.com.au staff and board and members of the wider community gathered in a circle at 'Green Central' Mt Penang last Friday for an Aboriginal smoking Ceremony that acknowledged Darkinjung people as the traditional land owners.
Local Aboriginal elder of the Gumilaroi tribe with ancestry to Darkinjung people, Kevin ʻGaviʼ Duncan held the ceremony.
“Immersing or walking through the smoke is to cleanse not only our own spirit but to cleanse the space around and make it spiritually safe,” he said.
“When someone enters a mosque and takes off their shoes it [smoking ceremony] has virtually the same strong meaning as those types of protocols.”
Awarded Federal Government funding in September 2009, youthconnections.com.au will support 61 apprenticeships and traineeships throughout the development of Green Central.
Clearing of the site has begun and already 18 indigenous and non-indigenous young people are employed as full time, part time or school based trainees or
apprentices in a variety of traditional trades.
Member of the Yein people and youthconnections.com.au board, Dave Ella said a smoking ceremony is an important first step in redevelopment of the site at MT Penang.
“Weʼre paying respect to the community and the communityʼs protocols as well,” he said.
“Itʼs a good way for non-Aboriginal people to see how we can have this connection with the land and I think everyone left with a happy feeling, which is what you want.”
Click HERE to watch NBN news coverage of the ceremony
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We're getting close to the end of January, which means our new limbs, Partnership Brokers and Youth Connections (not to be confused with our organisation) have been part of the Youthconnections.com.au body for a whole month! For those of you who aren't sure how they work, here's a 'look in'...
Partnership Brokers will work within their region to build strategic and sustainable partnerships between education and training providers, parents and families, community groups and business and industry, rather than short-term, one-off associations. Partnerships should deliver mutual benefits that make the relationship viable in the long term and support young people to reach their potential and make a successful transition through school to further education or training and work.
Partnership Brokers are not expected to work directly with young people, but to build relationships between these key stakeholders that enable them to identify the needs of young people, make classroom learning more meaningful. For more details please contact Marcus Watson on marcus@youthconnections.com.au
The Youth Connections program will provide a flexible, individualised and responsive service to assist young people who are most at risk of disengaging from education or training and therefore not attaining Year 12 or equivalent and not making a successful transition to further study, training or work. For referals please contact Lyn Cooper on lyn@youthconnections.com.au
These programs are integral parts, functioning together to sustain the whole...
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START something worth finishing!
Free 5 week Brick and Blocklaying Course starts Thursday 28th January.
Located at Mt Penang Parklands, students will be taught the basics of bricklaying and receive a nationally recognised statement of attainment at the completion of the course.
This training is funded by the Australian federal government.
Boost your career opportunities. Contact Claire on 4350 2600 for eligibility criteria
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Free Training in Certificate 1 Automotive Starts Monday!
Get a headstart in your career
Course includes training in motor mechanics, spray painting, car detailing, panel beating and lots more!
Taking referrals NOW
Call 4323 6309
Starts Monday 18th January 2010 |
YC Industry Link kick starts the tradies of the future
Federal Member for Dobell Craig Thomson, Construction Apprentice Chris Dorn with Parlimentary Secretary for Employment Jason Clare in Youthconnection.com.au's pre-vocational training shed. (Left to right)
Jason Clare, Craig Thomson, Chris Dorn and CEO of Youthconnections.com.au Maggie MacFie supporting Kickstart on the Central Coast.
Year 11 student of Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College at the Entrance, Chris Dorn is one of many young people on the Central Coast to be given an apprenticeship under the new Kickstart government benefit.
Completing a school based apprenticeship in construction Dorn said he is looking forward to this opportunity.
“I’ve wanted to be a construction worker all my life,” he said.
Apprentice Kickstart is a part of the Keep Australia Working initiative and boosts the bonus employers are paid in the first year from $1500 to $4850.
Youthconnections.com.au are hoping to get apprenticeships for 40 young people on the Central Coast under this program.
Parliamentary Secretary for Employment Jason Clare and Federal Member for Dobell Craig Thomson visited youthconnections.com.au to support this endeavour.
“This is a great result and I encourage other local businesses to take advantage of the bonus and make sure the Central Coast gets its fair share,” Mr Clare said.
Apprentice kickstart will be available to employers who take on a traditional trades apprentice aged between 15 to 19 from 1st December 2009 until 28th February 2010 or until 21,000 bonus payments have occurred over this period.
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FREE Bricklaying and Blocklaying Pre-vocational course
· Gain a Statement of Attainment and a career pathway.
· Opportunity to gain entry level skills with a view to getting an apprenticeship
· An excellent introduction to the bricklaying trade.
· Training is project based and relevant to industry, a hands-on experience in a building site environment at Mt Penang.
· Training provided by Australian Brick and Blocklaying Training Foundation(ABBTF) in partnership with YC Industry Link.
· 16 and over with a OH & S card
‘Hands on’ Training begins on 11 January 2010
HURRY PLACES LIMITED REGISTER BY EMAILING your resume to – chris@youthconnections.com.au |
Youth Connections have been succesful in both our tenders for the School Business Community Partnership Broker (Partnership Brokers) contract and the Youth Connections contract. These new contracts will take effect from January 1st 2010 and will replace the existing Youth Pathways and Local Community Partnership Programs.
The Partnership Brokers will broker sustainable partnerships between schools, business, community groups and parents to improve education outcomes for young people. Partnership Brokers will work with stakeholder groups to foster a strategic, whole of community approach that supports young people to stay engaged in education and realise their full social and economic potential.
The Youth Connections program will provide an improved safety net for young people who have disengaged from education or at risk of disengaging through the provision of tailored case management and support to help young people to re-connect with education or training and build resilience, skills and attributes that promote positive life choices and well being.
We look forward to the new opportunities and challenges of 2010.
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Youthconnections.com.au has started IGReen, the first Home Sustainability Assessment Course for young people on the Central Coast! St Peters Catholic College VET coordinator, Pauline Dibb, and Youthconnections.com.au IGreen project coordinator, Meredith Milne, launched the inaugural group which trains construction students in methods of assessing and advising on home energy efficiency and sustainability techniques. Meredith Milne said that "IGreen would be the first of many Home Sustainability Assessment Courses on the Central Coast."
St Peters Catholic College IGreen Students with Jem Rowe inspecting a solar unit
Alex Orr checking storage capacity of residential water tank at Woy Woy
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Michael Wendler enjoying new job at Cafe Pennoz.
Asking questions is the secret to success says senior student of Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College at The Entrance Michael Wendler.
“I just asked questions if I didn’t know something, even if they sounded stupid and paid attention to the answer,” he said.
During his Hospitality and Metals and Engineering work placements, Wendler received both part time employment at Cafe Pennoz in Tuggerah Business Park and a mechanic apprenticeship offer from Brian Hilton Motor Group.
Previously involved with Youthconnections.com.au’s student program Youth Pathways, Wendler said his support worker Hayley Shackleton helped him get focussed at school and learn good communication skills.
“I never used to communicate or talk to anyone I used to just be by myself,” he said.
Completing his HSC before beginning the apprenticeship, Wendler says he would like to own a mechanic business in the future.
“My dad’s a mechanic as well, we all like to fix up cars and make them look good.” |
Blake Gwyn START Building Graduate
Blake Gwyn was awarded 100% attendance and Trainer's Award, along with Timothy O'Leary who received YC Industry Link best performer award at the 'START Building' graduation ceremony last Monday night.
Graduating from 5-week access course 'START Building' along with Mark Albani, Dale Clouton, Joel Duniam, Jake Maher, Mitchell Hamilton, Jake Magnifico, Ryan Miller, Luke Murphy, Ricky North, Peter Smith, Phillip Treglown, James Pickles and Steve Moore, students learnt basic bricklaying techniques.
Students also completed two off-site projects, including paving a 50 square metre driveway and filling in doorframes and window sills with bricks at a residential property in Matcham.
Bricklayer and local business owner Mick Freeburn attended the evening and has taken on a student for work experience.
The next START Building course will begin Monday 16th November 2009.
Please contact Ron Bell for further information (02) 4350 2600
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Woman in business winner
Youthconnections.com.au CEO Maggie MacFie was awarded Women in Community winner 2009 for the Central Coast Women in Business awards.
Managing Youthconnections.com.au for the past 10 years Ms MacFie’s vision for this dynamic community youth organisation is continually growing.
“We don’t ever do anything at youth Connections just for us. We do it because it’s the right thing to do at the time and there’s an opportunity there,” Ms MacFie said.
Business Women Connect coordinated the event and said it was the first time the awards had covered all of the Central Coast.
There were 16 categories including Employee Disability Award, Indigenous Business Award and Lifetime Achievement Award for women who have owned a business for over 20 years.
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“Girls should not be missing out,” said Federal member for Dobell Craig Thomson when opening this year’s Tech Girls. Centrally positioned between Sydney and Newcastle, Thomson believes Central Coast youth and especially girls need to identify the versatility of a job in the Information Technology industry as an alternative to commuting, “you can work from home or work remotely, it’s a really great attraction.”
Held at Mingara Recreation Club, Tech Girls is a Youthconnections.com.au event which speaks out against the male-labelled industry, inspiring high school girls to consider Information Technology and science-based subjects at school and a future career in IT.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, males make up 85% of all people currently employed in the IT industry. Youthconnections.com.au chair person and IT business owner, Dave Abrahams says more women need to dare to challenge the geek stereotype, “It is a cool sector but most people see it as a geek sector.”
Tech Girls has run annually for the past four years and since its inception Youthconnections.com.au statistics show a rise of 13% in female students selecting VET IT subjects compared to a 26% decrease for boys during the same time period.
This year 150 girls from 12 Central Coast schools attended, joined by eight key women speakers who ranged from a Software Engineer for Google to an Organisational Change Manager at Commonwealth Bank. These women and several IT businesses represented diversity and change in Information Technology, which was part of the event’s focus. Griffith University researcher and co-author of Tech Girls are chic (not just geek), Jenine Beekhuyzen gave a presentation about investigating the technologies people use to download music and said she loves working in IT, “I get to travel lots, I get paid well and I work in my pyjamas most of the time.”
Girls participating in Tech Girls seminar
Federal Member for Dobell Craig Thomson opens Tech Girls
Eight key women in the IT industry spoke to students
Youthconnections.com.au staff Deborah Hetherington (second from left) and Heidi Fitt (fourth from left) join students at Tech Girls
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Funding for these projects will be in the form of one-off grants of up to $2 million dollars. Many of these projects are in regions experiencing high levels of disadvantage and job losses.
The Jobs Fund initiative supports and creates jobs and skills development through projects that build community and social infrastructure. The Jobs Fund is part of the Australian Government’s Jobs and Training Compact and was established to support families and communities most affected by the Global Economic Recession.
Cental Coast based youthconnections.com.au has been named as one of the successful tenders with their Green Central - Business Incubation, Social Enterprise and Education project. More detailed plans will be published on this web site shortly - watch this space!
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The NSW Government is supporting the needs of carers of people with a disability through two unique programs, Minister for Disability Services Paul Lynch said today. Mr Lynch and Member for Gosford Marie Andrews met several respite care organisations at the Central Coast Alternative Care Group. He said the NSW Government understood the wide range of challenges carers faced in supporting people with a disability. “Both Teen Time and the Ageing Parent Carers program are providing funding and support for carers on the Central Coast,” Mr Lynch said.
He said Youth Connections Teen Time Central Coast would receive $175,800 and Coastlink Teen Time Central Coast $216,600 to provide parents of teenagers with an intellectual disability more respite. Earlier this year, Centacare Archdiocese of Broken Bay received $184,000 and Sunnyfield Gosford $160,000 to support older parents who care for adult children and other people with a disability.
Marie Andrews said the Teen Time program allowed parents of teenagers with an intellectual disability more respite, allowing them to pursue jobs and study.“Teen Time acknowledges that carers who remain in employment need flexible work practices, alternative care arrangements and financial help with the cost of caring,” she said. “We all know how dedicated carers are. The NSW Government is supporting their effort with funding and support,” Marie Andrews said. She said meeting with Central Coast carers was a valuable exercise. “It’s an opportunity to see first-hand the challenges and opportunities facing carers in the disability services sector,” Marie Andrews said.
MEDIA CONTACT: Andrew Williams 0408 602 936
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Youth connections has launched a new website for School Based Apprenticeships and Trainneships.
It will simplyfy the process by having a focal point for jobs available as well as information and downloads.
The site will manage all SBAT systems up to the sign up stage.
Check it out at;
www.youthconnections.com.au/ccsbat |
The Central Coast Aboriginal Education Pathways Awards recognises Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students who completed their studies on the Central Coast. The event is held annually and this year there were over 300 students acknowledged. This occasion celebrated the success and achievements of these students in their studies and community members for their contribution to Aboriginal Education.
Mick Dodson, Denise Markham & Jimmy Kyle
Mal Smith, Marg Meehan, Maggie MacFie & Meredith Milne
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During the school holidays, Skool’s Out students went to a camp at Yurt Farm near Goulburn. The camp was attended by ten students and four staff (Sue, Mark, Kirk and Melissa).
Yurt Farm is a “back to basics” camp with no electricity, set on an 1174 acre property. The students had the opportunity to experience many activities which included milking a cow, horse riding, collecting freshly laid eggs, feeding chickens, goats, cows and a bull (which we named Bobby) making a leaf bookmark, making and painting a boomerang.
Each day started off with a huge country breakfast followed by activities around the farmhouse. After lunch we went back to the village, where the students had time to relax and then later collect sticks and wood to make a fire to heat the water for a shower and later a camp fire. Dinner was back at the farmhouse at 6.30pm followed by songs and games. Judit, the cook, always provided us with a wide variety of food and plenty of it. I don’t know how she managed in such a small kitchen.
This camp was a wonderful experience for the students to get back to nature, away from computers, television and mobile phones. No one ever said that they were bored! Students who had not met each other before made new friendships and others who already knew each other, got to know each other even better.
This was also a great opportunity for Mark, Kirk, Melissa and myself to get to know the students better in a casual, relaxed environment.
The feedback from both students and parents has been positive, wanting to know when we are going again!
  
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What a day! Started off with torrential rain but that didn't deter the enthusiasm by the large numbers of students attending. Thank you to the wonderful tradespeople who gave up their valuable time to demonstrate their various trades, their professionalism and generosity is greatly appreciated.
Nikki Mann from A Dozen Roses had this to say about the day:
"I was very proud and honoured to be asked to attend "Try a Trade Day" at Youth Connections, YC Industry Link at Reliance Drive Tuggerah on Thursday 2nd April, 2009. What a wonderful opportunity and excellent initiative for school leavers to literally "Try a Trade" for a day. So Brooke represented A Dozen Roses in the floristry category to give all school leavers a go at being a "florist". A Dozen Roses donated over 200 roses for the event and each student was given the task of gift wrapping single roses and learning different ribboning techniques. Each student was allowed to take their finished product home. Well done to Youth Connections - as the kids say "YOU ROCK"!
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New Youth Connections Radio/Coast FM 96.3 produced by the year 11 and 12 students from St Peters Catholic College, Tuggerah. It is a program not to be missed. Their teacher, Ian Judge is extremely excited and proud of his student's efforts. If you miss the first program the podcast will be available via the Youth Connections web site. An ideal gift is the "Making of YC Radio" DVD available from April 2009.
For further information contact Margaret Meehan at Youth Connections Radio:
4334 3092 or margaret@youthconnections.com.au |
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Local Community Partnership
