WCC Annual Report | Page 14

Settlement Youth Programs WCC’s Settlement Youth Work supports newly-arrived young people to re-develop connections to education, training, family and community. Young people engage with our services to access support with a range of complex issues including: disrupted education; driver skills; migration issues; homelessness; and family relationship breakdown. In addition to complex casework support, a range of different activities are offered for young people including soccer programs, after school activities, bike education and learning support. This year, the Youth Connections program provided 41 young people with intensive support to assist in developing personal skills and attributes that promote wellbeing and support positive life choices. Under the auspices of NMIT TAFE and funded by the Department of Education and Workplace Relations, the Youth Connections program helps young people who have not completed, or are at risk of not completing Year 12 or equivalent qualifications and have barriers to participating in education, training or employment. The Youth Connections program also offered group activities including kick boxing and self-defence classes, and the Parachute Project; a theatre program for young women aimed at increasing self-esteem, confidence and encouraging young women to express themselves creatively. Financial support from CMY's Learning Beyond the Bell program enabled WCC to operate a number of learning support programs (LSP’s) throughout Whittlesea. These are in high demand and there is a great deal of enthusiasm from both participants and volunteers. We currently coordinate LSP's across 4 schools: Lalor North SC, William Ruthven SC, Lalor SC and Thomastown Primary School. In addition, a Wednesday afternoon homework club session operates from WCC offices to support newly arrived migrant and refugee students with specialised tutors. This year, English Conversation classes have also been included in the LSP programs to support young people gain confidence and increase their English language skills. ? 20 volunteers from Latrobe University and the Australian Catholic University and internally through the Whittlesea Volunteer Resource Service participated in the program ? More than 600 hours of tutoring was provided Thomas [not his real name] was referred to youth connections through his language school, as he was starting to show signs of depression, started skipping school and was disengaging from school at a very rapid rate. He was an unaccompanied refugee minor who was fending for himself with very little support who was also suicidal at times. Through continuous support from our Youth Connections worker he has now completed Cert3 in ESL and has secured a full-time job. He has plans to attend university part-time and get his Youth Work qualifications so he can continue supporting other young people who are in similar situations as him. 13