Innovative alternative program leads to employment for local youth

Finding that elusive first job can be a tough ask for many young people, which is apparent with the recent release of statistics showing that youth unemployment rate in Southern Tasmania is on the rise again.

To combat this trend, the Youth Entrepreneurial Services (YES) initiative, working in partnership with Vicinity Centres, is showcasing young Tasmanians’ creative skills and employment potential through experiential learning in the world of entrepreneurship.

The recent launch of a YES pop up shop at Northgate provided a great outlet to sell hand crafted products, designed and made by the initiative’s participants – young people aged between 15-24 at risk of long term unemployment.

The pop up shop creates an opportunity for participants interested in a building a career in retail and sales, to hone their skills in and showcase it to potential employers.

18 year old Isobelle Banfield of Bridgewater joined the initiative after finishing school, and was determined to find her first job in retail. With her friendly and welcoming personality she discovered her natural talent for engaging with customers at the YES pop-up shop. This did not go unnoticed, and soon she was scouted by not one but two local businesses in Northgate.

After consulting with Ben Kurec, YES’s on site Employment Coach, Isobelle was able to tailor her resume and  practice her interview techniques, and as a result she was successful in both interviews and is now working two jobs, kicking off her career in retail and giving her an opportunity for a bright future.

With the pop up shop now located at Eastlands, YES hopes to replicate this success for other participants, demonstrating to employers what our young people are capable of when given the opportunity.

Youth Entrepreneurial Services is an initiative of Workskills’ community arm, Impact Communities. The initiative offers young people between 15-24 years of age who are at risk of long term unemployment an opportunity to gain a variety of work experience, learn more about themselves in a supportive and exciting environment, and ultimately progress into work, self-employment, or further education.

Entry to the program is via expression of interest or referral, and is subject to entry requirements.

For more information see https://www.impactcommunities.org.au/expressions-of-interest/