Further education

The teen in your care deserves to find work that makes them happy and that supports a decent standard of living. To get there, they’ll need your help to think clearly about their strengths and interests and about the sort of career that suits them best. And they’ll have to get the necessary experience or education to make it all happen.

Exploring career pathways

Growing up and finding work is tough for everyone, but may be tougher still for kids in care, especially those that have grown up in families where employment was unstable. You can help your teen to identify their strengths and to see the benefits of working hard for the future they want.

Make a list

Thinking about career options is a great opportunity to reflect on strengths and interests. What does the young person love doing? What do they find easy? What sort of lifestyle do they enjoy? What makes them happy? Write a list, then work with your teenager to find out more about the sort of jobs that match up with their ideas. Also talk about what you see as your teen’s strengths and the sorts of jobs you think they would enjoy; you might have some suggestions your teen has never considered. Once you have identified the jobs that interest your teen, do the research to find out what sort of education, training or experience they will need.

Talk about job-seeking support

There are services your teen can access to get some help in preparing for work and finding a job. Government agencies that provide free services for job-seekers include Centrelink, JobAccess for young people with disabilities and JobActive.

Champion creative pathways

If the job your teen craves is out of their reach for now, help them think of creative ways to get there. They could offer to do some unpaid work experience (take care to see they are not exploited by an employer), do some volunteering in a related field, or start working in a more junior job so they can get to know an industry or an employer. Encourage them not to be disappointed by setbacks or delays. If they stay patient, passionate and committed, they will give themselves the best chance of reaching their goal.

Talk about personal skills

Employers look for skills and experience, but they also look for people who are good communicators and show a willingness to learn. Help your teen understand the difference between how they talk with friends and how they should speak to employers, colleagues or customers. Reassure them that no-one knows all they need to know on the first day, and that their employer will expect them to ask questions and show an interest in finding out more.

Ladder Step Up program

The Ladder Step Up program supports young people between 17 - 20 years old who are exiting out-of-home care. The program begins with 8 weeks of group training, followed by 26 weeks of education, employment or training in an area of interest. After the initial 34 weeks, young people have an opportunity to be matched with a mentor. Ladder mentors are sourced from a select group of AFL players and corporate and community leaders. Mentors become a trusted support and advocate for the young person and motivate them to achieve their goals.

Support for further education

Children in care may not have had much exposure to the idea of going on to further education after school. You can introduce your child to those possibilities by talking to them about university and TAFE courses that may be of interest to them.

Some universities give young people in care an introduction to university life through camps and ‘taster’ days. You and your child may like to get involved in one of the programs described below.

Newcastle University

Newcastle University (phone (02) 4985 4200) holds on-campus residential experiences for Year 9 students to help them get a feel for university. They also support careleavers at university with the 'Live, Learn, Grow' program, with benefits including subsidised on-campus accommodation and guaranteed on-campus employment.

Western Sydney University Widening Participation Plan  

Western Sydney University (phone (02) 9678 7257) runs 'University Taster Days' and an afterschool workshop program called 'Boost Club' for school kids in care and care leavers. They follow through with 'U1st', a program that supports careleavers once they start at university.

Your caseworker can help you connect with universities or TAFEs, and can also help you find out about scholarships that could help cover the cost of fees.

Support for apprenticeships

Young people may choose to leave school at the end of Year 10 or when they turn 17 and enroll in an apprenticeship. Subsidised training up to Certificate III level is available for most young people in NSW under the Smart and Skilled initiative. Subsidised training to Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma level is also possible, but depends on funding availability.

There are also a number of fee-free scholarships available to young people who have left or who are currently in out-of-home care. These will be available through to 2019.

The Smart and Skilled program will be reviewed in 2020.