10 minute read
Youth Leaders - Cassandra Wilson
by Focus
LEADERS
with CASSANDRA WILSON
FROM BECOMING U PROJECT
J O N A H B L A C K B U R N
Hi Jonah, so great to meet you, tell me a little bit about yourself…
I am an 18-year-old Gumbaynggirr young man, living, studying, and working in our local Coffs Harbour community. I live with my family and have 2 younger sisters, one in year 8 and one in year 6. I was born here and attended primary school at both Woolgoolga Primary School & Narranga Public School, before moving to Bishop Druitt College for my high school years.
What do you love about school?
I have such a great group of friends and support network at school. The teachers encourage us to try new things and be courageous. This is one of the reasons why in year 10 I took on the challenge of learning the drums. I love the drums not just because they are loud, but they help to express myself, and gave me the goal to learn a skill, showing others (and myself) that it is never too late to try something new.
You were successful in the Elsa Dixon Aboriginal School Based Traineeship, tell us about this incredible program.
I was interested in a career in the health industry and with the help of my career advisor, I applied for the traineeship with Mid Coast Local Health District and was successful. I was so overwhelmed with happiness, relief and
I love the drums joy and my family was not just because so proud of me when they are loud, but I was chosen. Over they help to express year 11 and year 12, I myself, and gave me work one day at Coffs the goal to learn a Harbour Hospital, skill, showing others one day studying at (and myself) that it is TAFE for a Certificate never too late to try III in Allied Health something new. Services and three days at school. I would 100% recommend this traineeship to my year 10 peers who are interested in pursuing a career in the health care industry.
Why was being part of this program so important to you?
I see this as such an opportunity and stepping stone towards reaching my goal of working and studying in the field of physiotherapy. I love that it gives me hands-on experience and opens my eyes to new ways of thinking and different ideas. It also gives me a chance to move between different wards, meet new people, develop mentors, and represent BDC in the workplace.
You’re in year 12 now, where might we see you after you finish school?
I’m thinking I would love to continue to work in health after I finish year 12, go to Uni to study physiotherapy and take some time off to meet more people and have more experiences.
I have noticed that mentors are a common theme when talking to other youth leaders, has there been someone that has helped you?
Yes, I have an uncle who is such a positive influence and strong role model in my life. He has helped me with making good life decisions, learning how to fish, become more confident with backing myself and inspired me to try martial arts.
Lastly what advice do you have for other young people?
Give anything a go, as you might surprise yourself and really like it and making mistakes makes you human, always learn from it and try again.
Thanks Jonah.
& S T R I K E
KEY EMPLOYMENT
What NDIS programs does Key Employment run for youth?
Key Employment has been focused on helping youth with disability at our Coffs Harbour office on West High Street, and the vision to create a welcoming space for young people is taking shape with our purposebuilt community garden alongside the amply spaced youth hub and sporting facilities.
NDIS Coordinator Gemma explains, we have the best spot in town for youth and currently run two NDIS programs, KIKSTART and STRIKE, which have been specifically designed for people aged 15 to 21. More recently we have been working with Uniting to deliver the 120 Countdown, a free Driver Licensing Access Program assisting disadvantaged people to obtain their drivers’ license and improve access to education, employment, health, and other services.
Tell us about KIKSTART and STRIKE?
KIKSTART is a work readiness program for school leavers in their last 6 months of school who have a NDIS package, specialising in building employability skills while engaging in a fun, social environment. The KIKSTART program includes social excursions, community engagement, transport training, personal development, and work experience. Over the past 4 years the KIKSTART program has been incredibly successful in transitioning young people on the NDIS into permanent employment positions.
STRIKE is a NDIS program for young people and was established to work in collaboration with KIKSTART. It is for younger students who are still attending high school in years 10-12. STRIKE focuses on life skills and preparing for the workforce, including work experience and practical activities, and is run in conjunction with their school program.
And how does the Uniting program work?
Uniting help people obtain their L-plates and connect learner drivers with our trained NDIS mentors to complete the 120 hours of driving practice needed before they can go for their P-plates.
Licences have been a barrier to gaining employment and independence and we are now able to help overcome this. We currently have 12 participants engaging in weekly driving lessons and 2 who have successfully passed the driving test.
Why register for one of these programs?
Our programs are all tailored to the individual and include one-on-one support as well as fun group activities, and can be delivered both at Key Employment, in the school environment and out in the community. They are flexible, fun and run by a company that has specialised in employment, disability, and youth for the past 30 years.
Who is eligible?
Young people aged 15-21 with an NDIS package that includes funding in social and community, finding and keeping or SLES.
How do we register?
This is the easy part, simply contact our NDIS Coordinators Charlotte or Gemma on (02) 6691 9999 and have a friendly no obligation chat about how Key Employment can support you. You can also drop by our facility at 61 West High Street, Coffs Harbour any time between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, or send us an enquiry to NDIS@ keyemployment.com.au and one of our team will get back to you.
Stage 1 of the Health Services Precinct has seen Health student numbers increase by 50 per cent
The expansion of a Health Services Precinct at Southern Cross University’s Coffs Harbour campus is proving a drawcard for students and a boon for the growing region.
Stage 1 of the Health Services Precinct opened in November 2019, and has seen numbers of students increase by 50 per cent in the Faculty of Health at Southern Cross. The Stage 2 expansion has taken a step closer to being realised with a recent federal funding commitment of $27.5million.
Pro Vice Chancellor Research Infrastructure Professor Les Christidis said the Health Services Precinct project is the culmination of many years of research and planning. “We know Coffs is a regional centre that’s growing by an estimated 25 per cent in the next 15 years. We want to provide more opportunities for our young people to not only get a top-notch University degree here but also provide the health workforce of the future that our region will require,” he said. Vice Chancellor Professor Tyrone Carlin said the expansion of the Coffs Harbour Health Precinct would facilitate clinical placements for students and specialist labs to support health degrees. “Importantly, these facilities will create local jobs, deliver essential healthcare services and contribute to the ongoing growth and prosperity of the
WE KNOW region.
COFFS IS A “The University REGIONAL continues to work CENTRE THAT’S closely with our GROWING BY AN ESTIMATED 25 partners across the region to ensure this vision is realised and PER CENT IN THE that we support the NEXT 15 YEARS. development of a thriving future for the mid-north coast,” said Professor Carlin. The funding commitment announcement came from the Minister for Regional Education, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie, and Federal Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan, who visited the University in late April. Continues...
Artist impressions of the Stage 2 Health Services Precinct
The funds would go towards building a community health clinic on the Southern Cross University Hogbin Drive campus, with speech pathology, occupational therapy, psychology, midwifery, social work and osteopathy consultation and treatment rooms as well as physical rehabilitation studios for clinical exercise physiology and other services. There will be dedicated space for mental health services, Indigenous health and student counselling.
Stage 1 of the Health Services Precinct, completed in 2019, includes state-of-theart allied health facilities, strengthening the city’s in-demand graduate workforce in exercise science, occupational therapy, psychology, nursing, midwifery and speech pathology. Commencing students under the age of 20 have doubled in the last five years at Southern Cross University Coffs Harbour thanks to the expanded study options on offer.
“The new degrees have created more options for graduating high school students to stay in the region or relocate from other areas to study on the beautiful mid-north coast. This has flow-on effects for the area as it’s bringing young people to the Coffs
The new degrees have created more options Coast which stimulates the economy and for graduating high adds to the vibrancy and culture of the school students to stay in the region or community,” said Coffs Harbour campus coordinator Nick Simmons. The Stage 2 buildings are expected relocate from other to create more than 150 jobs during areas to study on the construction, with an additional 800 beautiful mid-north students anticipated in the first five years. coast. Local students love studying locally Southern Cross University Speech Pathology student Mia Reynolds, who originally studied the Diploma of Health at the Coffs Harbour campus, said she was thrilled when the University announced it would offer the Bachelor of Speech Pathology in Coffs from 2021. “Being able to study Speech Pathology locally without having to move to the University’s Gold Coast campus has been amazing. I’m thankful I can live locally and
Speech Pathology students Bronte Wall and Mia Reynolds at the Coffs Harbour campus
be surrounded by family and friends and get a quality degree while also keeping my job as a disability support worker,” Mia, 21, said.
“Our Speech Pathology lecturers are professionals who are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate and who give us a lot of individual support in our studies. It’s so amazing to study this in Coffs Harbour, to study in a regional area with these kinds of facilities.”
Speech Pathology Lecturer Melissa Kemp said having high-tech training facilities, connected via high-definition video and audio, gave students the best hands-on realtime training, as well as the ability to review footage and analyse clients’ communication skills for assessment and intervention purposes. “Students first learn to use the equipment with each other in a class setting and then in a professionallysupervised speech pathology Health Clinic,” Ms Kemp said.
“Once the new health precinct is completed we’ll be able to integrate these services into the other general medical and allied health services available to the public. Having this Health Clinic available to the public will be an important component of our students’ clinical work experience, and will offer a much-needed community health service for children and adults,” she said.
Ms Kemp said local students were thrilled
Our Speech
Pathology to hear about the funding commitment.lecturers are “I think it’s a real endorsement of the professionals who are quality of the educational experience here incredibly at Southern Cross, and also the belief knowledgeable and in our ability to provide for the needs of passionate and who give our communities into the future. As a us a lot of individual Coffs local, it’s great to know there is a support in our studies. commitment to that,” she said.
Free Speech Pathology clinic at Southern Cross University for children aged 2-12 years old
Children who have difficulty in communicating, understanding others, with speech or with reading and writing, can attend a free, student-led Speech Pathology paediatric assessment and intervention service at the Coffs Harbour campus from July 2022. Sessions are delivered by student speech pathology clinicians, supervised by a qualified Speech Pathologist. Call (02) 6626 9131 or email clinic@scu. edu.au for more information or bookings.
