Helping Teens to 'Level Up' Their Skills

By Elise Tapiolas

As a young person I really struggled to understand where I fit into the world and I didn't have enough experience or maturity to know myself or understand my strengths. I found it so incredibly difficult to know how I was meant to manoeuvre myself around this world, especially my education, my social networks and even navigating my closest relationships with my family.

For the past 20 years my career has been focused on providing a nurturing and supportive space for other young people who might find themselves in the same situation. I have been privileged enough to work for an organisation that shares the same passion. At The Real Group we have understood the need for further opportunities for our youth that may not 'fit into the box' of mainstream education. Through this, an exceptional 13 week alternative learning program has been developed to provide this support for 15-19 year olds in our community.

Pic supplied by the Real Group

Pic supplied by the Real Group

I pride myself and my team on being able to assist our youth to develop lifelong learning skills which have been specifically tailored to develop their confidence, while supporting their various engagement and motivation levels and individual needs. We endeavour to provide further pathways for our youth and prepare them to enter the workforce, engage in further training opportunities or return to the educational setting to secure opportunities for their future.

Our young people are able to complete a Certificate I in Skills for Vocational Pathways (FSK10219) with a strong focus on ensuring that we are involved in various activities to develop our connection with the community. We also extend on this through the support of various members of Central Queensland to support our young people to learn about self-care, mental and physical health, nutrition and well-being. This has been developed in a way which facilitates team bonding and practical hands-on learning.

I am exceptionally proud and passionate about this program and being able to be see my young people succeed has been second to none. I honestly wish a program like this existed when I was in high school, and I keep that in mind every day when I am planning the program and engaging with my youth.

If anyone is interested in further information on this program, please don't hesitate to contact us at The Real Group on 4939 1445 or refer to our website below. https://www.realgroupaustralia.com.au/level-up-program/