WENTY LEAGUES IN THE

Giving young people the keys to independence

Youth Off The Streets

Youth unemployment is of significant concern in NSW. In 2021, Western Sydney was home to 39% of NSW’s unemployed young people, according to Youth Action’s Bearing the Brunt report. Due to this, Youth of the Streets works to empower at-risk young people to seek work, continue their education, and build life-skills at its independent high schools.

With the support of Wenty Leagues, The Next Steps Transition program and the Mentoring program are essential services that Youth Off The Streets are able to deliver. These programs allow young people to shift smoothly to work and further training, and with Youth Off The Streets’ status as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), it means they can provide a mix of accredited and non-accredited workshops, in disciplines ranging from construction to hospitality.

“It gives young people practice for the skills they’d need to succeed in employment,” says Mikaela, former RTO Manager. “I have a lot of ‘proud mum’ moments when our students score an interview or get a new job.”

Last year, 15 young people embarked on the Next Steps program, with the outcomes highlighting their commitment to improving their lives and breaking away from the cycle of disadvantage. Meanwhile, the Mentoring program matches disadvantaged young people with adult role models, as a 2014 report, entitled the Mentoring Effect, found those with the guidance of a mentor are more likely to set higher educational goals and demonstrate better community engagement.

While employment skills are vital to personal development, they aren’t the only key skills needed in the path towards personal freedom. For many, attaining a driver’s license is another key step in their journey. This is where the iDrive program comes into play, as the program helps young people accumulate driving hours with a volunteer mentor. So far, 16 young people have participated since the program began in September 2022.

Wenty Leagues’ contribution also enables Youth Off The Streets to offer young people the Safe Driver Course, as well as financial assistance for driving lessons and licence tests. Chris, an iDrive mentor of four years, has seen first-hand the program’s benefits.

One young person couldn’t take on a shop-manager role because she couldn’t drive,” he says. “Once she got her licence, she could put her hand up to manage multiple outlets. Her success really put a smile on her face.”

For Chris, the experience is more than just a chance to accumulate driving hours.

“It’s an outlet for the young person to get things off their chest. If they want to open up about issues they’re facing, I’m there for them – to listen without judgement.”

Wenty Leagues’ support comes courtesy of ClubsNSW, who have partnered with Youth Off The Streets for over 20 years.