Coalition Government’s Hope Centre investment to help young people into work

Minister for Social Services, the Hon. Scott Morrison today officially opened a new job training suite specifically designed for disadvantaged youth in the Illawarra, reinforcing the Coalition Government’s commitment to helping young people find and stay in a job.

“The Coalition Government is investing $40,000 to establish a training suite and $70,000 to operate a pilot employment training programme for young people, known as ‘True Steel’, at the Hope Centre in the Illawarra,” Minister Morrison said.

“The Hope Centre has been providing assistance to the Illawarra community for eight years and these new programmes will enable them to help even more young people who are unemployed and not studying to find a job.

“The brand new training suite will create the capacity for the Hope Centre to deliver an eight-week training course in hospitality, retail, cleaning, warehousing, and customer service.

“The programme also requires students to complete work experience before employment opportunities are explored. Most importantly they continue to be supported for 12 months after securing a job.

“The training suite and pilot programme will make a concrete difference to the lives of young people in the Illawarra and complements the work which the Hope Centre has been doing for years in support of vulnerable people.

“Programmes like these are essential to assist young people break out of the welfare trap and realise their opportunities in the community.

“The Coalition government’s recently announced ‘Jobactive’ programme will work in conjunction with the Hope Centre’s initiatives. The new model promotes a work-first approach by encouraging young job seekers to take up a job and employers to take on new employees.

“Further measures to get young people into work will be contained in this years’ budget as part of our jobs and small business package.

“Together with our families package these measures will not only be good for those Australians directly receiving support but they will be good for our country as well,” Minister Morrison said.