Vulnerable young adults leaving the care system at age 18 will be handed the tools for a trade career - thanks to a $10,000 cash boost from Qantas.
The care leavers will be supported by the CASPA Foundation’s Hammers 4 Hope partnership program, which seeks to equip them with the skills and training needed to become fully qualified tradies.
The much-needed cash injection was awarded today through the Qantas Regional Grants program, which offers $2 million in support to Australian communities and projects that benefit regional areas.
It will be used to expand the Hammers 4 Hope initiative in the Northern Territory, paying for equipment and clothing as well as education fees for young men and women looking to explore trade careers.
This includes mandatory WHS clothing items such as hi-vis and sun-safe workwear, steel cap boots, and basic tools.
The organisation was one of 28 lucky recipients to receive the grant out of 1700 applications.
CASPA Foundation Chair Naarah Rodwell said the funding would be put to good use.
"This will significantly enhance the efforts of our education team and ensure young people who have grown up in the care system will not be left behind by their peers,” she said.
“By properly fitting out these young people to receive training and job skilling through our partner organisation Hammers 4 Hope, we put them at an advantage to become fully qualified for a trade career.”
The CASPA Foundation continues the work of leading child and welfare services provider CASPA to help break the cycle of disadvantage that care leavers experience.
Statistics reveal that care leavers are at a higher risk of living in poverty (56 percent are on income support), experiencing homelessness (54 percent within the first four years of leaving care) and interacting with the justice system (17.2 percent within the first two years of leaving care).*
Ms Rodwell said: “We seek to empower young individuals to break free from intergenerational cycles of disadvantage and thrive in our communities.
“The work that we do is about supporting the crucial journey from the care system towards adulthood and independence.”
Teenager Terence Puruntatameri is among the young care leavers to benefit from the Qantas grant.
The 18-year-old grew up in residential care in the Northern Territory and dropped out of school in Year 11. When he expressed an interest in a trade career, the CASPA Foundation was on hand to help him out.
He says without this support, he would almost certainly have fallen through the cracks.
“Coming out of the care system would have been a much harder process for me if it wasn’t for CASPA,” Terence said.
“Most kids who leave residential care just get shipped off and end up with nothing to do, so find themselves in trouble.
“I’m really grateful for everything the foundation has done for me. They have supported me all the way.”
Following a placement in a Try a Trade construction program, Terence is now renting a house and working alongside the Hammers 4 Hope team, maintaining CASPA properties and local businesses in Darwin.
As well as gathering new skills and experience, he hopes to one day pursue a career as a carpenter.
The Qantas Regional Grants program was launched in 2019. Successful recipients can receive a combination of cash, free flights or marketing support, depending on their needs.
QantasLink Chief Pilot and panel chair Captain David Nelson said the quality of applications for the program is getting stronger every year.
“Supporting the regions we serve is something we take great pride in at Qantas,” Mr Nelson said.
“Our turboprops fly more than 3.5 million people around regional Australia every year which is more than double our A380s – so giving back to the communities that continue to support us is a vital part of our role as the national carrier.”
*Statistics from the 2021 Post-Care Report by CREATE
Article released 19 July 2024