By Matthew Sims
Braybrook-based South Sudanese community body SUDD Foundation has launched a new education, training and jobs placement program for South Sudanese individuals throughout Melbourne’s western suburbs.
Funded via the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, the Job Support program would focus on guiding young South Sudanese people to successful job opportunities.
Foundation board co-chair Bol Marchar said a lack of job opportunities was one of the major contributors to youth disengagement, which in turn lead to crime and anti-social behaviour.
“Lack of job preparedness has been a key factor in this,” he said.
“Until now, organisations like ours have only been able to assist in addressing some of the peripheral issues, with limited counselling, resume writing and community activities.
“Through the Job Support program, we are building our capacity to engage directly with prospective employers, education and training institutions and other government and non-government agencies to deliver a range of services that can give our job seekers a better chance of success.”
The foundation team has already hit the ground running, establishing a database of available jobs and preparing to offer a wide range of services, including career counselling, job preparation workshops, one-on-one interview preparation sessions and IT training.
The first round of state government funding towards the program would support the recruitment of suitably qualified facilitators, trainers, assessors and client service personnel, as well as the installation of relevant technology, such as online training equipment.
Board co-chair Guy Gilbert said the group would be striving to provide local job opportunities as much as possible.
“We are currently reaching out to local businesses to support us, not only in using our services for recruitment but also to provide on-the-job training, mentorship and even bursaries and other funding to retrain adults returning to the workforce,” he said.
“For a lot of newly arrived migrants … the employment pathway can be a daunting and bumpy one.”
