Sydney MCS’s 4th Annual Multicultural Youth Employment Program, April 12-15, was attended by eight young people from Bangladeshi, Indian, Assyrian and Indonesian background.
The participants and their parents were clients of the Settlement Program at Sydney MCS.
Topics covered and activities included:
- Employability skills (communication skills, teamwork, problem solving skills, initiative and enterprise, planning and organising, and self-management)
- Creating a tax file number, the importance of a good resume, cover letter and referees, where to look for a job, what employees are looking for in a young person
- Minimum wage for part-time, casual and permanent jobs, and discussion on contract jobs
- Strengths, weaknesses, overcoming fear and nervousness before and during interview
- A presentation by young participants to the group, and interaction with Rosa Loria, CEO of Sydney MCS, and the Hon. Matt Thistlethwaite, Federal MP for Kingsford Smith NSW
Other speakers included:
- Fiona Duane, Solicitor and Clinical Supervisor, Kingsford Legal Centre
- Rita Matti, a psychology student at university and an ex-participant of Sydney MCS Leadership and Youth Employment Program
- Yiyun Jacobson, an art teacher and Sydney MCS SETS casework client
Participants said the program was easy to understand and they learned many things. One said it would help them in their future career. Another said it was a good and useful program and they learned a lot.
One of the program facilitators, SETS case worker/youth worker Rigzin Yuthok, said it had injected interest in young participants and, as a result, one found employment soon after.