At this week's meeting, our newest member Evan Mita (ok, not so new: Evan re-joined our club after a few years' interruption due to business commitments) brought his manager Aaron Jackson along to tell us all about his workplace, Mission Australia. The organisation, with over 2000 staff across the nation, was established over 160 years ago in 1859. Represented in all states. Mission Australia provides a wide range of services for disadvantaged people, ranging from domestic violence, homelessness, aged care, alcohol & drug addiction, to employment services. It is the latter segment where Evan and Aaron work, specialising in finding employment for young people aged 15 - 24 old "who are disengaged".Their clients are referred to them principally via Centrelink, but also from other government agencies. Their program, which has a maximum duration of 18 months for individuals, goes way beyond simply finding of a job for the moment. In addition to vocational skills, it involves the learning of life skills, with the aim to remain employed for the long term and to function well in the community. As Evan called it, the "introduction to soft skills".
Evan is also coordinating with our Wheelchair Trust, in view of some of his clients volunteering at our project shed.