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Edition 13 - June 2016

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Support through good times and bad

Tamworth Opportunity Hub students keep going from strength to strength and we love watching them and supporting them along their journeys.  Each student is different from their aspirations, to their personalities, strengths and anxieties, and supporting them through every bump in the road as they strive toward their goals is in many ways its own reward.  This month, the Opportunity Hub has more success stories to share with you, but we also have a reminder that we will stick with students and support them through the hard times too.  Bullying sometimes rears its ugly head in our local workplaces, and it is not okay, but with the right support we can work through it together.  Read on to find out more.
 

In this edition:


  • Kim steps up to Aboriginal Affairs
  • Army success stories
  • Next step for student volunteers
  • Girls Academy Announcement
  • Managing workplace bullying
  • Careers Expo success

Kim steps up to Aboriginal Affairs role


Kim Taggart has been successfully placed in a temporary position with Aboriginal Affairs NSW for three months to back fill for their Project Officer while he is seconded to a role in Sydney.  The role is an excellent opportunity for the young graduate who has a passion for community work.  At Aboriginal Affairs she will work in an administrative role, alongside two experienced project officers who manage strategic economic development and governance projects involving Aboriginal communities across the New England North West.  It will be a great opportunity for Kim to experience the work environment within a busy government department and gain a sense of the day-to-day tasks involved in managing large-scale community development projects.
 
Kim is a year 12 graduate from McCarthy who has been working with the Opportunity Hub since 2015. After completing a range of goal setting and aspirations work with Opportunity Hub worker Alicia Clinch, Kim was initially supported to gain work with West Leagues Club.  Kim enjoyed her work with Wests but had also shown a strong interest in community work.  While Alicia was mentoring and working alongside Kim in her role at Wests, the Aboriginal Affairs role came along, that suited Kim to a tee and represented a great opportunity.
 
Kim has had a great experience as a result of the placement.  "Testing myself and learning new things has been an experience. I can’t wait to see what comes after these 3 months!! I would also like to thank the Opportunity Hub for helping get this job and Alicia for the ongoing support and guidance that she has given me," Kim said.

Kim (second from left) pictured with Northern Region Senior Regional Coordinator Tracy Singleton, General Manager of Aboriginal Affairs Jason Ardler, Northern Regional Aboriginal Alliance Chair Jean Hands and A/Research Officer Ryan Taylor.
Army success stories

Tamworth Local Aboriginal Land Council CEO, Fiona Snape, travelled to Sydney on 17 April to showcase the Opportunity Hub's work with the 12th/16th Hunter River Lancers and Defence recruitment programs to a team of Army representatives from across NSW.

Her presentation covered the work done in partnership with Defence since 2014 and the many success stories that have come from it, ranging from joint presentations to student groups to Jacob Stanton, Patrick Lyons-Cain and Jesse Aiken's successful recruitment to Defence careers as a result of the opportunities that they have taken.

The Opportunity Hub believes that they have established a solid and trusting foundation that will benefit other students with an interest in this area and are confident that their relationship with Defence will build in other exciting ways over the coming years.

Part of the Opportunity Hub's presentation included playing interviews with the students and their families who have been positively affected by the joint work.  

Jacob Stanton telling his story on one of the video clips recorded for presentation to the Army on 17 April

Next steps for student volunteers


SPOTLIGHT ON KENNY TRINDALL

Kenny Trindall participated as one of five student volunteers assisting to run the July School Holiday program alongside Nestle volunteers.  He really enjoyed the experience and Nestle staff were excited about having him on board the team: "[Kenny] shined when contributing to the Dance sessions.  It would be wonderful to gain insight into the leadership development Kenny would like to explore."

Kenny has identified an interest in working in early childhood services, so the experience will help build his resume and give him a great grounding in foundational skills.  We wish Kenny luck with his chosen career path and look forward to working alongside him to ensure he makes his dreams come true.

Girls Academy Announcement for Tamworth

The joint work that the Tamworth Opportunity Hub, Tamworth LALC and Aboriginal school leaders in Tamworth have been doing with Role Models and Leaders Australia to bring the Girls Academy program to Tamworth has paid off with the announcement of a $24 million package of national funding. 
 
Deputy Prime Minister and Member for New England Barnaby Joyce was joined by Minister for Indigenous Affairs Nigel Scullion at Tamworth’s Oxley High School to announce the Coalition’s election commitment to invest in projects aimed at advancing Aboriginal education along with a Role Models and Leaders Australia girls academy to be established in Tamworth.
 
Organisations to be supported through the total funding package include The Clontarf Foundation, Role Models and Leaders Australia, Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience, Australian Indigenous Education Foundation, Cathy Freeman Foundation, AFL Cape York House and the Wirrapanda Foundation.

As a component of the funding, there is sufficient funding for all Tamworth schools to take up the opportunity with Girls Academy, and Tamworth’s Clontarf program will also benefit from the funding boost.

 
Role Models and Leaders Australia's Terry Boland (left) and Simon Chesson (right) with Tamworth LALC CEO Fiona Snape, Oxley High School AEO Janine Way and other student and staff representatives from Oxley High School

Managing workplace bullying


The Opportunity Hub is passionate about educating students on the impact of bullying within schools and how to handle it when it occurs.  Our message to students is - "Speak up! Report bullying when it occurs and look after your friends". But what about when bullying occurs in the workplace?

This year the Opportunity Hub has stepped in to mentor and support an Opportunity Hub student who has been the subject of bullying at work.  

Managing yourself and your performance at work when bullying is present is a difficult and emotional experience for anyone, but especially when you are new to the workforce.  As a workplace mentor, the Opportunity Hub has acted as a support and mentor to the staff member on how to manage and negotiate the situation and their own feelings about it.  And additionally, we have also been able to help them to report the bullying to the appropriate supervisor and ensure a management plan is put in place so that they have an appropriate level of support within the workplace, as well as from the Opportunity Hub.

Bullying is not okay. If you, or someone you know, are experiencing bullying at work, there are steps you can take to resolve it.  Seek out your employer's Bullying and Complaints Policy, know your rights, seek support and report.  The Opportunity Hub is able to provide support for students or new graduates, and point others in the right direction to seek help and support appropriate to their workplace.

Careers Expo

On the 18 May Alicia, Deb and Patrick attended the Joblink Plus Careers and Business Expo.  The Opportunity Hub stall was among 100 exhibitors that filled the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Convention Centre with great opportunities for students, with over 1500 young people coming through the expo this year.

The Opportunity Hub workers met and interacted with many of the local students in years 10 to 12 from several high schools in the area. Fourteen new students were signed up to the Hub on the day and many more exposed to the opportunities that linking with the Hub can provide.

The day was also a great networking opportunity for the Tamworth Opportunity Hub staff to meet with other organisations providing training and opportunities for young people in the area.

The Tamworth Opportunity Hub coordinates and matches training and career opportunities with Aboriginal students, providing incentives to finish school and transition into sustainable jobs. 

Tamworth Opportunity Hub can be contacted at:
Address: 123 Marius Street, TAMWORTH NSW 2340
Phone: (02) 6766 9028; Fax: (02) 6766 9036
Email: admin@opphubtamworth.com.au
Facebook: Opportunity Hub Tamworth or via the link below
 

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