Parent Pathways is a voluntary service that provides personalised assistance and financial support to eligible parents and carers of children up to the age of 6 years.

Parent Pathways is about parents and carers and their individual needs. With the help of a qualified mentor, you can receive flexible support to assist with any personal, study or work goals.

Our Parent Pathways workers are specialists in supporting you with:

• developing your skills, such as literacy, social skills, job-specific knowledge and job search know-how
• enhancing your confidence and motivation – helping you feel positive about your work prospects
• addressing challenges – sorting out issues that make it hard to start working.

While you’re working with us, you could find a job or start education or training. Or you might improve your readiness to do these things in the future.

We may be able to assist with:

• Licence renewal
• Blue Card, first aid, and police checks
• Transport costs
• Course fees
• Navigating child care
• Sorting out Centrelink issues
• And more….

We can do appointments over the phone or in-person – whatever suits you.

Who is eligible?

The service welcomes parents on a voluntary basis.
Parent Pathways is for parents and carers who:

• have a child aged under 6
• are not in paid employment
• live in an area where there is a Parent Pathways provider
• receive Parenting Payment, Carer Payment or Special Benefit.

Eligibility includes those who are not getting a Centrelink payment, and are either:

• under 22 years old
• an early school leaver (parents who don’t have a year 12 qualification)
• a First Nations parent or carer.

Our social enterprise Substation33 offers voluntary work placements that have the added bonus of giving back to the environment.

Substation33 provides a supportive work environment where volunteers can learn skills, improve their work readiness and get help to look for work.

Activities you can undertake at Substation33 include:

• e-waste recycling
• recycled containers recycling
• 3D printing/CAD
• IT services
• software development
• hardware development
• design/prototyping
• audio visual
• jewellery making.

Who is eligible?

Anyone. A wide range of people participate at Substation33 including older people, Work for the Dole participants, university students, jobseekers, students with a disability, and people who want help to move into work.

The Substation33 See IT Be IT program offers paid, full time workplace skills traineeships.

Participants learn practical job skills while they complete a 6-month traineeship and earn a Certificate I qualification in Workplace Skills. They gain valuable work experience and receive career advice and job preparation skills.

Who is eligible?

This Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative is for people who are long-term unemployed people or who face significant barriers to learning and unemployment.

People linked with YFS’ housing, financial and Young Parents services have access to mentoring to help them move into education or employment.

Our Spark Mentor has a great track record helping people get work fast so they can improve their financial and emotional wellbeing.