Albert and Logan News: 12 December 2019
LOGAN community organisation YFS will receive $150,000 from the state government to help more people create their future job.
It is the first organisation to get money from the $1 million Creating Your Future Job pilot project, designed to provide training and mentoring to about 50 in Logan.
Participants will have the chance to get a nationally recognised qualification.
YFS, formerly known as Youth Family Services, started 35 years ago helping Logan youth.
In that time, it has expanded to cover family assistance, legal aid, and other services for people experiencing poverty or overcoming challenges.
YFS chief executive Cath Bartolo said the grant would allow the service to expand.
“We are excited about this initiative that will build on a program we have recently been doing that has been assisting public housing tenants over the past 18 months into work through volunteering or self-employment,” Ms Bartolo said.
“What we have found is with people experiencing adversity, self-employment is a fantastic option.”
Employment Minister Shannon Fentiman said the Logan service was a great fit for the funding and said a range of applications for the Creating your Future Job initiative were being considered for delivery of projects in other locations.
Photo caption: YFS CEO Cath Bartolo with Employment Minister Shannon Fentiman, Felicity Spark, Deb Jones, and Suraya Abdi Juma with Romeo Depy, 4. Suraya hopes to start her own clothing business and Felicity is completing a certificate III in security.