Breaking barriers to employment in Meadowbrook

A young man has discovered his purpose, thanks to the inaugural Careers Expo hosted by headspace Meadowbrook on 3 April.

The mental health non-profit collaborated with more than 20 local employers, training organisations and skills development providers to help students build confidence and explore career paths in a welcoming and informal environment.

Attendees were able to have meaningful conversations with representatives from major organisations like McDonald’s, Bunnings Warehouse, TAFE Queensland and more.

One participant found his vocational calling after learning about Substation33, a social enterprise which repurposes used lithium-ion batteries to provide isolated communities with power as part of its PowerWells initiative.

Since meeting the team at the expo, he is already preparing for work experience through their program.

Luke Walsh, Operations Manager at headspace Meadowbrook, says the idea of a careers expo stemmed from the organisation’s commitment to supporting the holistic wellbeing of young people in South East Queensland.

‘Our team identified the critical need to empower young individuals with opportunities for work and study, with an understanding of the profound impact that vocational goals have on mental health,’ he says.

‘Careers expos can often be quite overwhelming for young people, so we briefed our stallholders on the mental health challenges our attendees may be facing to ensure they could provide a positive experience.

‘And by hosting the expo at our centre, we were able to create a familiar, safe and supportive environment.’

Those with anxiety and other mental health challenges can feel uncomfortable at events perceived as unfamiliar, loud or with large crowds.

According to Luke, common mental health concerns among young people in Logan include feelings of sadness or depression, relationship difficulties and stress related to school, employment and finances.

headspace’s free Work and Study Program aims to reduce this stress for participants aged between 15 and 25 years by supporting their work and study goals.

‘The biggest challenges young people in Logan face when seeking employment often revolve around accessing suitable opportunities, navigating the job market and lack of confidence in skills and abilities,’ Luke says.

‘Other factors such as limited work experience, educational barriers and mental health concerns can also pose significant obstacles.’

Feedback from the first-ever Careers Expo has been incredibly positive, from both attendees and stallholders.

‘Parents and young people were very grateful and appreciative,’ Luke says.

‘Our Work and Study team have said they were heartened to see even their shyest young people able to find their confidence to speak with employers.’

In June, headspace Meadowbrook will be participating in Australia’s biggest mental health and fitness event, The Push-Up Challenge.

Across 24 days in June, participants will take on 3,249 push-ups to spotlight the number of Australian lives lots to suicide in 2022.

‘By raising funds for headspace Meadowbrook, you will be helping to support more young people in our community to live mentally healthy and fulfilling lives,’ Luke says.

Sign up to support The Push-Up Challenge on the headspace website.