Website: youthupfront.org.au
Instagram: www.instagram.com/youthupfront
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BusinessEduNetwork
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/NorthernBeachesBEN
Email: info@youthupfront.org.au
Telephone: 02 9986 3339
The Northern Beaches Business Education Network Inc., now renamed in 2022 as Youth Up Front, celebrates its 30th year in 2023. Residents may be familiar with the annual Careers Expo, the Work Placement Program for both Employers and Youth or even participate in the annual Golf Day fundraiser, but did you know Youth Up Front have also been running a Canine Assisted Learning Program?
The name change recognises what is at the core of this organisation - putting young peoples needs first.
Youth Up Front is a registered Australian charity that helps young people transition from adolescence to adulthood. Youth Up Front have inspired more than 100,000 students over more than two decades.
Youth Up Front improves the lives of children by providing outreach and vocational programmes, mentoring, case worker and personal development support.
This Issue we share an overview for our Youth and their Parents - and for all who want to invest in this charity so it is sustained into the future, whether by donation, exhibiting at the Careers Expo, or getting involved in the Work Placement Program or any of the activities on offer.
Background
The BEN was created as the link between schools and industry for the purpose of vocational work placement in 1993. Originally known as Northern Beaches TRAC inc., the organisation was a team of 1-2 for many years. It was a different model with local businesses contributing a levy to assist in covering costs. Some of our founding supporting businesses included Hardware and General and Newport Arms Hotel.
In 1997, we became known as the Northern Beaches Business Education Network Inc., which was aligned to the state wide model of either being a "BEN" (Business Education Network) or a "SIP" (School Industry Partnership) or a BEP (Business Education Partnership). Working with the NSW Department of Education, we formed part of the largest education / industry partnership in Australia.
In 2005, this was then expanded into a Commonwealth Government partnership with the implementation of Career Advice Australia and then the Schools, Business and Community Partnership Brokers. In 2009/2010, Links to Learning joined our list of activities as we identified a niche in which we were able to maximise our connections with industry and our passion for vocational learning. When we expanded in footprint, we realised that the "NORTHERN BEACHES" part of the BEN was no longer applicable as we were now supporting young people from as far as Castle Hill and Asquith as well as Ryde and Lane Cove. So we became simply The BEN.
Beyond our 25th year of operation, we continued to be the responsive connection for young people and schools. Our scope diversified as the needs of young people changed.
We still maintain the importance of providing links and experiences to support better career and transition options. What has changed is the nature of the services we offer to do this. With a stronger prevalence of mental health challenges and disconnection to community, our services now rely more strongly on the alliance with local business and the community surrounding our young people to give them what they need to become successful adults.
In 2022, we made the change to align our name with the core of what we do for young people. Youth Up Front embodies the spirit in which we undertake our work each and every day – putting the young people's needs FIRST for young people with both government funded and fundraising initiatives providing support for the stepping stones into adulthood.
Vision
To assist young people to create a better future.
Mission
To support young people to explore, experience and achieve their own success when preparing for exiting school. For some this is earlier than others but the space between adolescence and adulthood is more complicated than ever for a young person to navigate. At the YUF we aim to support young people with the tools to navigate the road ahead and be their best self in doing so!
Values
- Collaboration – we recognise that our community partners are leaders in their field. We strive to work together as the community connector for young people.
- Client focussed – always putting young people first.
- Quality – we strive for quality, excellence and best practise in all we deliver.
- Empathy – we listen, understand and respond with young peoples need first.
- Respect – we show respect to young people, our community partners and our fellow team on all levels.
- Integrity – we deliver all our services and engage with the community with the highest level of integrity.
- Responsibility – we ensure a clear and actively managed level of care in partnership with all young people’s stakeholders.
- Teamwork – we recognise the strength and value of all our team and the success we achieve together.
Programmes
Our organisation has a core focus of addressing the barriers which hinder the development and successful transition of young people from adolescence through into adulthood. These programs ensure a fair and equitable chance for our young people to grow and develop into happy, healthy and productive members of the community and in turn become role models for our future generations.
Our programmes are aimed not only at young people themselves but also to the members of society that impact the health and wellbeing of young people including parents, grandparents, local businesses, councils, government, schools and other services aiming at supporting the barriers holding our young people back.
Click Here to Refer a Young Person for Support.
Student Engagement Programme
Our programmes target students from Year 7 to Year 12 who have been identified as individuals who are at risk of disengaging from their learning or have already disengaged and need additional support to develop and cope with life and high school demands.
Our programmes help to improve students’ well-being and sense of purpose through a personalised approach that fosters inclusion, resilience and positive relationships.
More broadly, our programmes:
- Empower students to realise their potential
- Create opportunities to grow, learn and positively influence their peers
Targeted audience
Our programmes are for all students, although the students who benefit the most are those who present with one or more of the following barriers to learning:
- Lack of interest in curriculum
- Intention to leave school early
- Off task
- Non-completion of school work
- Difficulties focusing in class
- Sporadic or poor attendance
- Negative interaction with peers
- Negative interaction with school staff
- Lack of connection with peers
- Lack of connection with the school staff
- Feeling stressed, anxious and under pressure
- Unstable home environment
- Lack of positive adult role models
- Mental health, wellbeing issues
- Lack of coping mechanisms
- Low self-confidence
- Lack of resilience
- Inappropriate or poor interpersonal skills
Our programs target students from Year 7 to 12 who have been identified as individuals at risk of disengaging from their learning or have already disengaged and need additional support to develop and cope with life and high school demands. We help our students to discover what they really care about, work on their trust of adults, self esteem, connection and belonging.
Just some of the programs in our Student Engagement catalogue are:
Skills for Wellbeing, Skills for Life, Skills for Work, Share Spaces and within these are individual programs or custom-built programs such as Jnr Job Seeker, Café Bootcamp, Growing Young People, Growing Young Men//Women, My HSC, My Wellbeing, Young Athletes and Canine Assisted Learning. See our parents pack for more information.
Work Placement Support Programme
The Work Placement Support Programme (WPSP) is an initiative that aims to provide workplace opportunities to students to assist them make a successful transition through school and from school to further education, training and active participation in the community. Youth Up Front has been delivering support to Northern Sydney secondary schools since 1997 and has seen tens of thousands of students connected to industry placements within the community.
The WPSP provides students with structured learning opportunities in a real workplace.
Work Placement is a mandatory component that looks after our local youth undertaking Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses. We also support Board Endorsed Courses with mandatory industry placements.
VET courses are undertaken by senior secondary students in Stage 5 and Stage 6 (Years 10, 11 and 12).
Students are required to complete approx. 35 hours (1 week) with a corresponding industry employer. During this week, students experience real work situations which help them in developing self-confidence, skills and understandings that will assist them in their transition from school to work.
FIND VET COURSES FIND BOARD ENDORSED COURSES
Work Placement Program - Employers
Are you a business owner interested in hosting a student on work placement but not sure what a student placement might do for you?
Here is an example of what a student working in the tourism and events industry could do for you. We have been delivering this program since 1997, connecting tens of thousands of students through industry placements within the community.
We will show you everything you need to host a student in your workplace - it's free and it's easy to sign up!
Phone: 9886 3339 or email wpsp@youthupfront.org.au
Employment and Career Programs
Our Current Programs:
- Connecting Women to Trades
- Northern Beaches Careers Expo
- Junior Job Seeker
Community Engagement
It all belongs!
Designed to bring the local community together, our Community Engagement Programs put young people's needs first while promoting meaningful environmental and behavioural changes that improve the health and wellbeing of the whole community.
We do this by creating, coordinating, and delivering educational, recreational, and vocational programs that provide opportunities for young people, families, local businesses, and other community groups to connect, grow and share positive community experiences.
We value our young people, and our programs transfer that feel across to them and drive that sense of belonging within our youth community and beyond.
To connect to our programs or catch us in action, subscribe to our monthly newsletter or follow us on our social channels.
Canine Assisted Learning Program
