A group of young adults and teenagers in Queensland are on the path to a better future after participating in a program with APM.
About 20 people took part in the Transition 2 Success program in Ipswich which is a joint program with Queensland's Youth Justice and APM Employment Services.
As part of their work in the program the participants were give training and preparation for employment.
APM employment consultant Justin Hurrell delivered the services and has been praised for going above and beyond the requirements of the program to support the young job seekers.
Justin told The Queensland Times his passion was helping the young people succeed as many of them were dealing with difficult home lives or were in the criminal justice system.
"My passion is for the youth," he said.
"If they don't turn up to sessions, I take it out of my time to go out and visit them and find out why they didn't come."
Justin received a Certificate of Appreciation from the manager of Youth Justice for his dedication.
What is Transition 2 Success?
The program is delivered by highly trained youth workers in a local community setting and offers young people a chance to work toward a future that isn’t defined by their past behaviours.
The qualifications achieved through T2S are recognised across Australia and can be a gateway for young people to develop their education, or to reach their future employment goals.
Workers and young people develop supportive and therapeutic relationships that extend beyond the program, ensuring they have support to meet life’s challenges even after the program has ended.
Find out more about the program, which is set to start up again in Ipswich in April, here.
Read more from The Queensland Times.
Going above and beyond for troubled youth
THEY say it takes a village to raise a child and Justin Hurrell knows that better than most.
The 25-year-old works day-to-day with troubled youth within the Ipswich community, often going above and beyond the call of duty to provide a platform for them to build a brighter future.
The APM Employment Services employment consultant worked in partnership with Youth Justice to facilitate their local Transition 2 Success program from September to December of last year.
His role involves him preparing about 20 young people for employment or training.
But he also serves as a mentor, providing an example for them to follow so they can build their confidence, settle into a routine and better themselves.
Most of the participants, aged between 15 and 21, have grown up in difficult home environments or been through the criminal justice system.
"It would be a lie if I said it was just employment (training)," he said.
"My passion is for the youth.
"If they don't turn up to sessions, I take it out of my time to go out and visit them and find out why they didn't come.
"If this is the only chance that they've got with me then I want to give them my best. Whatever they get from me, I just hope it's one thing positive that they can carry with them."
For his work within the program, APM received a Certificate of Appreciation from the manager of Youth Justice.
"There's no doubt I've been a part of something great in the community," he said.
"It takes a village to bring up a kid and that's exactly what I witness on the daily.
"There's a lot of partnerships coming together just to bring up the students. That to me goes a long way."
One participant entered the program in order to tick a box while waiting for parole.
"After three or four weeks he's realised he found his real self, and found it is actually easier to do the right thing then to just do it half arsed," Mr Hurrell said.
He's now been working full-time in scaffolding for the past three months.
"Now all I do is touch base him with," he said.
"He serves as a mentor to the other ones in the group."
Dealing with kids who have grown up surrounded by abuse, drugs or other hardships is all part of the job.
"There are definitely days they can be clouded by whatever happens at home," he said.
"Some of these kids don't have role models. I try my best to be the best role model I can and hopefully it passes onto them and they can replicate it to the other young ones.
"We say ultimately it is your decision and (it's up to them) whether they've got the will or not to break out of it."
The program is set to start up again in Ipswich in April.