Students given toolbox of skills

7 Feb 2022

With the assistance of a small grant from St John of God Midland Private Hospital’s Community Wellbeing Grants, 52 students, including four Aboriginal students, are leaving high school this year with a toolbox of work ready skills after graduating from Motivation Foundation’s nationally recognised certificate program.

A not-for-profit organisation based in Perth’s eastern suburbs, Motivation Foundation aims to provide relief of poverty or distress in young people through education and the development of life and employability skills.

Funding received through St John of God Midland Private Hospital’s most recent Community Wellbeing Grants Program was used to support young and disadvantaged students from year 11 and 12 in their transition to the world of work through the delivery of a pre-traineeship in the civil and mining sectors.

As part of the pre-traineeship, students are taught qualities such as safety, respect, leadership, punctuality, pride in appearance, equipment and work and self-responsibility in addition to practical skills.

During their training, students are provided with the opportunity to work on community projects. The most recent graduates have delivered four projects over the past 12 months:

1. Asphalt footpath for a primary school kiss and ride in Glen Forrest.

2. Construction of concrete bollards for Vintage Car Club in Caversham.

3. Pad, earthworks and trenching for Youth Futures Community School in West Swan.

4. Pad and earthworks for Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade in Darlington.

Claire Giumelli Director of Motivation Foundation said by completing these projects students have gained confidence in their abilities, gained valuable experience supervising such projects and worked towards their qualifications.

“The Foundation employs trainers who are industry experts. At the end of their training, graduates are provided with pathways and transitions to meaningful employment through the Foundation’s relationships with industry partners,” she said.

Motivation Foundation’s certificate programs have led to over 90 per cent of students being employed within three to six months of graduating, across a variety of industries. 

The Community Wellbeing Grant Program was develop by the hospital in recognition of how community funding provides a significant opportunity to support local community projects to deliver activities which increase physical and/or mental wellbeing, social participation and strengthen connections within our community.