Creating pathways to work for NT youth

For YouthWorX NT, helping a young person find meaningful work starts long before their first day on the job. 

It begins with creating a place where young people feel safe and welcome, then helping them build confidence, practical skills and workplace experience. YouthWorX NT also works with employers to create workplaces where young people have the opportunity to contribute and succeed. 

Through Inclusive Employment Australia, YouthWorX NT supports young people aged 15 to 25 across Darwin and the Northern Territory, with support tailored to each person’s circumstances and goals. 

Team leader Kristy-Ann Obst said creating a sense of safety and belonging can provide the foundation for a young person to take their next step. 

‘I would love every young person to have that feeling of safety and belonging and to get that confidence they need to thrive in the world,’ Kristy-Ann said. 

There is no single pathway to employment. YouthWorX NT gets to know each young person and what they want to achieve. Support can include one-on-one coaching, work readiness workshops, interview preparation, volunteering, leadership activities and workplace experience. 

Kaitlyn’s experience shows how this approach works in practice. 

When Kaitlyn connected with YouthWorX NT, she wanted to build her confidence, meet new people and find a pathway into work. 

‘YouthWorX NT gave me a place to start,’ Kaitlyn said.

‘They helped me with housing, renting, workplace skills and everything I needed to know in the workplace to get a job and do those little things in adult life,’ Kaitlyn said. 

YouthWorX NT supported Kaitlyn to take part in the Northern Territory Government’s IncludeAbility work experience program including a one-week placement with the Department of Children and Families. 

The placement led to her first job offer, a 12-month part-time traineeship combining work and training towards a Certificate II in Work Skills. 

‘We have continued to work with Kaitlyn, she is growing in leaps and bounds. I feel like her confidence has just grown,’ Kristy-Ann said. 

Preparing a young person for employment is only one part of YouthWorX NT’s approach. 

The organisation also helps employers build the knowledge and confidence to welcome young people with disability into their workplaces. 

Employers may have questions about accessibility, communication or workplace adjustments. YouthWorX NT creates space for them to ask questions to build their understanding. It can provide disability awareness training to support more inclusive workplace practices, just like the government’s IncludeAbility program. 

Kristy-Ann said misconceptions can prevent employers from recognising what people with disability can contribute. 

‘People with disability are often overlooked because of the stigma that employing them will be difficult or expensive for an employer to facilitate that person being there, and that’s truly not the case,’ she said. 

‘We want to break down that stigma and create awareness.’ 

YouthWorX NT’s involvement continues after someone enters employment. By staying connected with the young person and employer, the team can help answer questions, discuss progress and provide support when needed. 

Kaitlyn said the support had changed what she believed was possible. 

‘I just like to talk to people, I like to help out, I like to help others. I enjoy communicating and I just enjoy doing little jobs for other people,’ she said. 

For YouthWorX NT, Kaitlyn’s traineeship demonstrates what can happen when preparation, opportunity and workplace support come together. The organisation wants to continue building relationships with inclusive employers and expanding opportunities for young people to gain workplace experience. 

Through Inclusive Employment Australia, YouthWorX NT is helping young people prepare for work while helping workplaces become better prepared to welcome them. By building confidence on both sides, YouthWorX NT is helping create stronger pathways into meaningful employment.