Vocational Support for School Leavers – Lifetime Care and Support Scheme Services

For many parents across NSW, our teenagers are making that significant shift from “school-goer” to “HSC graduate”. For most it’s already a stressful time, but for a small portion of the population “stressful” doesn’t come close to the worry and anxiety that they feel. Having a child living with a disability or in the context of this article, living with traumatic brain injuries or other significant injuries as a result of a motor vehicle accident, meander through the system with not much direction which can be a significant source of anxiety for young people and their families. Like most times of significant transitions in our lives the support and guidance we receive directly impacts the trajectory of our life tasks.

At this time of change, support from a vocational specialist can make a significant impact on career planning and transition to work and post-school study. A vocational assessment with an experienced rehabilitation counsellor or psychologist will focus on identifying a young person’s strengths, work values and employment preferences in order to help give them the best start to their working life. The school leaver will be guided through a structured interview, some psychometric testing with a focus on work values and personality type and discussion around work and study options.

Vocational Support for School Leavers

Resilia’s specialist services provide vocational support to school leavers in alignment with the Lifetime Care and Support Scheme Services. Resilia assist with supporting individuals who have sustained a serious injury as a result of a motor vehicle accident and supports them with their transition from school to post-school.

Transitioning from school looks different for everyone, we all have our own goals, aspirations, and desires. Resilia’s rehabilitation consultants help to identify goals and support needs for both now and the longer term. Each person has a different path, whether they choose to continue to study post-school, want to gain part time or full-time employment, or need the assistance in adapting post school plans to fit within their post injury capacity. Resilia’s vocational support focuses on empowering injured school leavers to have choice and control in identifying their goals and ensure services are flexible and tailored to the individual’s life and needs.

Resilia’s consultants have extensive experience in liaising with TAFE and universities to assist in advocating for students with injuries and disabilities to ensure that they can access the necessary supports to achieve their best start to tertiary education. Students will also benefit from guidance and support throughout the transition from school to post-school study including the option to commence study in a part-time capacity to allow time to accommodate ongoing medical and rehabilitation appointments.

Resilia also assists school leavers with obtaining part time employment to help them to gain experience while participating in tertiary education. This provides students with the ability to explore career options, build their confidence in the workplace, and develop the necessary skills with real life on the job experience. Additionally, Resilia assists with finding apprenticeships, full-time employment and traineeship opportunities for those school leavers who would prefer not to continue to study post school.

Students with a recently acquired injury or disability may also benefit from vocational counselling to assist in adapting their post-school plans to fit within their post injury capacity. The disappointment surrounding the disruption to plans caused by injury, disability, and the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic has been talked about extensively in the media in recent months. Many young people worldwide have had their final years of school interrupted by circumstances over the last two years and the impact of injury or acquired disability has exacerbated the effects of this for some students. A series of vocational counselling sessions can assist a young person to reach a point of acceptance in relation to their injury or disability in the context of the current social climate which will in turn lead to building of resilience and improved likelihood of durability of study and employment outcomes.

Resilia’s vocational support program assists school leavers with work options and individualised transition plans so they can have the guidance and support needed to begin their career journey as they transition from school. To find out more about Resilia’s Rehabilitation specialist services visit https://www.resilia.com.au/ or contact Resilia on 02 8243 1550 or admin@resilia.com.au