Supporting people to develop work skills and the confidence to enter or reenter the workforce starts with funding from the Department of Employment, Small Business, and Training. From there, Lifeline Darling Downs recruits Trainees who begin training, coaching and development while being paid a working wage.

Trainees develop essential work and life skills through our business services team's hard work, teaching and mentorship. With their new skills, approx. 75% of all Lifeline Darling Downs trainees secure gainful employment. Some of those trainees have transitioned into long-term employees at Lifeline Darling Downs.

One of those trainees is Renee. Unemployed for several years, Renee started volunteering in one of our shops and heard about the traineeship program. After successfully applying and completing the program, Renee had the skills and confidence to apply for a role in one of our retail shops.

Now, Renee works full-time as one of our Op-Shop Managers. It was exciting to hear her story earlier this week on ABC radio Southern Queensland, where she told her SQFW story. You can listen to her story online, starting from 1hr 16mins.

Renee is just one among many who have benefited from this program and she is an excellent example of the kind of outcomes that SQFW can achieve. The program is equally important for Lifeline Darling Downs as it provides us with labour and the chance to make a difference in the community.

We're looking forward to celebrating with the 27 trainees who are about to graduate this week (Friday, 5 August 2022). They have done a brilliant job. But we are equally excited to announce that our association with SQFW will continue.

Having obtained confirmation that our SQFW program will receive funding for the next three years, Lifeline Darling Downs can plan for the future and continue partnering with the department to help people enter or re-enter the workforce confidently.

We will start recruiting trainees for the next intake soon. However, if you or someone you know is interested in applying, email us by clicking the button below so we can contact you with an update in September 2022.

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