ABCN

What an amazing gift to finish off 2024 and start the holiday season 🎉 We are beyond grateful to TAL Australia's Risk Academy for their incredible generosity and unwavering support of ABCN Foundation’s Accelerate Scholarship program since 2016! 🙌 Your continued belief in equal opportunities for underrepresented young Australians, so that they thrive in the future world of work, inspires us to make an even greater impact. 🌟 To everyone out there, supporters like TAL Adviser remind us that together, we can achieve amazing things. Thank you for being part of our journey. 💕 Jason Bamford Gabrielle Williams Mimi Oudomvilay Kirsty Edwards #mentoringmatters #makingadifference #equalopportunities

👋 It’s always exciting to welcome new schools – and corporate partners to our network! Recently Flagstone State Community College from the city of Logan participated in their inaugural ABCN program. In low socio-economic areas there is a disproportionately high percentage of students who are opting out or performing poorly in STEM-related subjects. Our Innovate program is designed to build confidence and learning in these subjects, as well as create awareness of the range and diversity of STEM careers. The group of Year 7 & 8 students loved visiting the Brisbane city offices of Fujitsu Asia Pacific and working with the mentors - by the end of the program, 93% of students answered, ‘YES’ to the question – 'Has what you imagined a STEM career to be, changed from the start of the program?' And 100% said they now understand how STEM can solve real-world problems. Awesome work by the team of volunteer mentors from Fujitsu Asia Pacific: Alex Perilla, Elina Sawale, John McHugh, Man Tran, Nolan Jex, Max Pakon Nimkuntod, Ramin M., Theresa Vun and thanks to Rebecca Murphy & Heather Smith.   #STEM #mentors #skilledvolunteering #mentoringmatters

“You can’t be what you can’t see. We know how important role models are for young people in terms of aspiration and continuing to study STEM beyond high school,” Astrophysicist-turned-STEMfluencer, Dr Matt Agnew has said. Our Innovate program is designed to encourage the uptake of STEM subjects by bringing opportunities to life for students from low socio-economic status highschools, so the feedback from Thomastown Secondary College students after a session with mentors from TAL Australia was particularly encouraging. We asked, “What was the most useful thing you learnt in this program?” and responses included: “STEM is good - it helps with everything” “STEM is not just about maths, it’s about everything” “I thought STEM was only certain jobs but my thinking has expanded”.  Great work by the TAL Australia team who volunteered their time: Fazila R., Vincenzo Vallesi, Angela Bonnici, Lee Miller, Abella T., Haylee Collins, Kristen K., John Cuesta, Jenny Bui, Chao Dong and Nazlin Mohamed 👏 #STEM #mentors #skilledvolunteering #mentoringmatters

According to a recent OECD study, only 59% of low socio-economic status schools had a dedicated career counsellor on staff, compared to 81% of schools from more advantaged areas. Our Interview 2 Impress is a practical, hands-on half day workshop enabling students to prepare and practice interview skills in a realistic interview scenario, coached in small groups by our volunteer mentors. Recently a team from Vocus ensured that students from Southern River College received personalised tips and strategies to boost their readiness for the future world of work - and post-program surveys saw student confidence skyrocket: “I am confident to participate in a job interview” – 7%➡️79% “I understand how to answer interview questions based on my strengths and previous experiences” - 14%➡️93% What was the most useful thing you learnt in this program? “There are many options for young adults like me, even though I know nothing about the workspace.” – student Terrific work by Kirsten Rose, Lyn Wong, Rowan Guillemain, Andrew Willoughby, Phillipa Pusell and Jeremy Moreton 🙌 with thanks to Jane Heath and Tiffany Edwards. #skilledvolunteers #mentoringmatters #mentor

It’s always a special moment when one of our volunteer mentors gets to work with students from their alma mater – but it’s even more meaningful when one of those students is a family member! Recently, students from West Wallsend High School took a two-hour bus trip to Microsoft’s Reactor Space in Sydney’s CBD, where they were greeted by mentor and ABCN champion, Tyler McGinniskin, a proud WWHS alumnus. During the program, Tyler had the chance to reconnect with a familiar face - his cousin - making the program even more memorable! And check out the student feedback from the workshop, which was specifically designed to build confidence and interview skills: 🚀 I understand how to prepare for a job interview: from 36% pre-program - 💯 post-program 🚀 I am confident to participate in a job interview: from 29% - 💯 🚀 I am aware of the skills that employers are looking for: from 29% - 💯 🚀 I understand how to answer interview questions based on my strengths and previous experiences: from 29% -💯 One student summed it up by saying: "Now I am much more confident!"   Wonderful work by Tyler and the Microsoft Australia team - thanks Tim Allen, Allegra Halpern, Saurabh Deodhar, Derek Leung, Tomas Moran, Ammie Cauldwell, Rashed Khan and Sukie Bee 👏 #skilledvolunteers #mentors #mentoringmatters

The way we work and navigate our professional lives is evolving. Careers are no longer linear or confined to a single field – in fact research suggests that the average 15-year-old today is likely to hold 17 jobs across five different careers during their lifetime. The skills and knowledge required in the workforce are constantly changing, making the transition from school to work increasingly complex. For students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, these challenges can be amplified. Our My Career Rules mentoring program aims to inspire and equip students from low socio-economic status schools with the skills, mindsets, and insights needed to thrive in the future workplace. Big thanks to the team of volunteer mentors at KKR for helping students from Prairewood High School reach their full potential: we appreciate your efforts Kelly Quinteros, Ronald Datt, Saskia Falkov, Matthew Rooney, Lu Y Li, Rizul Makkar, Eloise Arthy, Colin Zhou #skilledvolunteering #mentors #mentoringmatters Claire Dyson  

Our end of year event in Brisbane was hosted at MinterEllison and was action packed, welcoming three incoming scholars, farewelling five of the six pairs of QLD 2024 Graduating Scholars (pictured) plus a panel interview segment and an icebreaking musical link activity! But it was the words of our wonderful MC’s, Accelerate scholars Jenisha & Layla that resonated: “As a young five-year-old girl entering Australia as a refugee, I spent my primary school years attending countless schools. Job opportunities were limited for refugees, particularly for my parents, who were not fluent in English and had not completed high school.” - Jenisha – currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences at University of Queensland with the goal of getting into medical school. “I was raised by a single parent who never received a formal education. However, my mother always encouraged me to strive for more, to be greater than my circumstances, and to seize the opportunities that came my way. Growing up in challenging conditions made me acutely aware of my situation, and achieving my educational and professional goals seemed nearly impossible. I didn't have anyone in my life who could help me on this journey.” - Layla – Yr 12 graduate who has accepted an offer to study architecture at university in 2025. Special thanks to Robert Reed, Michelle Bold, Heather Smith, Sarah Seminutin, Rebecca Murphy, Bran Stokes, Simonne Everington, Jason Brewer, Daniel Gethin-Jones, Connor Haddad #mentors #mentoringmatters #skilledvolunteers

There’s often a disconnect between the skills young people acquire in school and those required for workplace success. For students in low socio-economic status schools, this can be further exacerbated by limited access to professional role models and work opportunities. Many of the students who attend our programs have a limited knowledge of diverse career pathways and a diminished sense of entitlement to pursue further education or careers beyond their local community. So our ‘Aspirations’ program was designed to familiarise these high school students with the working world and equip them with the skills to build a successful career. Recently a team of volunteer mentors from Ventia worked with students from Lurnea High School, and students’ confidence relating to “the statement "I feel prepared for the world of work” skyrocketed from 10% to 100%! 💥 while “I can see myself in a workplace like the one my mentor works in” soared from 20% to 90%! 🌟 Fab work by Emma Trueman, Sarah Norbury, Jessica Maher, Zak Dib, Chris Greedy, REZA ANSARI and John Truszewski 👏 #mentors #skilledvolunteers #mentoringmatters Thanks Guy Cuthbertson & Samantha Tan

“Thank you for the amazing advice and for taking time out of your day to do this.” - student to mentors from Microsoft. Mentoring students from low socio-economic status schools has a proven track record of facilitating entry for those outside of the ‘corporate bubble’ to enter careers they otherwise would never have known of, or considered. Well done to Troy Wainwright, Vanessa Ma, Johan Grant, Graeme Foster, Sameera Perera, Stephen Zeng, Brendon Tay and Jeffery Edwards at Microsoft. Thanks to your efforts, students from Kelmscott Senior High School experienced a remarkable boost in confidence - from 27% to 💯% - in understanding how to answer interview questions that highlight their strengths and experiences. That's truly making a difference! 👏 👏 👏 #mentoringmatters #skilledvolunteers #mentoring

Awarding the new cohort of scholars is always a highlight – and what a special 2024 Scholarship Award year it is! 🙌 This year thanks to the generosity and support of Snow Foundation, we awarded scholarships to two high-potential and aspirational students from Queanbeyan High School. They are two of 6 scholarships in the Canberra and surrounding region that this exciting new partnership with Snow Foundation will provide over the next 3 years. 🌟 Proud family members, teaching staff and close friends joined us at the school for morning tea, at which Megan Parsons from Snow Foundation officially presented the scholars their 2024 Accelerate Award certificates. Thank you to Careers Advisor, Yvette Cochrane, and the staff at Queanbeyan High School for hosting what was a heartwarming celebration filled with hope, joy, laughter and yes – a few proud tears! 💖 This marks our first-ever Accelerate scholarships in the Canberra region, and we are enormously grateful for the opportunity. Together with Snow Foundation, we look forward to supporting underrepresented young Australians in this area to reach their full potential and thrive both personally and professionally. Equal opportunities, Limitless futures 💫 #scholarships #accelerate #equalopportunities