High school and beyond

• Cementing belief in their future and the skills to take hold of opportunities and choices in front of them.
• Building confidence and skills to work with others and foster trust outside of the family’s support system.
• Strengthening personal confidence and belief that one can be and is independent.
• Developing skills and confidence to get themselves to school, a part time job and beyond.
• Ensuring they know enough about the world to make skilled and informed choices independently.
• Volunteering and work experience to practice skills in the community they want to join.
• Supporting parents to let go, so your child can try things and make the necessary mistakes to become truly independent.

• Get the skills to be independent at home, like cooking and cleaning basics. Find out tips and tools for organising your wardrobe and doing household chores. Learn how to study online, set up social media and financial responsibility.  
• Personal presentation. Help with personal grooming, make-up, fashion and dressing to impress at work.  
• Healthy relationships. Resources to help you have beneficial relationships with friends, parents, siblings and peers.  
• Social networking skills. Going out with friends, meeting new people. 
• Advocacy skills. Learn to advocate for yourself at school, university, other institutions and workplaces.  
• Self-determination. Empowering you to take personal responsibility, helping you to lead rather than follow.  

How this can help 

• Confidence is key. We know how important it is to feel comfortable, even in uncomfortable situations. 
• Always growing. We encourage you to keep moving forward, discovering passions, interests and gaining all kinds of different skills to be an independent adult. 

• Developing mobility skills whether using a cane or a Seeing Eye Dog.  
• Learn to travel independently wherever you want to go.  
• Navigate public transport whether it’s for work, meeting friends or going to the shops.

How this can help 

• Independence and feeling included. Creates opportunities to be part of a peer group and the community.

• School holiday programs build leadership skills, confidence and make new friends (location dependant). 
• Support for extracurricular activities like sport, music and drama.  

How this can help 

• Rites of passage. Sharing experiences with your peers brings people together, is fun and helps create personal identity. 
• Finding your interests. Exploring things away from study helps you discover passions and find future opportunities.

• Support with technology and training. Making school materials such as textbooks and other resources more accessible. 
• Thinking beyond school. Support to make decisions around subject choices and work experience. 
• Connecting with mentors and role models.   
• Learning what employers want, and how to bring your best to the job you’re passionate about. 
• Getting prepared for work. Access to volunteering and placement opportunities through school or the community, part-time work or a summer job 
• Gaining work experience and building a CV. See how passions and interests can translate to work, and make for better job interviews. 
• LEAP program (Learn, Engage, Act, Perform). A leadership program designed specifically for young people who want to learn new skills and gain confidence to achieve their personal and professional goals.

 How this can help 

• Planning for the future. It’s a great time to prepare for life beyond school. Making sure you have the skills and support to live as an adult. 
• Feeling important. Get the confidence to feel equal with peers, supported by teachers/educators.

• Moving from school to higher ed or the workplace with extra training or study. 
• Take on more adult responsibilities such as financial planning and registering to vote.  

How this can help 

It’s all about laying the groundwork for adulthood. We want to empower you to live a rich, independent life. Working together to prepare for the future, learning strategies, and building support networks. Doing this as a teenager ensures that you'll step into adulthood feeling confident.