Vocational students connect with Vivid through work program

By Oliver Shedden

May 15, 2024

VCE VM students for St Augustine’s College in Kyabram visited Vivid sites in Echuca as part of the Campaspe Cohuna Local Learning and Employment Network’s Youth Take Over program.

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The program is designed to help Year 11 and 12 vocational students discover career opportunities in different communities and gain hands-on experience in industry, preparing them for the workforce.

As part of the 10-week program, the students had to solve a ‘challenge’, which helps increase the visibility and promotion of Vivid programs in the community.

The Echuca portion of the program took place on Monday, May 13, and the students visited the sites at the Vivid Hub and Vivid Work Crew, where they were able to engage with members of Vivid and learn about what they do, such as their cleaning and recycling services.

They later went to the Vivid head office, where they had the opportunity to speak to employees about varying roles, such as finance, HR, marketing, and fundraising and heard an address from the chief executive to broaden their scope of job opportunities in the industry.

CCLLEN project officer Debbie Rogerson was thrilled with how the day unfolded and believed it was beneficial for the students not just for work experience opportunities but also for engaging with people in the community they otherwise would not have.

All smiles: St Augustine's VM students in the bike workshop with Vivid members at the hub. Photo by Oliver Shedden

“I think the students really enjoyed themselves, and there were some amazing and positive interactions. For young people who have spent very little time in that environment, they interacted really well with the people from Vivid,” she said.

“It was great to hear about the connections the students and Vivid members made. While discussing the gym and sport, they interacted quite fluently.

“It’s group work experience, so it isn’t one-on-one. It gives them the opportunity to work within a team environment and learn about different industries and roles that they could possibly pursue once they have finished school.

“It’s amazing to see the journey from when the students start the process to when they come out of it; it’s a huge difference.”

Vivid business manager (Day Services Loddon) Sue Green believed that the visit benefited the Vivid members as they could converse with people in the community.

Focused: The students got to sit in the Vivid head office board room and listen to addresses made by different representatives of the organisation. Photo by Oliver Shedden

She also highlighted the connections between the students and Vivid members and dispelled any lingering stigma about disability.

“It’s been awesome to have the students come in. Unfortunately, there is still a bit of stigma around disability, so it’s great to have the youth come and meet people with disabilities and to see that they’re just like everyone else,” she said.

“Our participants have absolutely loved having the students here today. You must remember that most days, it’s the same people, so it’s always really nice to bring the community to us because it’s not always as easy to get us out into the community.

“I think it’s important for those students to get to know people with disability and realise that they have the same needs, wants, dreams and ambitions as each other.”

Ms Green also touched on the importance of the Youth Take Over in getting Vivid out into the community and bringing more attention to what the members of Vivid can offer.

Learning: Students with Kate from Echuca Vivid Work Crew as they discussed the cleaning they do for the community. Photo by Oliver Shedden

“It’s beneficial to get a youth perspective on our service because they’re not only coming to visit us, but they’re working on a challenge to overcome, and that is to help us get our name and services out there in the community,” she said.

“For us, it is all about embedding our participants in our local community, and if we can get people in our community to reach out and get our people into community events, that’ll be a great outcome.”