Fair Go Employment Mentor Program

Like most people in Australia, you probably believe in the idea of giving others a ‘Fair Go'. So imagine how you might feel if you were a newly arrived refugee or migrant looking for a job to provide a brighter future for your family - unfamiliar with Aussie workplace culture and lacking local work experience and references.

Migrants and refugees arrive in Australia with a range of different skills and capabilities which often remain hidden due to barriers such as language or lack of self-confidence. The Fair Go Employment Program has been developed to enable these new arrivals to obtain relevant work experience and references, and increase their confidence and resources in looking for a job.

Are you an employer in the Northern region?

Would you like to offer our clients a work placement in their field of expertise?

How It Works

• The individual is matched with a volunteer mentor who provides external support.
• A local company or organisation provides a work placement - this can be for a few hours per week or a few days, and for a few weeks or a few months.
• In the workplace the individual is matched with a ‘buddy' who will show them the ropes and generally provide guidance and support.
• The company/organisation providing the work placement is responsible for paying a daily allowance to cover travel and lunch.

Why Get Involved?

The City of Whittlesea is one of Melbourne's most culturally diverse municipalities - more than 36 different languages are spoken in this area and almost half of all households include one or more people from a non English-speaking background. Whether your customers are local or global, having a culturally diverse workforce makes good business sense - it can deliver better customer service, new ideas, improved staff morale and an enhanced profile amongst the wider community.

OR would you like to be a volunteer mentor?

Whittlesea Community Connections seeks volunteer mentors to develop a relationship with a person from another country and bridge the cultural divide. Mentors meet mentees one hour or two per week and do as little as share some conversation or share knowledge and experience of your professional field to assist in the career and personal development of recently arrived refugees and migrants.

So discover a new world - there are very few times in your life when you have an opportunity to make an impact - this is one of those times.

Please contact Michelle in the Settlement team for further information on organising a work placement or becoming a volunteer on 9401 6666 or email Michelle.