A TAFE NSW graduate delivering a youth empowerment program for Kiama teens has urged locals to prioritise their health and wellbeing in what has been a difficult year for local young people.

A Young mum whose life has been punctuated by hardship has thanked TAFE NSW for allowing her to channel her experience into a rewarding career helping others.

Proud Kaurna man and TAFE NSW graduate Nil Nair is providing support to homeless people of Western Sydney through his role as Director of My Best Life Australia, a not-for-profit organisation supporting homeless people and victims of domestic violence.  

After dedicating himself for 22 years as a professional in the printing industry, 14 years of which he was actively involved in youth development as a volunteer at Marrickville PCYC, Prasanga decided to change careers and pursue the Diploma of Community Services at TAFE NSW Ultimo to become a full-time community services professional rather than just a part-time volunteer.  

Dubbo resident Ally Niemeyer has experienced first hand the challenges of working with children with disabilites and has become increasingly aware of the job opportunities in the community services industry. She studied a Diploma of Community Services at TAFE NSW Dubbo and is now reaping the rewards working as a support worker at Mission Australia.  

TAFE NSW Lithgow has moved to help address the shortage of social housing and community service workers by offering three new courses to the community through a mixture of flexible online study and face-to-face workshops.

Sarah Moore studied a Certificate III and IV in Community Services at TAFE NSW Moree to upskill and give her the practical, hands-on skills for her return to the workforce. The determined mother-of-three is now working full-time at Maayu Mali Aboriginal Residential Rehabilitation Centre as a Drug and Alcohol Worker.

With NSW recording a surge in demand for counselling support services during a pandemic that has affected up to two million jobs, one Campbelltown local is committed to upskilling to help Western Sydney residents. 

After falling victim to domestic violence herself, Kara Jayne has made it her mission to help others in a similar situation. For her passion for supporting rural communities and commitment to her career she was also awarded with a $6,000 Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) Foundation Scholarship presented by the Governor of New South Wales, The Hon. Margaret Beazley AO, the Patron of the RAS.