Media Article: Townsville Bulletin
Set to Succeed announces new accommodation model for Indigenous youth after schooling
Not-for-profit organisation Set to Succeed has introduced a new accommodation model to address the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth after schooling.
Not-for-profit organisation Set to Succeed has introduced a new accommodation model to address the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth after schooling.
Presented to key stakeholders in Townsville last week at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Set to Succeed shared their initiative to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders youth in the transition from boarding to independent living.
The organisations has begun discussions with James Cook University on lease agreements, with a location proposed for the build identified on vacant land next to JCU’s Douglas campus.
Set to Succeed is currently awaiting funding application outcomes, with hopes construction will commence in the second half of 2025.
With many youth from remote communities boarding in Townsville for school, one of Set to Succeed founders and directors Antonio Winterstein said it was important to have processes in place once students graduated.
“Set to Succeed aims to bridge the gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth with an innovative, culturally appropriate housing and care model that specifically supports the transition from remote communities and boarding schools to independent living,” he said.
“Through conversations with First Nations individuals, students, families, and local businesses across North Queensland, it is evident that there is a demand for a supported housing model of this nature.”
Keynote speaker Dr Katrina Rutherford shared findings from her latest thesis on the post schooling journeys of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
“Post-schooling transition practices and systems, both at school and beyond, are often ad hoc and fail to adequately meet the unique needs and aspirations of remote-dwelling Indigenous graduates,” she said.
“Set to Succeed’s approach intends to address the needs of these young individuals in a culturally appropriate manner, which is the key to longevity in their chosen field of study or employment pathway.”
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