Thomas talks about his experience in the Brotherhood's youth transition program in Laverton

As a teenager I was relatively well off. I had finished my VCE in 2008, but the years afterwards I lost direction. When I signed up for the program, I wasn't entirely sure what it would be like, but I figured it would be worth a shot.

The program included 12 or so young people with varying backgrounds and goals. Considering the diversity, a positive atmosphere and functional group dynamic was achieved. The Brotherhood was very in tune with what was happening in the program and responsive when called upon, creating an atmosphere I felt very comfortable in. I made some good friends and each day felt worthwhile, which kept me interested and enthused about the program. Overall the program surprisingly exceeded my expectations.

The course took us through the different stages of identifying and learning how to pursue the jobs we desired. It made us think critically about our strengths and taught us how to utilise them in order to get the jobs we wanted. Overall I found all bases were sufficiently covered.

It was not just 'class work' we did, we were also able to coordinate and plan a project of our choice. We chose a barbeque, which by all accounts was a hit! The program also involved a two week work placement, in a field of our choice. Though the work was unpaid, it was an invaluable opportunity to garner experience and test our skills.

Before the program, I lacked motivation and had the vaguest notion of what to do with myself, a state of mind I was less than fond of. Afterwards I felt revitalised, confident and far more knowledgeable when it came to looking for work. I wasn't alone when it came to people benefiting from the program. One of the group members secured full time work from the program and the other members had nothing but positive feedback.

Connecting Young People to Real Jobs has the potential to benefit many young people, no matter their circumstances. If you enter with the right mindset; willing and engaged, those running the program are only happy to reciprocate. So if you're young, unemployed, feeling a bit lost and could use some help, I would strongly recommend getting in touch with this program.