Townsville comes together to transform youth jobs
Community advocates from across Townsville have joined forces to mark the start of a new region-boosting project to spend local, and increase youth jobs.
Q-SEED (Queensland Social procurement, Employment and Economic Development) is an 18-month initiative to transform Townsville through social, Indigenous, and local procurement.
On Thursday, 11 July, more than 60 people gathered for a launch workshop and event at Smart Precinct NQ.
Led by CQUniversity, procurement consultancy ArcBlue, and economic activation partner Smart Precinct NQ, Q-SEED has already developed a locally-driven Regional Action Plan for growing procurement opportunities.
A long list of local industry and business leaders have also already signed the Q-SEED Charter to strengthen social and economic outcomes for the region.
The launch day also featured a youth-focused workshop, led by CQUniversity Social Innovation Program Managers Steve Williams and Sara Brown.
“Q-SEED isn’t just about creating jobs, it’s about codesigning sustainable employment with young people, support organisations and employers together to help meet the needs of the region’s youth,” Mr Williams said.
“That can happen when all sides are building, holding and caring for relationships – and the next 18 months of Q-SEED will drive that process, and ensure the region has a thriving network to empower under-employed young people to access meaningful work.”
Matt Hodgson attended the youth and procurement workshops, and can see big opportunities for creating meaningful roles.
A director of social business and NDIS provider Life Skills Queensland, his Currajong workshop supports 120 people every week to develop trade skills and grow confidence and employability.
“These are people with disabilities, or mental health challenges, or young and vulnerable people, and as a business owner I would love to have access to contracts that would give them meaningful, paid employment,” he explained.
“At the moment, tenders from big industry or government look for a business that can deliver a big order – say, a fit-out of a new hospital wing. That’s not achievable for us, but if the requirements were offered as smaller tenders, for instance building all the chairs for the new hospital’s offices, then we could absolutely meet that need, and deliver the project as social procurement.
“That opportunity would be life-changing for our clients who got to work on the delivery – so I’m excited to be part of Q-SEED, and be working with people who can make those changes.”
Jasmine Healy-Pagãn is founder of Townsville’s Youth RESET social enterprise, and said the workshop was an exciting step.
“Connecting with the Q-SEED collaboration has been positive, both as a practitioner wanting to provide ongoing wellbeing support and education for our young people,” she said.
“As an entrepreneur, I’m also passionate about growing capacity to connect our wellbeing services in new sectors and industries, to support the whole of Townsville community.
“Wellbeing needs long-term support mechanisms and if the community is involved in designing those mechanisms, they’re going to be invested in their success, and the impacts ripple out into families, young people, and the whole region.”
Q-SEED is funded by Advance Queensland and The John Villiers Trust, and is collaborating with industry and business leaders across the region.
The launch workshop also featured a panel of experienced leaders, including Rob Passmore, Chief Procurement Officer at Townsville Regional Council; Bindal and Birriah Traditional Owner from North Queensland and South Sea Islander Leah Saltner, founder of Saltner Consulting; Aaron Ohl, Team Leader at Hutchinson Builders Townsville; Dominiqe Bird, Co-founder of jobs-focused social enterprise Civik; Samantha Scandlyn, Manager of Procurement and Contracts at Port of Townsville Limited; and Cara McCormack, Psychologist and Operations Director of Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs commissioning portfolio at North Queensland Primary Health Network.
CQUniversity, ArcBlue and Smart Precinct NQ will host more Q-SEED events in the coming months.
For more information visit ArcBlue’s website.
