Welcome to our Year in Review

Welcome to our 2023-2024 Year in Review. As we enter our 66th year, we are proud to share a snapshot of our achievements through our strategic priority areas of Impact, People, Practice, Partnerships, Data-Informed and Social Responsibility. Throughout this report, you’ll learn how our mission translates into action as we work with thousands of Australians to empower and support their wellbeing, independence, and opportunity through our diverse services and the expertise and passion of our dedicated teams.

Our Impact

At SYC, we have a relentless belief in people and their potential. This core value drives our ability to grow, adapt, and enhance the reach and benefits of our services, allowing us to positively impact our clients and their communities. Whether it’s an SYC employment coach connecting someone with meaningful work after years of unemployment, a trainer in our Registered Training Organisation teaching essential career skills, a therapeutic care worker creating a safe and supportive environment for children and young people, a justice case manager helping someone reconnect with the community, a youth worker welcoming and connecting with a young person at The Foundry, or a tenancy advisor providing advocacy and education, our team’s everyday efforts reflect our shared purpose: to help everyone succeed.

This financial year, we have achieved incredible outcomes in furthering the impact of our services. In early February, SYC’s new Education & Training Hub opened its doors, providing a custom-built training centre for students in the Adelaide North region. At this site, students engage in upskilling opportunities across various sectors, supported by SYC’s Learner Support Services, Flexible Learning Options Case Management, and Alternative Learning Pathways. The new location's modern facilities create an immersive environment for learning and practice.

In Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, our employment services teams have innovated to connect our growing network of employers with clients. Collaborating with other providers, the Workforce Australia Local Jobs Program and, councils, we’ve expanded our reach and impact by creating in-person, supported opportunities for clients to connect with real employment opportunities in their communities. Through these employment expos alone, we have supported almost 1,000 people looking for their next career step.

In South Australia, we are proud to have purchased two adjoining properties in Ridgehaven, with exciting plans for redevelopment. This project will include six new affordable houses and two new Specialist Disability Accommodation homes, thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of people living with disabilities. By providing safe, accessible, and affordable housing, we aim to empower individuals to live with greater independence and dignity. This expansion of our housing offerings not only enhances the quality of life for those we support but also strengthens our commitment to fostering stability and opportunity for all.

As the financial year ended, we were thrilled to announce our successful application to deliver three new services: Australian Apprenticeship Support Services, the Skills for Education and Employment Program, and the Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service.

Australian Apprenticeship Support Services, funded by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, helps individuals start their careers and successfully complete their apprenticeships, while also supporting employers in finding skilled, dedicated talent for their businesses.

The Skills for Education and Employment Program, also supported by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, offers free training in essential skills such as reading, writing, English language, maths, and digital literacy.

Delivered by our RentRight SA service, the Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service now provides additional support services, including tailored financial counselling to tenants, thanks to welcomed additional funding from the South Australian Government and the Financial Counselling Foundation. This additional funding will enable us to enhance our advocacy and support services for tenants in South Australia.

Starting on 1 July 2024, these services have expanded our reach, offering Australians enhanced support and more pathways to success in their careers, education, and housing.

Curious to learn more about our impact? Explore our full range of services and programs here.

Our Partnerships

Throughout our areas of operation, SYC is privileged to work with a range of partners to deliver our services, connect clients with new pathways, and support our initiatives via philanthropic funding. By engaging in purposeful partnerships with values-driven businesses and organisations, we create more opportunities for our clients through collaboration.

This financial year, we celebrated another successful graduation for the students of our Building Links program. Working in partnership with the South Australian Housing Trust, this innovative initiative has been designed specifically for VET in Schools and provides students with hands-on experience in renovating an existing SAHT property to make improvements for future tenants. While creating better housing for the people who need it most, students can complete their accredited qualification (Certificate II in Construction Pathways). The program is just one example of how community benefit can be achieved via creative partnerships.

Throughout our programs, SYC partners with a range of businesses to provide clients with opportunities to learn about new industries, gain work experience, and find new pathways to achieving their goals. These partners often give clients new perspectives on their potential. Earlier this year, a participant engaged with our Career Grit program at our youth hub, The Foundry, finding their pathway into employment, thanks to the collaboration between their SYC mentor and Complete Office Supplies.

In May 2024, our ongoing collaboration with corporate partner Weeks Homes led to a significant transformation for tenants in one of our supported housing initiatives. Weeks Homes staff and contractors created a welcoming space with enhanced landscaping, an outdoor dining area, and a raised vegetable garden, providing a venue for weekly cooking programs and community gatherings.

We express our sincere appreciation to all the individuals, organisations, and community partners whose generosity and commitment help us achieve our vision of wellbeing, independence, and opportunity for all. We also thank everyone who has contributed to our Team SYC Giving program, which funds essential activities for young people in our community.

Learn more about supporting SYC’s community impact here.

Our Practice

The way we approach our work and impact is crucial to ensuring a consistently positive effect. By embedding our values of excellence and collaboration, we keep people at the heart of our service design and delivery.

In 2023-24, SYC’s Therapeutic Care team partnered with Life Buoyancy Institute Foundation and co-developed our Specialised Residential Care Framework and implemented IMPACT training. The SRC Framework provides evidence-based approaches which further embeds the therapeutic care the teams provide to children and young people. The vision is that all children and young people build upon their sense of wellbeing, independence and feel empowered through opportunity.

Our Victorian Employment Services teams collaborated to deliver participant-focused programs by tailoring activities to be as relevant as possible to community needs. One such initiative, developed with our Aboriginal Mentor team, is the Start Your Deadly Career program, which empowers First Nations participants to overcome employment barriers while fostering meaningful community connections. This program addresses both personal and professional development, helping participants achieve a profound sense of accomplishment and community belonging. As one SYC Employment Coach noted, “Discovering the program was led by someone who understood their experiences firsthand, helped the participant connect and feel comfortable with the team.”

This financial year, we proudly launched our Site Refresh Project, enhancing our employment services sites across South Australia, Victoria, and Queensland. These locations have been revitalised with fresh paint, new carpeting, and modern furniture, complemented by vibrant greenery and plant life. Creating inviting and welcoming spaces for our staff and participants is essential to embodying our values of excellence and creativity, and ensuring that everyone feels comfortable and supported while accessing our services.

SYC’s Workforce Inclusions Navigator pilot program has also emphasised collaboration, enhancing community experiences and promoting inclusion. Supported by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, this program engaged employers from within the tourism industry to explore how the sector can work together to employ more people with disabilities. This initiative focused on removing barriers and boosting skills, knowledge, and connections to create more inclusive workplaces. The results include customised toolkits to help businesses hire and retain staff with disability and uniting local businesses in Adelaide’s southern tourism sector to enhance their impact and inclusivity for both the local community and visitors. Programs like this allow SYC to expand its impact, bringing our experience as a leading Disability Employment Services provider to the forefront for more businesses and individuals.

Our People

Our staff's unwavering dedication, tireless effort, and steadfast commitment are indispensable, significantly enriching our services and the SYC community. This year, we proudly celebrate 45 staff for their service to SYC. With several staff members reaching anniversaries of 5, 10, 15, and 20 years of service, this equates to an impressive 430 years in total.

Alongside our staff, our volunteer and student community is central to the work we do. Emily, Manager, Justice Services, recounts the experience of working alongside volunteers and their contributions to the team: “The SYC Youth Justice team has been lucky to have a number of passionate, insightful and kind volunteers with us over the last few years. Our current volunteers, Vasllia, Jasnoor, Sue, and Flora, bring a depth of knowledge and experience to the team and improve the quality of the services that we are able to deliver to our young people. From co-facilitating programs with clients pre-release, to assisting clients on community service orders in engaging in meaningful conversations and activities, to admin and everything in between… we are a better team for having them around and are forever grateful for their willingness to help.” We take great pride in showcasing our team, their passions, and achievements.

Meet some of the faces of SYC below.