Today is World Youth Skills Day, a day to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.
At Good Cycles, we know that real jobs and real experience make all the difference. In 2024, we provided 34,578 hours of paid work to 49 young people through our Youth Employment Program, helping them build both technical and transferable skills whilst earning adult award wages.
Our participants face significant barriers – 82% had 2 or more barriers to employment including lack of work experience (65%), mental health challenges (51%), and long-term unemployment (39%). Yet from the hard work they put into their roles with Good Cycles, we also see some great outcomes:
🔸 100% reported increasing their skills relevant to future employmentÂ
🔸 88% maintained employment with Good Cycles for more than 6 months
🔸 83% reported improved peer relationships
🔸 81% reported increased sense of self-confidenceÂ
Creating green, inclusive and sustainable jobs isn’t just about employment – it’s about building confidence, fostering community connection, and empowering young people to reach their full potential.
Read more in our 2024 Impact Snapshot here.
"This is a place where you can feel comfortable learning on the job, where you are expected to make mistakes and gradually improve in your role. Having the Impact team to assist you in any issues you may have and all the resources they provide makes everybody here feel comfortable on the job."