Travel Training

Empowering Independence – Travel Training Program for NDIS Participants

Our individualised capacity building travel training program is designed to empower NDIS participants to be more independent, confident, and safe when traveling on their own. By building their skills to use public transport, they can save their NDIS funding for other capacity-building services to further enhance their independence.

About the Program

Our program offers twice-weekly, 13-week individualised travel training sessions, where participants travel as a team to the CBD and destination hubs in northern, southern, eastern, and western metropolitan Adelaide. In a supportive and social small-group environment, participants will:

Plan Trips Independently: Learn how to organise a trip to any part of metropolitan Adelaide using buses, trains, and trams;
Prepare for Travel: Understand when to pack which essential items for different weather conditions and travel lengths such as food, drinks, clothing, house keys, chargers, etc;
Ensure Safety: Develop strategies to stay safe, including what to do in emergencies;
Manage Metro Cards: Learn to purchase, use, and recharge Adelaide Metro cards;
Navigate Destinations: Gain skills and confidence to walk around unfamiliar places without getting lost;
Create Personal Maps: Build a personalised map of locations they have visited for future reference.

Financial Impact

Our program not only empowers participants to travel independently but can also enable significant savings to NDIS plans. By reducing the need for paid transport services, participants can redirect their NDIS funds towards other capacity-building supports to further achieve greater independence.

Collectively, our graduates have currently saved $102,000 a year.*

This is equivalent to 1500 hours of extra capacity building services per year.**

*Approximately based on individualised allocated NDIS funding.

**Based on current 1:1 capacity building NDIS rates.

Information Technology Skills

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Explore your interest in information technology through an individualised learning program from your mentor.

Design a program around your interests in the following:

Learn how to design and make a project on our filament 3D printers including using design software, selecting suitable;
filament types, and printer settings;
Learn how to use our design software and heat press to print your own t-shirt,
How to code in python;
Photo editing;
How to build and maintain a computer as a possible retail employment pathway in information technology.

Build up your employability skills through working with others including project management through fun and interesting individual and group based projects.

Funded by

CB Increased Social and Community Participation;
CB Finding and Keeping A Job;
School Leaver Employment Support (SLES);
Improved Daily Living 15_037_0117_1_3;
Core assistance with social, economic, and community participation.

Download the ‘Information Technology Skills’ Flyer

Welding

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Explore you interest in MIG welding, (with exposure to TIG, ARC) from through an individualised capacity building program.

Build your technical welding skills in metal preparation; measurement, tack, fillet, and butt joins; cutting and grinding, and work health and safety. Once your skills are at a minimum level develop a individual small project to demonstrate your capability. Develop your confidence and employability skills in a small group setting as a pathway to employment preparedness.

Funded by

CB Increased Social and Community Participation;
CB Finding and Keeping A Job;
School Leaver Employment Support (SLES);
Improved Daily Living 15_037_0117_1_3;
Core assistance with social, economic, and community participation.

Download the ‘Welding’ Flyer

Barista

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The barista program offers mentee’s a hands-on experience of working on commercial coffee machines from a professional barista. Each mentee receives individualised support to learn the following within a support very small social group environment.

Mentees will be empowered to build their technical skills and employability skills in:

Food health and safety specific to barista work;
Espresso theory;
Milk texturing and pouring;
Making coffees including building speed and accuracy;
Coffee machine maintenance;
Team work and customer service within a simulated work environment.

After learning the essential skills for coffee making, mentee’s will be empowered to develop their employability skills as a pathway to employment within a simulated work environment that represents barista industry expectations.

Funded by:

CB Increased Social and Community Participation;
CB Finding and Keeping A Job;
School Leaver Employment Support (SLES);
Improved Daily Living 15_037_0117_1_3;
Core assistance with social, economic, and community participation.

Download the ‘Barista’ Flyer

Resilience

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The resilience program aims to build the capacity of mentees to make more productive decisions, more frequently, that empower them to progress more consistently and quickly on their pathway towards achieving their NDIS goals.

This is within the context that fundamentally, stretch goals are generally not achieved because not enough time is spent consistently working towards them. This is typically because of reactions to external situations in terms of thoughts and feelings that result in a decision to cease working towards them. While these thoughts and feelings are valid and are understandable, this can result in achievable goals not being reached.

Resilience in this context, involves their empowerment to build their skills to more consistently stay on the pathway to their goals. This includes reflecting on events that have deflected them from their pathway and anticipating possible future events that may distract them from their pathway and the capacity to make difference choices to continue on their pathway despite these. Participants learn and apply the resilience concepts through an individualised and very small group setting in a dynamic and non-clinical setting that is directly relevant to building their capacity to achieve their NDIS goals as they relate to increased community and social participation and employment.

The concepts are underpinned by core concepts and evidence bases in: neurochemistry as it relates to neuroplasticity for learning and motivation, positive psychology, cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance commitment therapy, and behavioural change, within a framework of reward based learning.

The resilience program empowers participants to become more:

Aware of what choices are within their influence that will enable them to progress towards their goals;
Aware of daily habits that are helping and those that are making it harder for them to achieve their goals;
Accepting of the behavioural change process to actively what they have learnt to progress on their pathway to achieve their goals;
Self-motivated;
Positive in their outlook of their goals and the pathway to achieve them;
Able to manage the fear response in the context of triggers and setting events;
Able to set relevant and tangible goals including reflecting on outcomes of their choices to work towards them;
Confident to use supports and networks in their home, community, and future work environments to help them achieve their goals.

Funded by

CB Increased Social and Community Participation;
CB Finding and Keeping A Job;
School Leaver Employment Support (SLES);
Improved Daily Living 15_037_0117_1_3;
Core assistance with social, economic, and community participation.

Download the ‘Resilience’ Flyer

Cooking Skills

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Explore your interest in cooking and eating great tasting food through our individualised cooking skills program. If you are wanting to learn how to cook better for you and your family at home, or interested to explore an employment pathway into hospitality in a simulated work setting, then this program is for you.

Learn from a cooking mentor experienced in hospitality who will create an individualised and fun cooking program with you based on the foods you like to eat and to explore new recipes and ingredients.

You’ll learn in a fun and small social group learning environment, how to:

Plan a weekly food menu;
Budget;
Set up a food storage system;
Be safe when cooking and storing food;
Bake, grill, fry, steam, and blanche foods and many more cooking techniques;
Read a nutrition information panel;
Use the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating;
Access emergency food relief if needed.

If you are interested in exploring your interest in food as a possible pathway into employment in hospitality, you’ll also learn about cooking workplace workflows, employer expectations and more.

Funded by:

CB Increased Social and Community Participation;
CB Finding and Keeping A Job;
School Leaver Employment Support (SLES);
Improved Daily Living 15_037_0117_1_3;
Core assistance with social, economic, and community participation.

Download the ‘Cooking Skills’ Flyer

Garden Squad

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Explore your interest in gardening, garden design and landscaping through our industry-based garden squad. Through our partnership with the City of Adelaide Horticulture team, you will learn how to design, install and maintain garden verges across the Adelaide CBD. With our connections to local community gardens you’ll further build your gardening skills and experience.

If you are want to explore your interest in gardening, build your practical skills towards a career in horticulture in a simulated work setting with authentic industry connections, or grow your confidence in a nurturing outdoor team environment, then this is program is for you!

In a small based learning environment, you’ll learn how to:

WHS including safe operating procedures for gardening equipment;
Plan and design a garden;
Plant selection;
Irrigation, soil preparation, and planting;
Garden maintenance including pruning, weeding and spraying

Youth Options Garden Squad Wins Local Australia Day Award

The Youth Options Garden Squad were officially recognised for their exemplary contribution, collaboration and impact on local green spaces and residents within the CBD. They achieved this through the completion of 33 projects over 18 months in partnership with the City of Adelaide horticulture team. For their dedication, the mentees won the City of Adelaide 2024 Australia Day Award in the active citizen category.

Funded by

CB Increased Social and Community Participation;
CB Finding and Keeping A Job;
School Leaver Employment Support (SLES);
Core assistance with social, economic, and community participation.
Improved Daily Living 15_037_0117_1_3;

The Future of Garden Squad – We Are Growing A Social Enterprise

The social enterprise will provide a source of casual employment for mentees of the Garden Squad who are ready enough to transition to this next phase in their capacity building journey. The working environment will provide a supported transition into employment for 12 months to empower mentees upon graduation to transition into open employment.

We are looking to partner with businesses to collaboratively develop a purposeful business model to nurture the growth of the social enterprise. Please reach out to us if you’d like to be involved: hello@youthoptions.org.au

Download the ‘Garden Squad’ Flyer

Dungeons and Dragons

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Unleash Your Imagination!

Dungeons and Dragons is a cooperative storytelling game that harnesses your imagination and invites you to explore a fantastic world of adventure, where heroes battle monsters, find treasures, and overcome epic quests.

Times: Monday & Wednesday 12:30pm – 5pm (4.5 hours) Cost is $170 per session, per participant

Dungeons and Dragons is a Social Group and requires 5 Participants.

Imagine, Venture, and Explore, Your Possibilities and Potential!

Download the ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ Flyer

Explore Your Career Pathway

Work, careers, money. It can be difficult to know where to start. Understanding your strengths and what’s out there can assist you get the life you want. Pathfinder is a career exploration program that uses virtual and real world activities to help you plan to get ahead. In the Pathfinder Program you will gain confidence and get started on the life you want.

Take part in virtual and real-world activities to increase your motivation and develop employability skills to build confidence and ability to enter the workforce. It’s not just about any job – being able to choose jobs that are a good fit for you, will help get and keep the right one.

Pathfinder is focused on the first step in the Choose-Get-Keep model – identifying an occupational goal which is achievable, realistic in the current labour market and match to values, interests and aptitudes. Pathfinder is aligned to the Australian Blueprint for Career Development and uses Gamification principles to engage users.

Download the Brochure

Delivery Location and Methodology

Face2Face, Group Environment at Sturt Street Youth Hub, 40 Sturt Street, Adelaide and/or other Locations

and/or Via Zoom/TEAMS Online

Support Category/Registration Group

Capacity Building – 0102 – Finding and keeping a job

Or School Leaver Employment Options (TOMORROW ME)

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Woodworking Program

A learning program – allowing participants to engage in creative woodwork projects to:

Increase their awareness and understanding of WHS and Workshop safety signs and instructions.
Learn how to safely and effectively use hand and power tools such as: saws, drills, sanders, grinders, hammers, screw drivers, planers, and more!
Learn to read and follow project plans, diagrams and instructions.

Our mentors are trained and experienced in strengthening participant confidence and self-esteem, independent living skills, communications skills and social skills.

Delivery Location and Methodology

Sturt Street Youth Hub, 40 Sturt Street, Adelaide.

This program will be delivered in our workshop.

Support Category/Registration Group

Core – 0125 – participation in community, social and civic activities

Capacity Building – 0116 – innovative community participation

Capacity Building – 0117 – Development of Daily living and life skills

School Leaver Employment Support (SLES)

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Get Moving – L’s (NDIS)

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Get Moving is a learning program for NDIS Participants to obtain their Learner’s permit for driving. Get Moving includes activities to learn road rules, undertake tests and support to attend testing centre.

(The goal is to get your L’s – Learner’s permit)

You will work with your NDIS Mentor 3 hours per week for approx. 10 weeks
Your NDIS Mentor will provide Face2Face mentoring in a group environment to hep you get your L’s
This program can be funded under Core Supports or Capacity Building Supports, depending on your available funding

The total cost of this program (depending on your NDIS funding and group size) is approx. $2500.

We may be able to include the Services SA Cost to sit tests and your Learner’s permit.

Please Note:

You may be required to obtain a Treating Doctors Report (TDR) before applying for your Learner’s permit at Services SA.

Drive Me – P’s (NDIS)

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To date we have directly empowered six young people to achieve their provisional P1 driver’s licence through building their capacity to successfully sit the VORT test and have indirectly empowered another 3 to achieve the same. We are incredibly proud of each and every one for the example they have set in their courage and commitment to achieve an incredible milestone on their pathway to live a life of purpose.

Drive Me (P’s Program)

Drive Me is a Driving Experience Mentoring Program to help you get the required 75 hours for your P’s. The goal of this program is to overcome your challenges for getting your P’s, increase opportunities to learn about employment or traineeships, and acquire necessary skills and develop good driving behaviour.

- To start the Drive Me Program a minimum of 4 lessons must be completed with a professional driving instructor.
- We will provide you with a Trained Driving Mentor (Responsible Supervising Driver) and the use of our modified car
- You will participate in a four-hour road safety program, before driving practice commences
- To attain the required 75 hours, you will attend 1.5 hours twice per week for one2one mentored driving practice. The time and day is negotiated with you and our NDIS Mentor

Please Note:

The program is approx. 115 to 120+ hours over 12 months – approx. cost $7500
The program includes approx. 60 kilometres per session – approximate total 4500 kilometres – approx. cost $3,825
Total approx. cost for Drive Me – P’s is $11,325
The hours required to achieve the P’s depends on the participant progress and capabilities. (everyone is different)
Final driving test (VORT) must be successfully completed with a professional driving instructor; this cost is not included in Drive Me Program.

This program can be funded under Core Supports or Capacity Building Supports depending on your available NDIS funding

Year 12 School Leaver

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Tomorrow Me – School Leaver Employment Supports

“Work, career, independence and choice. It’s what I want.”

“Knowing how to get it can be tricky”

School Leaver Employment Supports is an early intervention approach for Year 12 school leavers on NDIS to support their transition from school to employment.

These supports are designed to build an NDIS participant’s capacity to meet the access criteria and transition to a Disability Employment Services Provider (DES).

Through our Tomorrow Me SLES Program, we help young people to prepare, look for and gain employment. We provide meaningful, personalised, individualised capacity building activities so young people can achieve their employment goals.

Tomorrow Me starts with you choosing the help you need from our menu of supports: