One good turn deserves another

5 years ago I launched TURN (Australia) with the mission to empower people to do great work. I left Switzerland for Tasmania with a suitcase full of knowledge and expertise I’d gathered during 30 years in the music and advertising industry and in the adult education sector.

I had previously influenced an innovative Swiss employment program called ‘Onlinelabor’ by teaching advertising and marketing principles to jobseekers. My plan was to introduce a similar concept to Australia. 

It soon became clear that introducing an innovative approach to employment services in Tasmania would require an agile program that could adapt and learn from challenges along the way. Looking back over a diverse group of participants to date, and the challenges we have overcome, this approach has been very successful.

Highlights

The Matchbox and the Backswing programs have delivered exceptional results within Tasmanian communities and secured major projects in Southern Tasmania.

The Matchbox program has now been rolled out to diverse groups of all ages, including high school students, youth programs, apprenticeship centres, parenting programs, arts organisations, employment service providers, vocational training organisations and community groups. 

Five Matchbox projects have been delivered in Southern Tasmania (2016-2017), funded by Skills Tasmania ‘Get Set for Work’, a Training and Work Pathways Program.

More than 60% of respondents to the Post-Completion Survey (2-6 months after course completion) reported that they had found a job or were actively engaged in self-employment.

TURN has delivered eight Backswing projects (2017–2019) as part of the Empowering YOUth initiatives to Southern Tasmania, funded by the Australian Government. 

76% of the participants who completed a Backswing project achieved a job placement, work experience placement and/or commenced Certificate II/III training.

The outcomes of the Backswing and Matchbox projects are remarkable and have proven that TURN projects are inclusive and efficient. The framework TURN provides supports individuals and communities and facilitates the creation of self-sustaining, long-lasting networks.

Thank you

These fantastic outcomes can only be achieved when people work together. I have worked hard to find like-minded people to help to deliver my programs. This work can only be successfully delivered with the right partners. I gained the trust of many community organisations, the Geeveston Community Centre and Tasmania Performs come to mind, but I would especially like to highlight the trust placed in me by Colony 47, an organisation that is dedicated to providing support to those that need it most.

TURN’s future

When I imagine the future, I would like to see us reaching more hearts and minds with TURN’s programs being delivered to an even larger audience. 

I would like to empower individuals and communities to face challenges with the right tools and mindsets so they can overcome the barriers that prevent them from securing meaningful work. 

TURN’s current focus is exploring ways to connect people efficiently to available work and at the same time provide those people the right tools to land the job. TURN is looking toward creating an online network and implementing the right adaptable technology to bring this idea to life.

Let 2020 be a great start into a new decade where people gain the power to do great work.