On Tuesday 3 December, the nib Newcastle Knights hosted the NRL School to Work graduation ceremony at Murrook Cultural Centre at Williamtown honouring the efforts of a few young individuals.
NRL School to Work is an education and employment program utilising the positive profile of the game of Rugby League to support young Indigenous Australians with work experience, mentoring and leadership opportunities to ensure they successfully complete school and transition into further study, training or meaningful employment.
The School to Work (S2W) Program was developed in response to research highlighting that Indigenous youth who had not found an employment or training pathway six months after leaving school, had a significantly higher chance of being long term unemployed.
The program is funded and supported by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as well as NRL Clubs- Canberra Raiders, Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, Cronulla Sharks, Melbourne Storm, Newcastle Knights, Parramatta Eels, Penrith Panthers, St George Illawarra Dragons, Sydney Roosters, Gold Coast Titans and the Wests Tigers.
The S2W Program has been operational since 2012 and utilises the positive profile of rugby league to support and encourage Year 11 & 12 Indigenous students to achieve their HSC and prepares them as they transition from school to employment or further education.
