Bilise Wirtu is a refugee from Ethiopia who has successfully gained employment through the help and guidance of her Employment Advisor Niyanta Patel. Bilise has been linked with TURSA Greenslopes since April 2020 where she has been supported to get job ready. Niyanta assisted Bilise with English lessons to help her communication skills. Bilise gained confidence through these lessons and enrolled into a Certificate III in Individual Support.
While completing the certificate course, Bilise attended regular appointments with Niyanta, where she developed a cover letter and resume. Bilise was taught how to apply for jobs, cold call on businesses and build her interview skills. Over the course of these regular appointments, Bilise grew in confidence and was motivated to successfully complete her Certificate III in Individual Support.Another barrier to employment that Bilise needed assistance with was transport. Niyanta booked Bilise in for some driving lessons and helped her gain her licence.
Due to all the assistance from TURSA Greenslopes and Niyanta, Bilise has successfully gained employment at a local Aged Care Facility.
“I’m so happy to be working and I have achieved my goal!” – Bilise said.
Want to find out how we can assist you into employment. Contact our team today here.
Our regions have been impacted extensively from the 2022 floods. We have compiled a list of useful funding resources to assist you.
Individuals
- Disaster recovery allowance – a short-term income support payment to assist if you’ve lost income as a direct result of the floods, provided by the Australian Government.
- Disaster recovery payment – $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child if your home has been severely damaged or destroyed, or you’ve been seriously injured.
- Disaster relief grant – If your home or essential household items have been destroyed or damaged by a natural disaster, you may be eligible for a disaster relief grant.
- Flood Clean-up Package – the clean-up covers both insured and uninsured properties and assists with the clean-up and restoration of flood damaged assets.
- Australian Taxation Office – The Australian Taxation Office has also announced support including extra time to pay tax or lodge tax returns, activity statements or other obligations, and are prioritising any refunds owed to you.
- Replacement of Citizenship Papers – your Australian citizenship certificate is lost, destroyed or damaged due to a natural disaster.
- Vehicle and vessel registrations and licences – can be replaced for free if you have been affected by a natural disaster or emergency.
- SafeWork NSW licences, permits and certificates – free replacement of some licences, permits and certificates that have been destroyed or lost during the floods.
- NAB – is offering support to their customers who are directly impacted by the floods.
Small Business & Not-For-Profit
- Disaster recovery grant – up to $50,000 to help pay for the cost of clean-up and resuming operations.
- Disaster recovery allowance – a short-term income support payment to assist if you’ve lost income as a direct result of the floods, provided by the Australian Government.
- Stamp duty relief – for replacing insured commercial motor vehicles written off due to floods and storms.
- Disaster relief loans – concessional interest rate loans up to $130,000 for small businesses and up to $25,000 for not-for-profit organisations.
- Flood Clean-up Package – the clean-up covers both insured and uninsured properties and assists with the clean-up and restoration of flood damaged assets.
- Liquor & Gaming NSW licences, certificates and documents – licence documents can be downloaded for free.
- NSW Fair Trading licences, permits and certificates – Free replacement licences, permits or certificates that have been destroyed or lost during the floods.
- Westpac Group – Small business customers in NSW and QLD in flood impacted postcodes can apply for up to $3,000 per customer group in cash grants to help with urgent expenses or repairs as a result of the floods.
Primary Producers Support
- Special disaster grant – up to $75,000 to help pay for the cost of clean-up and resuming operations.
- Disaster recovery allowance – a short-term income support payment to assist if you’ve lost income as a direct result of the floods, provided by the Australian Government.
- Stamp duty relief – for replacing insured commercial motor vehicles written off due to floods and storms.
- Natural disaster transport subsidy – up to $15,000 to cover costs of transporting fodder/water to an affected property, stock to sale or slaughter and stock to/from agistment.
- Disaster relief loans – concessional interest rate loans up to $130,000 for business continuity and to replace or repair damage not covered by insurance.
- Farm Household Allowance – a payment for farming families in financial hardship.
- Aussie Helpers Charity – is designed to provide financial assistance, counselling, educational assistance, fencing, livestock feed and essentials like fuel, groceries, and medicines to rural farming families. Call 1300 665 232 or Email [email protected]
Community & non-profit support groups
List of available government assistance services
If you need help getting assistance, reach out to your Employment Adviser or Disability Employment Advocate. Contact them here.
It can be quite daunting and overwhelming looking for work.
We have created a 10 Step Guide Solve the Job Search puzzle to help ensure a seamless and positive process; including what you can do if it doesn’t all go according to plan.
1. Get support for the job search journey.
You don’t need to do this alone. Chat to your Employment Adviser or Disability Employment Advocate about how TURSA can support you to not only get a job, but also to keep it. We have been supporting people into jobs for over 25 years and are available to help you do the same.
Contact your closest TURSA site on 1800 670 914 or contact us here.
2. Know what job you want.
There are thousands of jobs out there, but that doesn’t mean you need to apply for all of them. You already have a set of skills, experiences and areas of interest to bring to your job search. Therefore, there is no point applying for just any job – it needs to serve a purpose and be something you are capable of doing.
If you are unsure, The Australian Government has a great resource job outlook where you can complete a career quiz to see what careers may suit you.
There is also a career quiz to help guide you in the right direction. Complete the career quiz here.
3. Create your resume.
Before you can really start applying for multiple jobs, you need to have the right tools in place which starts with a resume. Your resume is an overview and summary of all your skills, work experience, education and training you have done.
Ensure that it is tailored to the industry and role you are applying for.
For resume help – read our article here.
4. Type up a cover letter.
A cover letter is an overview of your resume and how it relates directly to the jobs you are applying for. Your cover letter will highlight why you are applying for the job, and how your skills, experience and education relate to the job with your key stand out points highlighted!
For guidance on how to write a stand out cover letter – read here.
5. Start your job search – Use Your Network.
There are numerous ways to find vacancies, whether it be the internet, word-of-mouth or via face-to-face.
The most effective way to get a job is through the people you already know. Your friends, family members, acquaintances are all connected to different people and businesses as well. They may know of jobs going, know someone who does, or be able to provide suggestions of their own.
6. Face to Face Job Search.
Searching for work by walking into businesses you would like to work is also effective. Take a walk around local shopping centres and CBD’s to see what may be advertised on the window. Remember to take your resume with you and dress to impress, so that you can drop your resume in straight away to any vacancies you see. While it may be more time consuming than some other methods, by applying for jobs face to face shows the employer you are keen and they get to meet you in person, than just on a piece of paper and helps you stand out in the crowd of other applications.
Alternatively, you can also directly call employers you would like to work for to introduce yourself and why you would be a suitable employee for their business.
7. Internet Job Search.
The internet job search websites allow you to apply for many jobs, in a short period of time. Join recruitment sites and start searching for roles in the follow places:
Make a profile including your resumes, availability, goals, cover letter.
This will enable you to set alerts for any new jobs that pop up in your desired field.
8. Follow up.
There is no point applying for numerous jobs if you are not going to follow up your application
Call each business that you have applied for a job to with the following spiel as a guide:.
“Hi, it’s Cindy. I recently applied for the Barista position you had advertised. I was calling to see how my application was going and to find out when you are conducting interviews”
This will show the employer you are going that extra mile and you are extra keen to gain an interview! With so many jobseekers out there, it is best to stand out!
9. Work Experience.
If you are still struggling to find a job, you should consider doing some work experience or voluntary work to gain additional experience and skills. This shows you are motivated and can help improve your applications with updated work experience and skills also.
For more information on how we can support you with gaining work experience, you can view information on the National Work Experience Programme here: National Work Experience Programme – Department of Education, Skills and Employment, Australian Government (dese.gov.au)
10. Upskilling.
Another way to improve your chances of success if you are struggling to get a job, is by increasing your skills through education and training. There are many courses available, both short and long that can help you improve your skills or qualifications that will strengthen your job applications.
Read our blog post on Upskilling here.
We are thrilled with our Transition to Work Tender Success. TURSA has been successful in our Tender application to deliver Transition to Work (TtW) 2022–27. We have been awarded a Deed for the Brisbane South East Employment Region for the three sites of Beenleigh, Capalaba and Woodridge.
The TtW program is designed to support young people aged 15 – 24 years by providing pre-employment skills, work experience placements, training, connections to employers and post-placement support.
We are already preparing for the commencement of these new contracts on July 1. We look forward to connecting with youth to plan your future through employment, training, and apprenticeships.
The new program will provide TURSA with the opportunity to create additional roles for people with skills and experience working with youth. We encourage anyone interested in these roles to submit an Expression of Interest here.
We are thrilled with our Transition to Work Tender Success and we are looking forward to the opportunity to further serve the community in Brisbane South East in addition to our current services.
To learn more about the Transition to Work program, please fill in the form below and our team will contact you.
Tursa Employment & Training acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging. 
