IT’S been called the little engine that could, chugging along tirelessly to change the lives of youths in Braybrook and Maidstone.

Braybrook’s Youth Enterprise Hub (YEH) has helped 540 young people find jobs, 450 access traineeships and apprenticeships and supported 1300 students to stay in school or re-engage in study – all in 12 months.

The hub, which celebrated its first anniversary late last month, also helps young residents tackle legal issues, find stable housing and provides homework tutoring, careers counselling and resume preparation. During school holidays it transforms into a home away from home – a place where youths hang out and have a chat while getting the help they need.

The hub is the brainchild of a three-year partnership between Melbourne Citymission, support agencies and all three levels of government to improve the health, education, training and employment outcomes for youths in Braybrook and Maidstone.

YEH co-ordinator Paola Bilbrough said the centre was all about getting young people back on track and giving them a “broad vision of what is possible”.

She said the bulk of youths that used the centre came from refugee backgrounds and didn’t have the support from family and friends that most people do when it come to finding their first job or working out what to do with their life.

Many youths had also been referred to the centre after being expelled from school.

“So many kids say ‘I’m feeling lost’, or ‘I just don’t know where to go next’,” Ms Bilbrough said.

“They’re huge questions and there’s such a lot of pressure for people to choose something vocational.

“It puts a phenomenal amount of stress to make those decisions at such a young age.”

Melbourne Citymission CEO Anne Turley said the YEH broke the mould of traditional youth and employment services.

“What we’ve done at YEH is recognise that young people can’t succeed at school, training or work if they are experiencing difficulties in other parts of their life,” she said.

“We know that this generation – and future generations – can break the cycle of disadvantage in Braybrook and Maidstone if they’re supported to stay at school longer, undertake vocational training or get a job.”