Youth Plus Foundation and its Mount Isa Flexible Learning Centre has been selected as one of six finalists in the latest round of Sunsuper’s Dreams for a Better World program – which gives not-for- profit organisations the chance to share in $150,000 in grants.

The Flexible Learning Centre is run by Youth Plus Foundation who provide training and education to young people in Mt Isa, who for many complex reasons do not regularly attend school.

Youth Plus Foundation is calling for the community to get behind their dream to help its students launch a garden maintenance and lawn mowing social enterprise.

Young people attending the Mount Isa Flexible Learning Centre will run the maintenance service, which will help them learn transferable business skills, develop work ethic and engage with the local community.

The Flexible Learning Centre Head of Campus, Lynn Gillies-Hughes said the students proposed the idea and the centre is keen to help the students’ kick-start their social enterprise.

“The lawn maintenance social enterprise will connect young people with the community and help them to develop personal capacity and self-belief, and at the same time gain business knowledge and skills which can lead to further training or employment,” Ms Gillies-Hughes said.

“This project offers an amazing opportunity for young people to "give back" to our community and will be a very meaningful way to connect both our school community and the wider Mount Isa community, and in particular engage with the elderly who are unable to maintain their own gardens.

“Young people from diverse and complex backgrounds are often disenfranchised from mainstream education and when they experience significant challenges associated with personal, family, social and community alienation they are the least likely to attend school.

“Through Mt Isa’s Flexible Learning Centre we work with 15-18 year olds who are least likely to attend school and offer training that will motivate the students and help them into work - giving our young people the best chance of a financially independent future.

“At Youth Plus Foundation we’re passionate about helping young people reach their full-potential, and are thrilled at the chance to win a grant that will help us, help more young local people.

“A $5,000 grant from Sunsuper’s Dreams for a Better World program will provide the funding boost we need to purchase equipment including lawn mowers, trailers, brush-cutter and personal protective equipment to launch the project.”

To secure funding, Youth Plus Foundation needs the Mt Isa community to get behind their dream and vote at the website. There’s just one week until voting closes on Monday July 23at 9am 2018.

Sunsuper’s Dreams for a Better World program is about partnering with care-giving Australians who have a big dream to make a difference to the lives of others and have an impact in local communities.

Since 2011, Sunsuper has awarded more than 100 grants to community causes through its Dreams for a Better World program.

Youth Plus Foundation is one of six entries chosen from more than 250 applications, to be in with a chance to receive a grant in Sunsuper’s Dreams for a Better World Brighter Futures category.

This round is about supporting grassroots initiatives that empower Australians from all backgrounds and abilities to gain education, training and employment and help more people become financially independent.

Sunsuper has also has a business grant for socially-conscious small to medium sized businesses, who want to make a positive impact in their local community. Sunsuper is looking for business owners in regional and remote Queensland to apply before 19 August 2018.