News

Chelsea’s Story

Chelsea says she enjoys coming to Merrimu because it helps her.She enjoys cooking and going for walks from the Hub in Melton to learn where things are and how to be safe in the community.
Building Life Skills is about supporting people to gain confidence and take control of their own lives. Examples of activities in the program include cooking and healthy eating, setting budgets, shopping, travelling independently and the ‘Healthy Friendships’ course.
Chelsea is focusing on building life skills through her cooking and community access programs at the Hub and socialising and customer service at Christabelles.Chelsea likes working at Christabelles the most because it’s fun.
“I help the customers, do the cash register and the card thing,” she says.

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Jordan’s Story

Jordan completed his Year 12 VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning) before starting at Merrimu.

Since coming to Merrimu he has completed a number of programs from an Intermediate Certificate in computers to a Certificate in food handling and cooking.

Jordan has embraced each new opportunity and has developed friendships as he worked with others on team-building exercises in the Healthy Relationships course run by Merrimu.  This course involves participants learning about respecting others, developing friendships and how to work well with others and be part of a group

Jordan attends Merrimu’s Hub in McKenzie St Melton and says “I like working on my cooking and money handling skills”. The Hubs provide more choice and fresh options for school leavers and people looking to access alternatives with a focus on vocational and education programs and building life skills.

A big highlight for Jordan is studying to get his learner’s permit. He is currently studying road rules and what the responsibilities of a driver are so that he can sit for his learner’s permit test. Jordan has completed an intermediate computer course and he is very proud that he finished the course.
Jordan says he enjoyed learning cooking and how to handle and store food properly and is very proud that he has achieved his food-handling certificate.

“I enjoy Merrimu and think I have done well and worked hard.” Jordan would like to get a job next and live a happy life.

This story is from our 2015 Annual Report. You can read more on our Publications page.