Inclusive opportunities empowering young people, youth jobs for Townsville
A CQUniversity project is shaping sustainable new ways for Townsville workplaces to include and support young workers, and it’s growing confidence and skills for the passionate young participants too.
Since July 2024, CQUniversity’s Social Impact Lab has led Q-SEED Youth, working with local young people and employers to co-design initiatives for youth jobs.
It’s part of Q-SEED (Queensland Social procurement, Employment and Economic Development), an 18-month initiative to transform Townsville through social, Indigenous, and local procurement.
Social Impact Lab (formerly Office of Social Innovation) Program Managers Steve Williams and Sara Brown facilitated final Q-SEED Youth workshops in Townsville across 26-27 August 2025, and said the project has achieved a big shift.
Nearly 20 local young people have participated, alongside local business, industry and youth organisations.
“Using trauma-informed co-design, which is really cooperative and collaborative, young people found space to share their experiences and ideas, and really creatively think about ways workplaces could support needs of local young people,” Ms Brown explained.
The young people had all experienced unemployment or under-employment, and their perspectives included neurodiversity, managing health conditions, cultural diversity, family challenges and homelessness.
But since commencing Q-SEED, they’ve developed confidence and connected with local employers, and found new opportunities including employment, training and university study.
They’ve also provided invaluable insights that will now inform a youth employment toolkit for Townsville businesses, and an evaluation report of the innovative project.
“Enabling young people to have agency about their employment is powerful, simple tweaks to existing systems led by young people such as better clarity in jobs adverts by getting rid of unnecessary, unrealistic requirements directly increases employment potential”
Mr Williams said.
Q-SEED Youth is funded by The John Villiers Trust, and is collaborating with industry and business leaders across the region. The recent workshops were held at Life Skills Queensland and Mission Australia’s Townsville Youth Foyer.
Project partners CQUniversity, ArcBlue and Smart Precinct NQ will host more Q-SEED events in the coming months funded by Advance Queensland.
For more information visit the Q-SEED website.
