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Get hands-on experience

A career in youth work is an opportunity to support young people and help shape their lives.

The Top Blokes Traineeship Program – supported by Ronald Geoffrey Arnott Foundation – is your gateway.

Youth work is rewarding and fun – but it can also be challenging. That’s why we created the Traineeship Program to meaningfully support young adults looking to gain the practical skills and qualifications to make a real impact on the lives of young people.

Skills and Impact

The lowdown

Gain a Cert IV in Youth Work while you work directly with boys and young men across schools and community groups. Earn while you learn through real-world experience in a supportive and fun culture, all while being supported by expert guidance from our team.

Meet Trainee Hayden

from Participant to Mentor

Through the 18-week program, Hayden discovered his own potential and the power of having someone believe in you. “I realised people saw something in me I didn’t see in myself,” he shared.

Now, as a Top Blokes Trainee Youth Worker, Hayden is on the other side of the workshop circle. His path from participant to mentor reflects the organisation’s mission: to empower young men to become positive leaders in their communities.

Read Hayden's story

I’m keen, What’s Next?

Applications for the 2024 Traineeship program are now closed.
Sign up to our newsletter to find out when 2025 applications will open or email [email protected] to express your interest.

Cooper ready to set sail with Rotary

From the Classroom to the Open Sea

When Cooper first joined the Top Blokes mentoring program at Morayfield State High School, he was, in his own words, “this kid that wouldn’t be quiet, wouldn’t sit still.” Fast forward a year, and Cooper is about to embark on a week-long voyage from Brisbane to Gladstone — an experience that will test his courage […]

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‘Reducing the damage’: Nick was angry and anxious

When Swansea’s Nick McMurrugh was being bullied at school, he got help from a psychologist. That helped a lot, but he was also living with anxiety and too much anger. He joined the Top Blokes program, which helps young males openly discuss their mental health with mentors. A key benefit of the program was “not being talked down to by […]

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Children as young as six exposed to porn, principals warn

[Source: Emily Kowal @ Sydney Morning Herald] Melissa Abu-Gazaleh has spent the past 18 years travelling to schools, mentoring young men with her charity, Top Blokes. She presents on a number of issues: drugs, alcohol, risk-taking. But there’s one topic guaranteed to have boys raising their hands, desperate to talk: porn. “Young men have a […]

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