Canteen

The funds are helping Canteen continue to support young cancer patients stay connected to study or work, both during and after their cancer treatment through Canteen’s Education and Career Support Service (ECS). Cancer and its treatment significantly disadvantage young people’s education and career development, leading to poor educational attainment as well as underemployment and unemployment compared to their peers.

Young people can use the service at the point of diagnosis, during treatment as well as after treatment as they transition back into work or study.

Cancer and its treatment detrimentally disadvantage young people’s education and career development, leading to poor educational attainment and under and unemployment compared to their peers.

Those diagnosed with cancer need evidence-based support to achieve education and employment outcomes, yet there is limited research in this area and few available interventions. By developing an Education Career Support program (ECS) for young people (YP) diagnosed with cancer, this project aims to improve outcomes for individuals with the potential for long-term flow-on effects for community and society.

ECS helps all cancer patients, aged 15-25 (during or post treatment) ECS consultants are trained career counsellors and provide different individual, needs based education, and career pathways.  One-to-one support sessions include recruitment skill building/resume writing/interview practice/job seeking, career planning, advocacy in the workplace, and support for employers and employees.  

“The benefits of the ECS service has been the development of my résumé and cover letter. ECS has helped me to better highlight the skills I already have to sell myself to a potential employer. To add on this, I have become more confident in what I can do in regard to work. Lastly, the regular check ins have meant a great deal to know that I am supported in getting paid work that I deserve.” - R – aged 25

“Through ECS, I have been able to build my knowledge around my future career pathway and in my education and has contributed to my reduced stress and anxiety levels associated with getting into a job or university. This is due to the support being provided direct and specific in helping me achieve my goals. I am extremely grateful for the support being provided to me as I am now more confident that I can achieve my goals for the future!” E – aged 17

“The world is a scary place, and it can be difficult to even know what certain pathways are available, and how to even get a foot in the door. For me, ECS has provided helpful methods in how to first pursue employment, as well as providing regular feedback on improvements to make. As someone who was quite clueless to this, having the resources to know how to look and apply for jobs is incredibly valuable. The encouragement has also been great as a motivator, and a way to build up courage. Without ECS, I doubt that I would have even been able to do half as much as I have now.” -  T - aged 25 

When Josh was 18 months old his mum noticed his glands were swollen. She took Josh to see a doctor and they noticed his liver was also slightly enlarged.

Josh’s mother was told his symptoms could be harmless but was advised to see a paediatrician if she wanted to. Josh’s parents made the life-altering decision to investigate further and the blur of ultrasounds and tests that followed awakened their nightmare.

Just a toddler, Josh was diagnosed with liver cancer. Scans revealed the tumour to be severe, but it didn’t appear to have spread to any of his other organs. The doctors were hopeful that surgery and chemotherapy could save his life, but Josh’s parents and siblings were forced to reckon with the possibility of his death.

Gruelling months of treatment kept Josh alive but left him frail. A third of his liver was removed. He was declared in remission 6 months after his diagnosis, but the potent medicine that destroyed the cancer also strained his body.

From toddler to teenager, Josh’s adolescence was defined by ‘otherness’, saying “I felt like I was from outer space.” The chemotherapy had damaged his immune system leaving him vulnerable to illness. His constant sickness stopped him from attending school which resulted in conflict arising with the authorities.

“I was absent on sick leave so often that the Department of Education was threatening to punish my parents. It was appalling and distressing. The powers that be couldn’t handle that I was different. When I was diagnosed with cancer my family was reeling that I was about to experience a world of hurt and chronic illness. I needed a support network, something to rely on while the rest of my world was in turmoil. I’d been pushed so far down by cancer that I needed the shoulders of a giant to stand on if I ever wanted to level the playing field.” - Josh

And that’s where Canteen came in. Josh made friends through Canteen’s youth leadership program that he still connects with today. Canteen provided Josh with the strength and support to share his cancer story with his peers, which turned into opportunities to speak on the news and reach out to other young people. Josh said, “Canteen supported my family and me in some of our darkest moments, and the time I’ve spent in leadership has offered a foundation of skills and experiences that I draw from every day.”

Josh’s Canteen journey

How Canteen’s Education and Career Support Service helped Josh

Josh missed out on a lot of school due to cancer-related chronic illness, so decided to access career counselling through Canteen’s Education and Career Support Service (ECS.) ECS helps young cancer patients aged 15-25 stay connected to study or work both during and after their cancer treatment.

“The career counsellor was able to help me address any anxieties I had regarding the workplace and assisted me with questions around setting up my resume and writing a cover letter. I knew that I could always just give him a call whenever I felt unsure, and he could provide me with support and advice.’ - Josh

Last year, ECS supported 146 young cancer patients across Australia. ECS is a strength-based service that assists young cancer patients, like Josh, to identify their vocational goals and values, followed by individualised support plans to help them achieve their education or career milestones.

 “It meant the world to know that finally there’s someone I can talk to about my career, who understands the unique situation of a young person impacted by cancer, and who genuinely wants to help. Without Canteen, I wouldn’t have the courage or experience to have gone straight from high school into full-time work as a creative. I have listed something Canteen-related on every resume I’ve ever sent.” - Josh

Josh’s message to you

“Canteen‘s ECS program has allowed me to develop the skills that enable me to contribute to the workforce just like everyone else. My cancer experience has left me with empathy, mindfulness, and the ability to smile through it when times get tough, and thanks to ECS, I’ll be able to demonstrate those skills at a job that I love. Every donation to Canteen is priceless to the young people who you’re supporting and I couldn’t thank you enough for your support.”

As a supporter of Canteen, we are delighted to announce that with your help we raised an astounding $184,472, and have also received additional funding from our grants round! 

These funds have helped Canteen continue to help young cancer patients stay connected to study or work, both during and after their cancer treatment through Canteen’s Education and Career Support Service (ECS).

Young people can use the service at the point of diagnosis, during treatment as well as after treatment as they transition back into work or study.​ How amazing is that! 

Because of your support, we’ve received a total of $25,000 in matched giving from our generous Principal Partners over at MONEYME.

A MASSIVE thank you to all the fantastic fundraisers and donors who made this happen.

Although that’s a wrap on matched giving, we still need your support! Every dollar raised throughout the rest of the month will go to helping young cancer patients stay connected to study or work, both during and after their cancer treatment through Canteen’s Education and Career Support Service (ECS).

We still have a week to go of Dry July so, together, let’s keep raising funds and awareness to ensure no young Aussie has to go through cancer alone.