How hands-on learning builds skills for life
World Youth Skills Day celebrates the importance of equipping young people with the skills they need for employment and entrepreneurship. Around the world, millions of young people face barriers to education and training — and without the right support, they risk being left behind.
When Alyssa, a high school student in Victoria, looks back at the beginning of Year 9, she hardly recognises the person she was:
“I’d have my hood up, headphones in, and was aggravated. I was known as ‘Angry Alyssa’, she says. ”I was always wagging classes … I didn’t think I’d make it past Year 9.”
Her friend Kobi remembers feeling totally disconnected from his schooling:
“I didn’t do any work,” he says. “I was dealing with losing some family members and a few other issues.”
For both teens, the classroom just wasn’t a place where they felt seen or supported. But everything changed when their school introduced Hands on Learning (HoL), a practical well-being program that helps students develop confidence, connection, and real-world skills.
Backed by Save the Children, Hands on Learning creates safe spaces where young people can thrive by ‘doing’;. They are released from the confines of their desks and get to work on meaningful group projects that bring their school community to life. They build tool sheds, create communal gardens, construct picnic tables — and in doing so, they build something even more powerful: a belief in themselves.
Constructing a communal garden has helped Alyssa and Kobi find a sense of belonging and purpose.
“Once I joined HoL it made me happy,” says Kobi. “I can’t stop moving around, but the good thing about HoL is you are always ‘doing’. It’s an amazing place for me … I could not be happier to be part of this group.”
Alyssa agrees.
“When I went into HoL I found something I enjoyed. Being part of the team helped me conquer my fears and realise that I’m a good person. I can regulate my emotions now which allows me to stay in class, and I can ask for help when I need it. I keep my head up now, encourage others when tasks are hard. I’m so proud of every single one of our team and what they have achieved this year... we are a family.”
Save the Children supports education programs that not only build knowledge and skills, but also foster a sense of purpose and belonging. Because when young people have the chance to learn in ways that reflect who they are, they can start shaping their own futures.
Photos: Hands on Learning.