Stories of #GoodChange
Opening salon doors and hope to young people
High unemployment rates affect many young people in Vietnam. Without furthering their education or gaining relevant vocational skills, marginalised youth often end up pursuing low-paying jobs, struggling to provide for themselves and their family.
Through the Good Barber Project, disadvantaged youth are given a chance to expand their skill set and maximise their potential through vocational training. Our Good Neighbours office in Vietnam is coordinating with REACH vocational training centre and L’Oreal Groupe in Vietnam to train and find employment for aspiring hairdressers and barbers
Good Barber Project
Designed by Good Neighbours Australia in collaboration with colleagues based in Vietnam, the Good Barber Project covers a minimum 3-months of accommodation, lunches, tuition fees and return travel to the student’s home village. It opens the doors for young school-leavers to gain vocational skills, opens their eyes to the opportunities beyond their village, and helps them build confidence as they pursue their career dreams.
Supported by local Australian donors, including the Good Barber Shop in Melbourne which donates a portion of its takings to the project, and the Universal Charitable Fund in South Australia which provides grant funding, the Good Barber Project is making a tangible difference to participants.
An inspiration to do good
With the help of our Good Neighbours Australia’s donors, Thi and her fellow students can follow their passion for a hairdressing career, without having to worry about all the costs involved. Thi’s motivation is not only to improve her family’s circumstances, but also help her community.
“Later in the future, I want to help children in the highlands like me to have a sustainable job and an amount of income. I want to be a person who is useful in society and can help more people with difficult circumstances in my hometown.“
Empowering the next cohort in 2024
In 2024, Good Neighbours Australia is opening the doors for its next intake of 18-24 year-old students, to follow their dreams of becoming hairdressers or barbers. The next student cohort is currently being recruited from villages in Vietnam, to commence training in the second half of the year.
