The smell of freshly made coffee drifted through the Yarrawonga Mulwala Community & Learning Centre last Wednesday morning as three local teenagers put their barista training into practice.

Lachlan, Isaiah and Caitlin were busy making coffees in the centre’s Talking Café for people attending the Pop-Up Census Day, putting into practice skills they had developed through the centre’s Youth Engagement Program.

For these young people, it was more than simply making a good coffee.

It was about confidence, responsibility and discovering that learning can happen in many different ways.

As the world marked United Nations International Youth Day on August 12, six local teenagers took part in a program designed for young people who have struggled to find their place in mainstream education.

YMCLC introduced the Youth Engagement Program in 2025 for Year 9 and 10 students who had become disengaged from school.

Training manager Sharron Johnson said the program gave young people an opportunity to reconnect with learning in a more practical and supportive environment.

“We’re trying to help these kids re-engage with their learning differently,” Sharron said.

“It’s about getting them out of that typical classroom environment … we’re doing a lot of hands-on stuff.”

The students are learning barista skills, first aid and CPR, food hygiene, cooking, literacy, numeracy and money management.

They are also getting out into the community through volunteering activities.

For Sharron, one of the biggest achievements is something many people might take for granted.

“Their confidence has really built up, but probably the main thing is they’re actually turning up,” Sharron said.

“These are kids were really struggling to attend school, now they are turning up to our programs, and they’re really engaging.”

That engagement was clear to see on International Youth Day.

Lachlan, 16, has been involved in the program since the middle of last year, and said the difference is simple.

“It’s good; it’s better than school, you get more out of it,” Lachlan said.

“We get a bit more freedom and we get to go out in the community and do stuff.

“It’s more engaging than school.

“Schools are aimed at everyone, and here it’s aimed at smaller groups.

“You learn in an easier way here; you’re more hands-on involved.”

Isaiah, also 16, agrees and says he finds it easier to cooperate with the teachers in the Youth Engagement Program.

Caitlin is 15 and says the welcoming environment is one of the things she enjoys most.

“It’s very inclusive, and you can just sort of be yourself,” she said.

“You don’t have to pretend to be someone else.”

Caitlin has completed Barista Basics and is developing her literacy and numeracy skills.

After a paramedic visited the group, she is now also considering a future career as a paramedic herself.

“They make learning fun and they don’t make it strict,” Caitlin said.

“They adapt to how you learn so it’s more engaging.”

Caitlin said the program had helped build her confidence “heaps”.

Her message to other young people considering joining is simple.

“Do it, you get to be yourself and it’s fun; they make learning engaging,” she said.

Sharron said the program was about much more than schoolwork, it’s about helping young people discover their strengths, build confidence, develop practical skills and begin thinking about their future.

The program relies on grant funding, and Sharron hopes it can continue to grow.

“I think it can go ahead in leaps and bounds,” she said.

“We have to apply for grants to keep this program going, so if we’re not successful, unfortunately we’re not going to be able to run the program.”

These young participants are showing that disengagement doesn't necessarily mean they don't want to learn.

Sometimes, they simply need a different way to learn; a smaller environment, practical experiences, someone who listens, and somewhere they feel they belong.

International Youth Day is a reminder that young people are not simply the future of our community, they are an important part of our community today.

And on Wednesday morning, behind the Talking Café counter, three young people showed exactly what can happen when they are allowed to learn, contribute and believe in themselves.

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