By Julius Ewudo, Cyber Era NG ASEAN Region Representative
Care leavers in Tasmania will soon have access to a new free app designed to help them navigate adulthood, with Sortli launching in Hobart on Thursday.
Young people leaving care often begin adulthood without the family support networks many of their peers can rely on for advice, guidance and practical assistance.
At a recent CREATE Foundation Youth Advisory Group in Tasmania, young people shared what they wish they knew during the transition to independence:
“I had to learn the hard way that there is always a cost, with things like Afterpay, which young people don’t always understand.”
“I didn’t know about cooking until I had to cook for myself.”
“I didn’t know how to write a resume and it stopped me from getting a job.”
The app designed by young people, for young people, will become available to those who are living in (or have grown up in) foster care, kinship care and residential care in Tasmania.
Sortli has step-by-step guides for navigating some of life’s biggest challenges such as finding a place to live, looking after your health, managing money, finding a job, continuing education, and understanding legal rights.
CREATE Foundation CEO Imogen Edeson said Sortli is about putting power into young people’s hands so they know where they can turn to for support.
“We want every young person leaving care to know what support is available and how to access it.
The transition to adulthood is a critical time. Young people are finding housing, continuing their education, entering the workforce and making important decisions about their future.
Sortli is designed to be a practical companion, helping young people navigate those challenges and connect with support when they need it.”
Minister for Children and Youth, Jo Palmer, said the Tasmanian Government was investing in the supports young people need to transition to adulthood.
“The Sortli app is an additional tool that young people with an out-of-home care experience can access anytime and anywhere to get the information they need,” Minister Palmer said.
“I congratulate the CREATE Foundation and the young people who designed the app on delivering this great peer-led resource.”
Sortli is widely used in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia, with Tasmania becoming the latest state to roll it out. A young person who uses Sortli shared:
“I really like the ‘my values quiz’. I think it’s very easy to lose sight of who you are during an out-of-home care experience and it’s nice to have something small to explore that.”
Sortli’s launch in Tasmania has been made possible through a shared commitment between CREATE Foundation and the Department for Education, Children and Young People to support young people as they transition to adulthood.
CREATE Foundation is the Australian national consumer body representing the voices of children and young people with an out-of-home care experience.
