My name is Clifford McLennan I come from Emu Point, an outstation in the Northern Territory. I joined IYMP Darwin straight after I finished high school and started an apprenticeship in Plumbing. IYMP have supported me with getting to and from work for the early start. I was able to take part in a driving program which helped me to get my license, which made getting to work a lot easier. I also joined the IYMP laptop program where I received a laptop to assist me with my studies as well as tutorial support. I have had many new experiences and met new people. For example, I was also able to go on rugby league trip to Cairns to play for the IYMP side.
Through the project I gained knowledge about how to budget and this allowed me to buy a work ute. Something that I really enjoyed was learning new cooking skills, I feel confident trying cooking all different recipes. Overall, IYMP have helped me to gain my independence and I now feel confident within myself.
Even though there were times that I wanted to give up, the IYMP staff helped me to see how much work I had put in and how close I was to achieving my goals. I am very proud to have completed my Apprenticeship and that I am employed fulltime and I would recommend this to all my family, friends, and fellow Indigenous people to help their dreams come true.
I want to thank all the staff at IYMP for all their encouragement and support for last 5 years.
