About Connecting Futures
Walking alongside young people towardsmeaningful futures.
Connecting Futures supports young adults aged 15–25 to build confidence, develop skills, and move towards meaningful employment through personalised mentoring, inclusive pathways, and real community connection.
More than employment support.
At Connecting Futures, we believe every young adults deserves the opportunity to feel supported, valued, and empowered as they work towards their future.
We provide youth-focused employment supports for young adults with disability, injury, or health conditions across regional Victoria — helping build pathways towards confidence, independence, and meaningful employment.
Our approach is personal, strengths-based, and community-focused. We take the time to understand each individual and walk alongside them as they explore what’s possible.
We support young adults aged 15–25.
We work alongside:
✔ School students exploring future pathways
✔ School leavers transitioning into employment
✔ Young adults building confidence and independence
✔ NDIS participants
✔ Young people accessing Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA)
✔ We also support families, carers, schools, employers, and community organisations throughout the journey.
Support built around the individual.
No two pathways look the same.
That’s why our support is tailored to each young adults’ goals, strengths, interests, and learning style.
Personalised mentoring
One-on-one support that feels genuine, flexible, and empowering.
Strengths-based pathways
Helping young adults build on what they do well — not focusing on limitations.
Real employer connections
Partnering with local businesses to create meaningful opportunities.
Ongoing
support
Continuing support after employment begins to help create long-term outcomes.
Community connection
Building relationships across schools, workplaces, and regional communities.
Neuro-affirming practice
Creating safe, inclusive, and supportive environments for all young adults.
Where Connecting Futures began.
Connecting Futures was founded by Scott McLarty — an advocate, mentor, and adult living with ADHD who saw the need for more personalised, strengths-based employment support for young adults.
After witnessing the barriers many young adults with disability, injury, or health conditions face when navigating employment pathways, Scott created Connecting Futures to walk alongside young adults as they work towards their life and career goals.
What began as a deeply personal mission has grown into a recognised youth employment service supporting young adults across regional Victoria through mentoring, inclusive recruitment pathways, and community partnerships.
Today, Connecting Futures continues to evolve with the same purpose at its core — helping young adults build confidence, independence, and meaningful futures through support that feels genuinely human, empowering, and individualised.
Scott McLarty
DIRECTOR
A team focused on people.
Our team brings together mentors, employment specialists, community connectors, and passionate advocates who genuinely care about helping young adults succeed.
We believe strong relationships create stronger outcomes — and that support should always feel human, approachable, and empowering.
Our History
Our story is only beginning.
2019
A Vision Becomes Reality
Connecting Futures commenced operations with a clear mission: to transform employment opportunities for young people with disability, health conditions and other barriers to employment.
Built from lived experience and driven by a commitment to personalised support, we set out to prove that young people thrive when given opportunity, belief and the right support.
Milestones
Commenced NDIS Youth Employment Services.
Established partnerships with schools, families and employers.
Began supporting young people aged 15–24 to explore careers, build confidence and gain employment experience.
2020
The Beginning
Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the focus remained the same—walking alongside young people to help them build their futures.
Through flexibility, creativity and strong employer relationships, participants continued progressing towards employment goals.
Highlights
Expanded work experience and career planning opportunities.
Supported young people through changing education and employment environments.
Continued building a reputation for personalised support and strong outcomes.
2021
Recognition Begins
As referrals continued to grow, Connecting Futures became increasingly recognised across the region for innovative and personalised youth employment services.
Milestones
Be.Bendigo Business Excellence Awards Finalist
Emerging and Energised category
Growth in school partnerships.
Expansion of employer networks and work experience pathways.
2024
Leading Australia in Youth Employment Outcomes
The impact continued to grow.
Employment outcomes, participant confidence and employer engagement all strengthened as the organisation expanded its reach.
Achievements
More than 54% of School Leaver Employment Support participants transitioned into open employment.
Ranked in the Top 5 providers nationally out of 251 providers for School Leaver Employment outcomes.
Continued growth in employer partnerships and customised employment opportunities.
Good News Stories Young people secured employment in:
Transport
Hospitality
Retail
Manufacturing
Community services
Administration
Trades and apprenticeships
2022
Building Momentum
Connecting Futures continued to evolve beyond traditional employment services.
Young people were supported through:
Career mentoring
Industry tours
Small Team Projects
Work experience opportunities
School-to-work transition planning
Good News Story Many participants secured their first paid jobs after previously believing employment was out of reach.
2023
National Recognition for Employment Outcomes
This year marked a significant milestone in the organisation's journey.
According to NDIS School Leaver Employment Support reporting, Connecting Futures was recognised as one of Australia's highest-performing providers for open employment outcomes.
Achievements
Ranked 7th out of 129 providers nationally for open employment outcomes.
Ranked Top 7 out of 184 providers nationally in another NDIS outcomes analysis.
Recognised as the only standalone youth employment specialist among many larger providers and multidisciplinary organisations in the national Top 10.
What This Means Young people supported by Connecting Futures were achieving employment outcomes at a level comparable to Australia's largest disability employment providers.
2025
A Transformational Year
2025 became one of the most significant years in Connecting Futures' history.
The organisation's impact was recognised through major awards and government investment.
Award Winning Recognition
Be.Bendigo Business Excellence Awards
Winner – Diversity & Inclusion Business of the Year.
National Growth
Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA)
Successfully awarded the IEA Specialist Youth Cohort Contract.
Appointed Youth Specialist Provider for the Bendigo and Goulburn Valley Employment Service Areas.
Expanded Reach
Services expanded across:
Bendigo
Echuca
Kyabram
Shepparton
Castlemaine
Maryborough
Supporting more young people than ever before.
2026
Building the Future
Today, Connecting Futures delivers both:
NDIS Youth Employment
Helping young people build capacity, confidence and employment readiness.
Inclusive Employment Australia
Supporting job seekers aged 15–25 with disability, injury or health conditions to find and maintain meaningful employment.
Looking Ahead
Our vision remains unchanged:
"To create futures where every young person can discover their strengths, achieve meaningful employment and thrive within their community."
Real outcomes. Real impact.
of school leavers transitioned into open employment
NDIS provider nationally for employment outcomes
Local support, connected communities.
We’re proud to support young adults and employers across regional Victoria and beyond.
