Earlier this year, Kyall Parris-Smith needed a second chance. A series of events and decisions left him out of work and in real trouble. He chose to pay off his debt through community service.
For Kyall, the opportunity started with community service with local reuse shop Reviva Noosa; a part of social enterprise Resource Recovery Australia (RRA).
Plenty of hard work from Kyall led to a paid position.
“Even when I was doing my community service, I really enjoyed waking up in the morning and coming here,” he said.
“I got to learn new things, to talk to other people here. I always love to come here to be honest.
“When I found out that I had got the job, I was stoked. Even though I got myself in trouble, they’ve given me this opportunity to get myself back up. I think that is amazing of RRA.”
Reviva Noosa Manager Mitchell McIntyre said, “Kyall was doing community service on the weekends. The team kept telling me what a great fit he would be if a position became available.”
“Kyall showed great work ethic, commitment and has put in the effort to turn his life around.”
Since joining the not-for-profit social enterprise last month, Kyall has worked across the organisation’s operations at Doonan.
“Our business model is ‘Waste to Wages’. We divert waste from landfill to create employment and training opportunities,” Mitchell explained.
“Kyall has been learning to recycle mattresses, price items in the reuse shop, take donations from residents and has worked in reclaim to divert waste from landfill.”
Noosa Shire Council Waste Coordinator, Ian Florence said, “Stories like Kyall’s are the reason Resource Recovery Australia won the contract. They facilitate real opportunities for locals.”
The future is looking bright for Kyall as he continues to learn and grow in his role.
“Kyall is using his existing skills to create upcycled furniture from pallets. We’re proud of his skill development already,” Mitchell said.
“In the future, Kyall will follow our development pathway and secure his test and tag certification, first aid and forklift ticket.”
