Dream, Believe, Achieve: Transforming lives & futures
The Cowboys Community Foundation has celebrated the latest graduates of the Dream, Believe, Achieve Hospitality employment and training program presented by Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, marking the program’s most successful cohorts yet, with a record-high percentage of participants already employed.
The program supports out-of-work or disadvantaged North Queenslanders to build skills and confidence and gain nationally recognised qualifications and real work experience that leads to employment.
Thirty participants graduated the final two courses of 2025 with a record average of 86% now in ongoing employment across the two cohorts.
Graduate Shaden McDowell, 17, didn’t complete secondary school and wasn’t working at all when he heard about DBA. Now, he’s on the path to achieving his dream career as a chef after being offered an apprenticeship through the program’s Industry Partner, Twin Cities Hotel.
“I only made it to Year 10, and I didn’t really like school, so I was doing nothing with my life,” Jaden said.
“When I heard about DBA and found out it was a Cowboys program I thought ‘sign me up’.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity to start an apprenticeship, becoming a chef feels possible now and the world of food is huge - it could take me anywhere.”
Fellow graduate Lincoln Stone joined DBA while living in a hostel and trying to rebuild his life.
“I was homeless, struggling with my mental health and alcohol consumption and honestly, in the beginning, I really didn’t think I’d finish the course but the support of the DBA team was amazing,” he said.
“Now, my life is almost unrecognisable; I have a steady job that I love, I have my own place to live, and my lifestyle choices are much better, I have lost around 35kg, and I’ve reconnected with my family who say they’ve never seen me so happy.”
Also among the graduates was 16-year-old Riley Sorbello who was referred to DBA through the Johnathan Thurston Academy, with JT among her support crew celebrating her achievement.
“It was really kind of Riley to invite us to her graduation, I’m very proud of her,” Johnathan said.
“She’s certainly turned her life around and hearing the stories of other graduates like Lincoln, it’s clear that Dream, Believe, Achieve has changed their lives.
“Our most vulnerable need support services that wrap their arms around them, when that happens it opens their eyes up to what they really can achieve in their lives.”
Cowboys Community Foundation CEO Fiona Pelling congratulated all graduates and thanked the partners who make these outcomes possible.
“The measure of the success of a program really is the impact it has on the participant’s lives, and Lincoln and Shaden are among many other amazing life transformations through DBA,” Fiona said.
“At the heart of Dream, Believe, Achieve is the belief that potential exists everywhere in our community, sometimes it just needs opportunity, support and someone there to back it, and on graduation day we celebrate what happens when that potential is given room to grow,” she said.
“None of this would be possible without the support of our Funding Partner, the Queensland Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work Initiative, our amazing Presenting Partner Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, Training Provider Allara Learning, or the wonderful local Industry Partners who invite our participants into their venues and provide a springboard for their new careers in hospitality.”
Since 2015, DBA has supported hundreds of participants to gain nationally recognised qualifications and start new careers.
For more information or to become a DBA industry partner, visit cowboys.com.au/DBA.
