The Minister for Employment Participation, Brendan O’Connor, today announced Australian Government funding to expand a mentoring and training program for Indigenous employees at Roper Gulf Shire Council.
Since March the ‘Mentoring for Retention’ project has provided support for 52 Shire Indigenous employees.
During a visit to Katherine today, Mr O’Connor said with the newly formed Roper Gulf Shire Council delivering services to a larger area, the Australian Government would provide an extra $1.1 million under the Structured Training and Employment Project (STEP) to expand the project by extra 142 council Indigenous employees.
“The significant expansion of this project will enable Roper Gulf Shire Council to deliver mentoring services, training and professional development for existing employees as well as for new Indigenous staff employed to deliver core Shire services,” Mr O’Connor said.
“The newly formed Shire has identified potential employment opportunities in each of the communities.
“Project participants will be employed in roles, including night patrol officers, home and community care workers, Indigenous culture support officers, school meals officers, sport and recreation officers, municipal services officers, waste management officers, council cleaners, essential service officers, media officers, life skills officers, and environmental health workers.
“Project participants will have the opportunity to receive accredited training of up to a Certificate III.”
Member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon, said projects such as these were an important part of the Rudd Government’s commitment to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous employment within a decade.
“Indigenous employment programs must create opportunities and give Indigenous people the skills and training needed that will see more Indigenous Australians finding and keeping,” Mr Snowdon said.
Indigenous employees from communities, including Beswick, Barunga, Bulman, Eva Valley Manyallaluk, Jilkminggan, Ngukurr, Numbulwar, Borroloola, Mataranka, Jodetluk, Werebbun and Weemol are expected to take part in the project.