Community PartnershipsNews

Future Footprints for Local Aboriginal Youth

This week we are proud to launch Future Footprints, a workshop series for local Aboriginal youth.

The Personnel Group, in partnership with the NSW Government’s Regional Aboriginal Partnerships Program, is proud to announce the launch of Future Footprints, a series of job-ready workshops aimed at supporting Aboriginal youth.

Workshop highlights include; practical job-ready skills development, exposure to local jobs, industries, potential career paths, and guest speakers including local indigenous employers and community leaders.  With the assistance of Williams Mobs Consultancy, the workshops are designed to be culturally sensitive and trauma-informed, to ensure that all workshop participants have a positive experience.

Running from August 5-9 in Griffith and funded by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Future Footprints is specifically tailored for Aboriginal youth aged 14-17.  For the next two weeks the Future Footprints workshops will also be held in Wagga Wagga and Albury, ensuring broader access to this vital program across the Riverina region.

The workshops were initiated through a collaborative effort involving The Personnel Group’s Community Engagement team and Aboriginal Partnerships Managers at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development after a need for employment support was identified within the three communities.

Kira Boswell, Community Engagement Coordinator at The Personnel Group explains, “After discussing our services with colleagues, we recognised the potential to provide job-ready support to young Aboriginal people in the Southern Riverina community.  This initiative wouldn’t be possible without the funding from the NSW Government.”

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said the Future Footprints workshops will assist a number of Riverina Murray youth in out-of-home care to identify employment options in their chosen field, put their best foot forward during the application process, and successfully integrate into the local workforce.

“We know that by addressing the unique challenges faced by young Aboriginal people in out-of-home care and ensuring that our workshops are trauma-informed and culturally sensitive, we can remove barriers to employment and prepare our Aboriginal youth for a better future,” Ms Moriarty said.

“The NSW Government is committed to boosting employment opportunities for Aboriginal people in every corner of our great state, and the Future Footprints workshops is one of many projects supported by our Regional Aboriginal Partnerships Program which are boosting outcomes and making a real difference within our communities.”

CEO of The Personnel Group, John Gibbons said, “We’re pleased to be able to develop a workshop program using our experience and community contacts, for the growth and development of our local Aboriginal youth and equip them with the confidence and job-ready skills to succeed and thrive.”