WISE Employment, together with the Northern Close the Gap Indigenous Employment Working Group, coordinated a Business Recognition Ceremony on Friday 7 May at the Indigenous Education Centre at the Kangan Institute in Broadmeadows.

WISE Employment, together with the Northern Close the Gap Indigenous Employment Working Group, coordinated a Business Recognition Ceremony on Friday 7 May at the Indigenous Education Centre at the Kangan Institute in Broadmeadows.

The working group was formed in mid 2008 in response to the Federal Government’s Close the Gap campaign objective - to halve the gap in employment outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within a decade

The ceremony attracted over 70 representatives from local businesses, community organisations and Government and acknowledged key local businesses dedicated to improving employment outcomes for Indigenous people in the Northern Region of Melbourne.

The Indigenous Education Centre at Kangan Institute in Broadmeadows hosted the event, which provided the perfect cultural setting for the ceremony. The Traditional Welcome to Country was delivered by Colin Hunter, Wurundjeri Traditional Owner, City of Yarra Community Planner Aboriginal Partnerships and working group member.

The six businesses recognised for their outstanding work in improving Indigenous employment outcomes were Parks Victoria, High Rise Scaffolding, VicRoads, DESA, Austin Health, and North Yarra Community Health (NYCH). Each received a personalised piece of artwork produced by art students from the Indigenous Education Centre.

Mr Ian Hamm, Executive Director of Aboriginal Affairs Victoria (AAV), opened proceedings by discussing how local partnership initiatives are having a positive impact on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Employment. Representatives from the Victorian Aboriginal Childcare Agency (VACCA), an organisation with a workforce made up of 80% Indigenous staff, went on to discuss the importance of having strategies and techniques to ensure Indigenous Australians receive adequate training and education.

Indigenous Education Centre music students, Makita McNally, Laurence Austin and local Aboriginal singer/songwriter, Uncle Jo Boy Morgan, provided excellent entertainment while ceremony attendees feasted on traditional Indigenous cuisine provided by the Kangan Institute.

WISE Employment’s Community Liaison Officer, Nicole Findlay, who initiated the group, believes that the ceremony was a resounding success.

“The ceremony has cemented the importance of Closing the Gap in Indigenous employment in Melbourne’s North and has provided extremely positive foundations for businesses to build on.”

“It was terrific to hear from businesses on the steps they had taken to improve Indigenous employment outcomes in their respective organisations and ceremony attendees were genuinely moved and motivated by the stories shared by the Indigenous employees who spoke about the benefits of being employed.”

“It is our hope that by bringing the business community together on the issue of Indigenous employment, far greater opportunities will be created for Indigenous job seekers and young people in particular - thus helping to better address the socio-economic balance within our communities.”

With a strong platform to now build on, the Northern Indigenous Employment Working Group is confident of holding another ceremony in 2011, hopefully in a larger capacity, recognising a greater number of businesses.

As a proud supporter of the ceremony and the overall initiative, Reconciliation Australia said, “This type of local, cross sector, collaborative initiative that celebrates success is exactly what works to close the gap and realise reconciliation.”

The working group is made up of representatives from the following groups and organisations:

• Kangan Institute and Kangan Institute’s Indigenous Education Centre
• Darebin Torres Strait Islander Community Council (DATSICC)
• Moreland City Council
• Darebin City Council
• Banyule/Nillumbik Council
• Hume City Council
• City of Yarra
• WISE Employment
• Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES)
• Banyule-Nillumbik Local Learning & Employment Network (LLEN)
• Inner Northern Local Learning & Employment Network (LLEN)
• Hume Whittlesea Local Learning & Employment Network (LLEN)
• ANTaR Victoria