WISE Employment is excited to be part of the Northern Close the Gap in Indigenous Employment Business Recognition Ceremony to take place on Friday, 7 May 2010.

A number of local businesses in the Northern region of Melbourne will be recognised and rewarded for their active engagement and recruitment of Indigenous people at the Ceremony.

The Business Recognition Ceremony will be hosted by the Northern Close the Gap in Indigenous Employment Campaign working group, at the Indigenous Education Centre (IEC), Kangan Institute, 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 and 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

WISE Employment’s Community Liaison Officer, Nicole Findlay is part of the working group and believes the campaign will help WISE to build on its existing relationships with Northern Indigenous community members.

“As a member of the Federal Government’s Indigenous Employment panel, we wanted to further our commitment to Indigenous Australians,” explains Nicole.

“We have offices in Broadmeadows, Northcote and Richmond and have some very strong links with the local councils in Northern Melbourne.”

“We have also been working with the Indigenous community in the North, through our sponsorship of the Koorie Night Market in 2009.”

The campaign also presents a unique opportunity to develop a long-term Indigenous employment strategy for the Northern region.

“It is hoped that the campaign will provide a micro-level snap shot of the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous job seekers and will enable the Northern community to better address the balance.”

The ceremony will be opened with a traditional welcome to country by Colin Hunter, Wurundjeri Traditional Land Owner.

It is hoped this ceremony will become an annual event offering the community, businesses and councils the opportunity to network and liaise with Indigenous community organisations to enhance the creation and development of networks and links.

If you would like to attend the ceremony please download this invitation - 480Kb PDF

For further information, please contact:
Nicole Findlay: Community Liaison Officer
Telephone: 8329 8825 or nicole.findlay@wiseemployment.com.au