Ganbina aiming for equality
SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS TO REACH SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EQUALITY IN TWO GENERATIONS
Each year, thousands of young indigenous students do not complete their schooling, undertake training or find a job.
The Goulburn Valley is home to more than 6000 indigenous Australians and with the indigenous unemployment rate sitting at 18.5 per cent, according to the 2011 Census, something needs to change.
Continuing high levels of generational welfare dependency among indigenous communities means that children often lack the support and role models they need to show them how to live independent and fulfilling lives.
The need to engage indigenous youth in post school education, training or work is of paramount importance and for many years Ganbina has been working with young indigenous people to realise their educational and career dreams for a better future.
‘‘Last year we had more than 340 kids come through our doors, which is a significant endorsement from the community that our programs are a having a great impact and providing enormous benefits for indigenous kids,’’ Ganbina chief executive Anthony Cavanagh said.
Ganbina is a free, nongovernment funded, school-towork, transition organisation operating out of Shepparton and since 2003 it has helped more than 1000 young indigenous Australians.
The voluntary programs at Ganbina equip young people, aged from six to 25 years, with the education, jobs training and life skills they need to become meaningfully employed, so they can become ‘‘agents of change’’ within their own communities.
‘‘We have plans to grow the number of participants involved in our programs because we’re highly successful. In 2015 out of the 14 Year 12 participants involved in our programs 13 graduated, and in 2014 every one of our 12 Year 12 participants graduated,’’ Mr Cavanagh said.
Ganbina is recognised as the most successful school-to-work transition in Australia, with a minimum of 80 per cent of all young people who enrol each year completing their full course activities.
‘‘Whether helping with their first-time casual job or looking at pathways post VCE, we are more than just an employment agency; we provide support and mentoring that will set them on the path to success,’’ he said.
The success of the Ganbina model has led to an expansion venture project where the organisation has built relationships across Australia with communities interested in adopting a similar model.
‘‘We’re exploring sharing our model because we feel that we have an obligations to indigenous communities and to support those organisations in getting the right infrastructure to deliver the model in their community,’’ Mr Cavanagh said.
As an Aboriginal person himself, Mr Cavanagh grew up with illiterate uncles and says the realisation of what is important in life is the answer for indigenous youth.
‘‘Education is the golden key and if they’re prepared to create a better future for themselves, then we’re prepared to help them along that journey,’’ he said.
The goal of Ganbina is for the indigenous people in the Goulburn Valley to reach social and economic equality with nonindigenous Australians within two generations.
‘‘Our vision and mission is to create a two-generational change — that our indigenous population is educated and self-sustainable by 2030 — and we’re on track,’’ Mr Cavanagh said.