Janaya awarded Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Traineeship
DUBBO College Year 11 student Janaya Rose is one of nine recipients state-wide of a traineeship grant named after the first Aboriginal woman to obtain a pilot’s licence in the 1940s.
The Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grant (EDAEG) supports Aboriginal people through the creation of training and employment opportunities, subsidising salaries and the development and support costs of Aboriginal employees in public service agencies and local government authorities.
With encouragement from her Girls Academy mentors, Tracey
Piggott and Abbie Merritt, Jenaya applied for the Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Corporate Traineeship.
“When Tracey told me about the traineeship opportunity, I was immediately interested and wanted to know more” the 16-year-old said.
“With help from Tracey and Abbie, I re-arranged my subjects and prepared for the interview process which took place via Zoom earlier this term.”
Jenaya was awarded a twoyear traineeship, which involves placement each Tuesday at the Department of Education Office in Dubbo.
At the conclusion of her traineeship, Jenaya will have completed a Certificate II Business.
“I have always been driven to achieve, with aspirations of one day working in the Australian Defence Force,” she said.
Elsa Dixon was also a driven activist, who among many activities, joined Fred Hollows to help establish the Aboriginal Medical Service in July 1971. She was also involved in the establishment of the Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs, the Aboriginal Legal Service, Aboriginal Black Theatre, Tent Embassy, Children’s Service, Housing Company and Detoxification Centre.
Careers advisor Vicki Kenyon and the Dubbo College careers team were notified of the traineeship opportunity and worked in conjunction with Girls Academy to find the perfect applicant.
“Our college careers team is dedicated to sourcing opportunities and making them available for our students,” Vicki said.
Tracey Piggott expressed how proud Girls Academy were of Janaya’s achievements.
“Girls Academy understands the importance of setting goals and working towards achieving them” Tracey said.
“We’re proud to be able to offer our girls these opportunities. We never under-estimate the ability of our girls to achieve their dreams, they make us proud every day.”
HISTORY was made in Cherbourg, Queensland recently when the community elected its first female mayor, Ms Elvie Sandow.
“I was raised by my two grandmothers and they were strong women,” Mayor Sandow said.
“So, I dedicate this to them, my late grandmothers. I am strong because of them.”
Mayor Sandow brings to the job much experience in Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council procedures having worked for the council from 1993 to 2014.
When she was elected as a shire councillor in 2000, she resigned from her council job and took up a position in the Gundoo Early Childhood Centre where she ended up as chief executive officer.
Now that she’s mayor, Mayor Sandow said she can’t continue at the centre.
“Our main priority is to get employment back into our community for our local people.”
“My passion is early childhood education because you’re laying the foundation for these children and you’ve got to understand children are our future. To make a difference in their lives, that’s where you got to start,” she said.
“[Young people] need to understand education is important, getting out there, doing traineeships. But it’s getting out there and wanting to do it and having support from family as well.”