Willum Warrain wishes to offer holiday employment in our Nursery for up to 4 young Aboriginal people every term break (two days a week, both weeks of the holidays and three days a week for 2 weeks in the January holidays). The thinking behind this is to give young people (who are currently at secondary ...
Willum Warrain Aboriginal Association
Young mob holiday employment
GOAL
$12,000
Australia > VIC > Metro and Regional
Field of Interest
- Environment conservation and climate change
- First Nations communities
Target Population
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Young people (6-25)
Willum Warrain Aboriginal Association
Willum Warrain is an Aboriginal Gathering Place on the Mornington Peninsula. It runs weekly cultural programs for the local mob and events throughout the year that are open to the broader public. It is a place of hope and healing, especially for members of the Stolen Generation. It is whole-of-organisation charity that provides support to mob experiencing distress in their lives. It operates two social enterprises, Cultural Tours and a Bush Nursery, both of which provide employment for mob as well as promoting reconciliation and caring for Country respectively. The Willum Warrain Bush Nursery is the only 100% Aboriginal-owned nursery south of Melbourne. It specialises in growing plants indigenous to the Mornington Peninsula, encouraging people to plant the plants that have always been here. Many of these plants occur more widely across SE Australia. We share cultural knowledge and stories about these plants. The Nursery, now in its 4th year, is well-established and professionally run, with a core aim of continuing to providing employment pathways for local young Aboriginal people into the future. To date, 13 young Aboriginal people under the age of 21 have been employed in the Nursery, part time to full time, or over school holidays.
Project Summary
Willum Warrain wishes to offer holiday employment in our Nursery for up to 4 young Aboriginal people every term break (two days a week, both weeks of the holidays and three days a week for 2 weeks in the January holidays). The thinking behind this is to give young people (who are currently at secondary school and between the ages of 15 to 18 yrs old), workplace experience in horticulture in a culturally safe environment.
The hands-on appeal of working with plants from Country is popular with young mob. So is earning some pocket money! This opportunity, to learn propagation techniques and develop plant identification skills, is also complemented by obtaining traditional knowledge about the same local plants. Working in an Aboriginal community setting for mob can really grow pride in cultural identity.
N.B. Hourly rates depend on age differentials (i.e. 15-18 yr old) and are based on the Nursery Award. The cost of this proposed initiative is approximately $12,000 per year.
Project Outcomes
For many of our young mob, working at Willum Warrain, will be their first taste of employment and an opportunity to commence a CV. Some of our young mob come from households without adult role models in employment and from families experiencing significant poverty and intergenerational disadvantage. Breaking this cycle may be a potential outcome for some young people and the money earned temporarily reduce some family financial pressures. The impact of working in a culturally welcoming space should not be underestimated either. Being around other Aboriginal staff and community members can really grow a sense of cultural identity for young mob. A positive experience at Willum Warrain may also support school engagement and/or post-secondary training whether in a horticultural or an Aboriginal community setting or beyond. Willum Warrain also hopes to create a pipeline of future employees including horticultural trainees via this project.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $13,200
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Funding gap | $12,000 |
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Wages and related employment costs and administration | $$13,500 |
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