Essendon Football Club in conjunction with the Bill Hutchison Foundation today formally launched the Barpirdhila Program – an initiative that provides companies with an opportunity to make a meaningful and long-term contribution to deliver education and employment outcomes for young Indigenous Australians.
The aim of the program is for companies - large and small - to support young Indigenous people to complete secondary school to the stage necessary to qualify for tertiary education, traineeship or apprenticeship, and to then guarantee their placement in a company as a graduate trainee or apprentice as appropriate
Essendon Managing Director Peter Jackson launched the program – which will be piloted in Shepparton - with Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services Mr Bill Shorten.
Jackson said the commitment would see companies take the role of mentor to these young people – providing support through secondary school and further education (tertiary, apprenticeship of traineeship), including regular work placements when appropriate.
“We believe this program will create a long-lasting difference in the Shepparton region,” Jackson said.
“Data suggests that Indigenous people living in regional communities suffer similar levels of disadvantage to those Indigenous people in remote communities, in terms of health standards, life expectancy, unemployment and education.
“We believe that in implementing the Barpirdhila program in the region of Shepparton we will assist in overcoming, in the long-term, the disadvantage experienced by their Indigenous community.
“Research done by others indicates that, if the Shepparton Indigenous community were to achieve just 50% of the level of economic prosperity and living standards as the rest of the Shepparton community, there will be a net annual injection into the Shepparton economy of upwards of $200 million per annum.
“It makes good business sense alone to fix the problem.”
In addition to the economic benefits, the program also aims to establish role models within the Indigenous community.
“This program is about changing attitudes on both sides by nurturing Indigenous role models to finish school so they can get a job in the general economy, and thereby demonstrate to Indigenous students following them in future years the benefits of getting an education,” Jackson said.
Parliamentary Secretary Bill Shorten said the program carries all the hallmarks of success.
“What distinguishes the program is its one-on-one focus. Companies are being asked to directly support each student involved. This sort of personal support can make all the difference,” Shorten said.
