The successful Nalderun Wraparound Support School- Based Apprenticeship & Training Program (SBAT) is celebrating its fifth year for current employers.
Nalderun were lucky enough to have secured a Department of Education Secondary Schools Agriculture Fund grant for the seventh cycle of the program which sees trainees work across a number of organisations including Parks Victoria, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, North Central Catchment Management Authority, Coliban Water, CVGT, Victoria Police and Nalderun, and complete VET qualifications as they go ensuring they are job ready.
The latest Nalderun SBAT program is currently supporting 12 First Nations Youth across three schools, including Castlemaine Secondary College, Bendigo Senior Secondary College and Maryborough Education Centre, to work in Cultural Land Management/Leadership on Djaara Country.
This may be a Cert II Horticulture (Bendigo Tafe), Cert III Business (Integrity and Skill Invest) or a Cert III Community Services (VETiS and Access) depending on the student’s area of interest.
Nalderun CEO and Yorta Yorta woman Kathryn Coff said they have seen that the program works when it is Aboriginal run and led, and trainees and organisations are supported in their Indigenous ways of being.
“We know many organisations are keen to build mob within the workforce but realise mob needs Cultural mentors and support,” Ms Coff said.
“Nalderun means ‘all together’ and supports the trainee, the host organisation, the schools, the whole community, family and everyone around that person. It’s about holding that space, so that the beautiful individual doing the traineeship will feel held enough to not only complete the traineeship itself, but also complete it with the hope it will move into meaningful employment for them, and that has been the case” she said.
Ms Coff said the program has had many benefits for all parties but most of all has seen increased attendance and school retention for students and meaningful pathways created to training and future employment.
“The program provides a great alternative to conventional classroom learning and participants also benefit from learning the traditional ways of being and knowing and On-Country cultural strengthening.
“Host employers also benefit from increased cultural awareness,” she said.
Bendigo TAFE Land, Food and Science Department Lead Educator and Dungutti woman Kellie Jones said the key to the success of the VET part of the program has been its blended delivery by Bendigo TAFE and Nalderun.
“It’s about educating students On-Country, with mob. At the moment, the students are learning weed identification and management. We are also looking at soils and the seasons and when to propagate and when to plant. We also look at practical skills such as OH&S and risk management,” she said.
Nalderun SBAT 2023 participant Ngatatji Bysouth said he has really enjoyed the program and learning a host of new skills On-Country with Elders, as well as the Bush Tucker Farm project at Me-Mandook Galk (The Grandmother Tree) at Chewton.
“I’d definitely urge other young people to sign up for the program if you have the opportunity,” he said.
To find out more about the program email the Nalderun SBAT team at sbat@nalderun.net.au.