Celebrating Success in Indigenous Traineeships

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PDF printable version of Celebrating Success in Indigenous Traineeships (PDF 21 KB)

2 December 2010

Minister for Indigenous Health Warren Snowdon congratulated AFL SportsReady for commencing its 1,000th Indigenous trainee in a speech at a special event held this evening at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Through AFL SportsReady, Indigenous Australian trainees from around Australia receive full-time or school-based employment placements in the sports and leisure industry and undertake accredited training courses at Certificate II or above.

Mr Snowdon said he was fortunate to be involved in the early development of the program with Simon Crean MP, who was working with Kevin Sheedy, and Bill Kelty.

“After starting ten years ago in Western Australia with just 22 trainees, to be here tonight celebrating the 1000th trainee graduate is an extraordinary achievement and SportsReady should be very proud indeed.”

“Across the country, the AFL name has the power to inspire, motivate and unite. In my own electorate of Lingiari in the Northern Territory, almost 40 per cent of my constituents are Aboriginal Australians, and they are footy mad.

“The Australian Government is proud to work in partnership with AFL SportsReady to harness the power of sport to improve social and economic outcomes for Indigenous people. The results are that young Indigenous people are much better equipped to participate more meaningfully in society,” Mr Snowdon said.

“In addition, host employers that are getting involved are being educated themselves to the enormous potential of Indigenous traineeships and employment as well as assisting in the empowerment of future Indigenous leaders. In so doing they are contributing to a more educated and inclusive Australian society,” he said.

The Australian Government recently committed $1,070,000, through its Indigenous Employment Program (IEP), to assist 200 Indigenous Australians to commence in either school based or full time traineeships with AFL SportsReady over the next two years.

The Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) is a flexible financial package to help employers provide economic opportunities for Indigenous Australians.

For more information, see the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and the SportsReady website.

Media Contact: For more information contact the Minister’s Office on 02 6277 7820