Co-designing innovative approaches to advancing positive socio-economic, education and employment for First Nations peoples.
On this page:
The Yarrabah Employment Service, co-developed by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and the Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council, is a community-led initiative tailored to the Yarrabah region. It delivers culturally appropriate employment services that support self-determination and align with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. By prioritising consultation and collaboration, the program embodies reconciliation— recognising and enabling the unique rights and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Launched as a pilot in 2018 and formally contracted from 2022 to 2027, the service was co-designed with Traditional Owners to promote economic participation through consultation and collaboration.
Wugu Nyambil, the local First Nations employment provider, offers job readiness training, mentoring, and work experience. It has partnered with the Queensland Government to establish the Business Accelerator and Innovation Hub and the Yarrabah Innovation and Digital Centre, enhancing digital skills and job opportunities.
A place-based servicing arrangement is currently being trialled in Broome which recognises the unique local context and needs of the community. Broome Employment Services launched in 2023 and was extended to 2027, to allow sufficient time for the trial to be fully evaluated and for consultations to occur on the ground with people directly impacted by this service, to inform a future model.
This pilot was developed utilising several aspects of the Yarrabah Employment Service, but with a view to the local Broome environment. A key new feature of this arrangement involves public servants working alongside the First Nations provider to boost its organisational capacity to improve services and employment outcomes for participants by:
- Establishing a more streamlined pathway towards secure work, including supporting people to navigate the complex services landscape.
- Strengthening service delivery and community trust through local stakeholder engagement and coordination, such as working with Broome Prison and Community Justice to support continuity of services pre and post release.
The department will engage and work with the Broome community throughout the trial, ensuring the service evolves and remains grounded in the principles of reconciliation and community empowerment.