Case Study:

The Yaka Dandjoo Program (the Program) is an award-winning legacy program, designed to provide lasting opportunities for the Southwest region long after the conclusion of the Bunbury Outer Ring Road (BORR) project.

The program aimed to provide opportunities for Unemployed Entry Level Work Ready (UELWR) people from a wide range of demographics, including people over 45 years, women, young people, and Aboriginal candidates, allowing them to feel proud, confident, and secure in the knowledge that they will have a job to provide for their community and family. The program aimed to create a positive impact on the mental health of people through the appropriate support and skills to allow them to be a role model for the wider community.
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The model that informed the Program’s development recognised that there was a limited capability and understanding of how to recruit/retain unemployed job seekers with additional needs, or how to engage with Aboriginal people in a culturally appropriate manner. In order to provide opportunities in building confidence, capabilities, and traineeships/jobs for unemployed job seekers, the Program was aware that these outcomes required a force within the project to push for every opportunity for unemployed jobseekers. IPS took an approach that was founded on authentic leadership and accountability, as well as recognising local industry as a key delivery partner for the Program via Group Training Organisations (GTOs) or via subcontractors in delivering our aimed outcomes.

The Program’s development demonstrated IPS’s ability to effectively respond to community needs, targeting the needs of the long-term unemployed. Through researching relevant data sources and statistics, as well as liaising with several sectors (employment service providers, Government, construction companies, and other key stakeholders), IPS was able to define issues to address and identify potential solutions to meet the needs of unemployed jobseekers and the community, as well as industry and business.
When recruiting participants, IPS met with Job Active providers and sought out participant referrals, with Program 1 receiving 83 referrals and resulting in 66 contacts. From these contacts, 45 participants were booked in for three Recruitment Centre days, along with the program encouraging walk-ins and referrals. The first program comprised of 80 per cent Aboriginal participants and included three prison release participants.

Participants were given a summary of the Program, requirements in participating, opportunities available from the program, and an overview of what the project process will be for the participants. Additionally, participants completed other activities during this time frame, including a team building activity, safety discussions relevant to the program, and a Saville personal profile test to provide information into participant numerical, spatial, mechanical, and verbal capabilities. The Saville personal profile test, along with other relevant demographic information, were all taken into account when going through the program; for every person who came in, their unique journey was plotted.
The first program offered three paths (depending on skills): Heavy vehicle training (10 weeks), infrastructure-ready skillset (three weeks), and work exposure (two weeks). Additionally, a week-long Thrive Life Skills program was conducted (26 people), to develop physical, psychological and cultural safety and building resilience for employment.

Being part of an Alliance, further considerations had to be exercised and kept in mind, specifically in terms of stakeholder engagement in the Program. Alongside training and engagement with participants, stakeholder consultation and engagement was conducted on an ongoing basis to ensure all parties were brought along on the journey and to gain buy-in and support. Being a new concept and program, policies, procedures, systems, processes, training, and mentoring were all designed for the Program and had to be delivered to a standard that all stakeholders were satisfied with.

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The SWGA and IPS team receiving the Award for Excellence in Social Outcomes.