Yaka Dandjoo - Bunbury Outer Ring Road Sustainable Employment Program

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.

IMPACT
​191 Graduates across 13 cohorts
132 Individuals gained employment in the construction industry
109 were directly connected to the BORR project

READ MORE:
www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/projects-initiatives/projects-initiatives-news/borr-031024-looking-back-at-yaka-dandjoo/

Services Australia - Aspiring Program

Currently IPS is working with Services Australia for its Aspiring Program, seeded to grow the number of First Nations employees in leadership positions through self-development and self-realisation.
In 2022, Module 1 of the four modules was delivered in Cairns for all four cohorts.
The three-day cultural immersion module includes a Welcome to Country, smoking ceremony and evening cultural immersion with Traditional Custodians, the Gimuy-Walubarra Yidi people. The remaining modules will be delivered in Sydney and Canberra.
The Aspiring Program is for First Nations employees on the path to management. Content has been developed from the exclusive IPS Leadership Framework chapters Leading Self and Leading Others, and includes elements from the IPS Cultural Competency Suite, a development program created to bring whole teams on a journey of cultural competency and empowerment, with an overarching goal of developing a culturally safe workplace in order to effectively balance self, community and work commitments.  
The program, a joint IPS venture between its First Nations Advisory and Organisational Capability departments, includes culturally appropriate personal profiling and coaching, co-design and delivery of learning programs including self-paced online learning and two- to three-day immersion workshops.
Topics range from the inspiring (Understanding Your Cultural Identity, Your Cultural Journey and Allyship) to the challenging (Lateral Violence, Walking in Two Worlds and Cultural Safety); and is designed with real-world examples and led by facilitators with real-world experience.

Department of Education Report: Best practice methods for retaining students in regional, rural and remote areas to Year 12

Working in collaboration with the Department, IPS undertook consultations with key stakeholders including state and territory education authorities, ministers, school principals and staff, peak body groups, current students in Year 9 to Year 12, and past students who did not complete Year 12. Engagements focused on understanding student experiences, intentions, and views about approaching and completing Year 12.
Analysis involved an extensive literature review as well as thematic qualitative analysis from interviews, focus groups, and an online survey, which enabled IPS to propose methods for scaling-up approaches across Australian RRR schools and to develop case studies demonstrating effective practice. 
Case studies considered a broad range of factors including teaching practice, curriculum relevance, the transition from Year 10 to Year 12, visibility of post-secondary pathways and career advice, support services offered, cultural diversity, student wellbeing and support services provided, digital literacy and accessibility, boarding schools, and the availability of senior subjects.
The report of findings and case studies has been provided to the Department in its entirety. An infographic summarising key findings from the report has also been shared with all relevant stakeholders, including ethics and research bodies who provided approval to conduct the research.
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