Many Rivers Regional Partnership Agreement 

Project Description: Establish the Regional Partnership Committee (RPC) and the GTDUAC

Project Rationale:  The governance framework is based on the principles of responsibility and accountability and engagement with the Aboriginal community, through their representation on the Regional Partnership Committee (RPC) and the GTDUAC. To achieve the objectives in this Agreement and close the gap targets for employment and education, and progress the future development of this Agreement into other business areas and employment markets.

The RPC has a strategic and advisory role, overseeing the implementation and progress of the Agreement while facilitating a consistent approach between all parties. The RPC also has an important role in monitoring the performance management of the Agreement, addressing poor performance and ensuring objectives and outcomes are achieved for Indigenous people in the region. The GTDUAC will provide progress reports to the RPC when it meets four times per year.

The GTDUAC is responsible for economic and business development primarily to secure commercial contracts for AGTs, provide support services, market AGTs to industry, and coordinate and liaise with service providers.

Activity

Lead Agency & Partners

Targets

When

Establish the RPC

• Schedule the RPC meeting and invite interested persons from stakeholder and community groups
• RPC members to be nominated and selected at RPC inaugural meeting
• Terms of Reference for RPC
• Roles and responsibilities of RPC members
• Communication protocols between the RPC and GTDUAC to be negotiated
• Performance management framework including protocols to address poor performance to be drafted and implemented
• RPC to agree to the GTDUAC being set up

FaHCSIA

DEEWR

Funding Partners

RPC members recruited and inaugural meeting held.

The Terms of Reference, roles responsibilities and performance management framework in place.

Completed

Membership will be reviewed after the RPC has been in place for 6 months.

Establish the GTDUAC

• Consultant to prepare business plan and propose the governance and structure of GTDUAC

• To meet with DEEWR when preliminary draft report is written
• Final report to be presented to all stakeholders
• The RPC to recruit GTDUAC members from stakeholder and community groups through an ‘expression of interest’ selection process
• Members to appoint directors to the Board
• GTDUAC to be incorporated
• CEO if the GTDUAC to be recruited
• CEO to recruit other positions in the GTDUAC

FaHCSIA

DEEWR

ORIC

RPC

Corporation members and directors are selected.

Constitution for the GTDUAC is ratified

CEO for the GTDUAC is recruited.

Constitution is ratified.

GTDUAC incorporated.

Completed

GTDUAC commence operating in Oct 09

GTDUAC to report to RPC when RPC meets

Incorporated 29 Jul 09

Project Description: The GTDUAC is an economic and business development unit whose primary responsibility is to secure commercial work opportunities for AGTs and to develop other employment markets for Aboriginal people. The GTDUAC has to market AGTs to industry and potential employers as well as provide business support services such as mentoring, business management and project management services to AGTs and assist those who would like to become Aboriginal businesses.

Project Rationale: The GTDUAC will be the business entity engaging with government and industry to secure commercial work, create employment markets and provide business support and planning services to the AGTs.

• AGT meetings will be held to gain feedback about the type of business arrangement and working relationship AGTs want with the GTDUAC.
• Business arrangement, working relationship and protocols between the GTDUAC and AGTs to be negotiated and finalised. 

FaHCSIA

AGTs

Business arrangement, relationship and protocols between AGTs and GTDUAC is finalised.

Dec 2009.

• Recruitment of GTDUAC positions to be finalised.

GTDUAC Manager

Recruitment of staff.

Sept - Oct 2009.

• The GTDUAC and any partner employer organisation will apply for Structured Training & Employment Program (STEP) funding for AGTs. This funding will be used to develop trainees/employees in AGTs to a level where they will be able to undertake job opportunities with industry.
• There are at least 50 AGTs in the region, all at different stages of development – some AGTs are already incorporated businesses who have trained experienced employees, who are able to move into commercial work immediately and/or tender for the work themselves. Other AGTs will need support with training, work experience and mentoring over the next 12 months to get to a level (category 2) where they can start to consider jobs with industry. Employer incentive funding programs such as the Emerging Indigenous Entrepreneurs Initiative (EIEI) and Indigenous Small Business Fund (ISBF) may also be accessed for those AGTs, which want to become Aboriginal owned businesses.
• The GTDUAC will also explore funding options with all spheres of Government for their operations and for the AGTs

GTDUAC
AGTs

FaHCSIA, DEEWR
DEWHA/DAFF/Natural Resource Management, Indigenous Business Australia, Indigenous Land Corporation, DECC, DET, philanthropic organisations.

GTDUAC/employer organisation to apply for STEP funding.

GTDUAC secures funding with other Government agencies and philanthropic organisations.

Sept 2009 - Sept 2011.

Sept 2009 - Sept 2011.

Sept 2009 - Sept 2011

• A consultant is conducting an audit of AGTs in the region. When the audit is completed, it will form part of the handover package for the GTDUAC.

FaHCSIA

Audit of AGTs is completed.

Completed

• The GTDUAC to be operating by Oct 2009 and financing its operations from commissions earned from negotiated contracts and administering funding allocations. In the first year, the GTDUAC will need to secure $2m of land management and conservation work, in its second year of operation, $4m and in its third year, $6m. From year four GTDUAC resources will be activity and contract derived.
• GTDUAC to market AGTs and its services to government, industry, stakeholders, Aboriginal businesses and communities.
• Negotiate with Government and Industry to be a ‘preferred provider’ in the area of land management and conservation work.
• The GTDUAC will develop other employment markets for Aboriginal people and communities such as in the arts, sports, culture, media, tourism, hospitality, aged care, construction and housing.
• Progress reports will be provided to the RPC four times a year by the GTDUAC.

GTDUAC

Australian, NSW State, Local Governments and Industry.

FaHCSIA

GTDUAC will generate enough income to fund its own operations and develop other employment markets.

Maintain a strong marketing strategy to AGTs, Government, Industry and the Aboriginal community.

Oct 2009 – Jun 2012

Project Description:  The Green Team Development Unit Aboriginal Corporation (GTDUAC) will be facilitating the referral of AGT participants/employees to education, training and employment.

Project Rationale: An important aspect of this Agreement is the continuum/pathway for the GTDUAC to refer AGT participants/trainees/employees to education, training and employment. The GTDUAC being located at the Coffs Harbour Education Centre (CHEC) as part of the Coffs Harbour Technology Park (CHTP) in its Innovation Centre will be in a unique position to be able to facilitate and broker courses for AGTs as part of the support services offered to AGTs .The GTDUAC has an important role in supporting the development of trainees/employees in AGTs so that they are able to undertake commercial work opportunities. As there is a high turnover of participants/trainees/ employees in AGTs, training will remain a high need in developing AGT recruits. The GTDUAC will also liaise with Employment Service Providers to refer participants/trainees/employees to AGTs and other employment areas.

• Protocols for referrals and facilitating courses for AGTs to be negotiated between the GTDUAC and CHEC. This may form part of the MOU CHEC and FaHCSIA (see schedule for Objective 2) are currently negotiating.  

FaHCSIA
GTDUAC
CHEC

Protocols agreed/ MOU signed.

Oct 2009 – Feb 2010.

• Guidelines and protocols for assessing training and development needs for AGTs to be negotiated between the GTDUAC and AGTs.

GTDUAC and AGTs

Guidelines and protocols are agreed.

Oct 2009 – Feb 2010.

• Protocols for referring participants to employment to be negotiated with Employment Service Providers.

GTDUAC
Job Services Australia (JSA) Members,
Community Work Coordinators (CWC)

• Indigenous Employment Program IEP

Protocols agreed.

Oct 2009 – Feb 2010.

• Referrals to employment and training. The targets are to provide employment for 130 Aboriginal people in AGTs, provide training in Business Management for 30 Aboriginal people (Team Leaders in AGTs) and Conservation and Land Management for another 30 Aboriginal people every year.

GTDUAC, AGTs
CHEC, TAFES, JSA, IEP, CWC

Annual employment and training targets met.

Oct 2009 – Feb 2010.

• The GTDUAC will apply for funding from Australian, NSW State Governments and philanthropic organisations to fund training for AGTs.

DEEWR
DET

Funding applications are successful.

Oct 2009 – Feb 2010.

Project Description:  To identify the support services needed to assist Aboriginal people in employment.

Project Rationale:  An important feature of the Agreement is to address the lack of human services supporting Aboriginal people working in full time jobs. Typically, there are service gaps, which are barriers to employment, such as transport, gaining driver’s licences, substance abuse, numeracy and literacy, childcare, motivation, mentoring, health issues, and housing. The Agreement will base this work upon detailed data collection and will focus on ‘Closing the Gap’ commitments in employment, Year 12 completion rates, health, and literacy and numeracy rates.

• A detailed mapping exercise will be undertaken to identify the gaps in service/s in each priority location and in the region.   

FaHCSIA

A report outlining service gaps in the region.

Oct 2009 – Jun 2010.

• Where service gaps are identified, the GTDUAC will liaise with funding agencies/organisations to facilitate referrals to another service or develop a service in the area.   

GTDUAC
Australian, NSW State and Local Government agencies.

Services are available and accessible.

Oct 2009 – Jun 2012.