COVID responses to training needs has opened more ways for staff to attend training and professional development opportunities. This is great news for our delivery plans and scope in how we can further support our community needs.
High crime rates and the increase in disengaged youth across Newman has sparked a new partnership opportunity with local community services to deliver after school and school holiday programs. Much needed in Newman, EPIC staff are excited to be an active partner in the planning and rollout of this exciting new venture.
EPIC parenting staff have been working with community partners to co-design parenting workshops for 2022 and in response to current COVID mandates and travel restrictions. In response, we are developing a series of online parenting workshops and sessions to deliver to a wider range of Pilbara families looking to access support and further resources for their everyday parenting needs like behaviors, resilience, coping and isolation.
We have again partnered with Ngala to deliver customized information sessions to both Newman and Hedland families through an online platform to benefit current barriers to creche and day care.
Aboriginal employment and engagement activities across our regions continue to offer ongoing mentoring and employability support to local TAFE students, aboriginal high school students and aboriginal jobseekers through local work for the dole and employment initiatives such as Martu Farm in Newman, where local skills are developed through work experience and TAFE courses are delivered to build knowledge.
School workshops are also being delivered across the Pilbara to include work readiness, life skills, resumes and career guidance pathways. Engaging students through interactive and fun activities to start the career conversations is always a great way for our Career Coordinators to build their trust and deliver important advice to our youth.
You will often see our Community Programs staff out and about in the community whilst they attend a variety of local workshops, working groups and network meetings. The aim of these networks align to specific areas of community supports and identified gaps that include Community Wellbeing, Mental Health, Aboriginal Support, Family & Early Years, Employment and Training.
We recently received some positive feedback from a local Aboriginal Support Network group around our ongoing efforts in providing employment and mentoring support to a local Aboriginal organization and its members, clients, and staffing. Our work is appreciated by our stakeholders and confirms we are delivering support to our community.
What’s happening this month!
Ashburton mentoring – every Wednesday
NSHS – work readiness, life skills 15th, 22nd, 29th March 2022
Newman Youth Centre – work readiness 16th, 23rd, 30th March 2022
Karratha Stars Academy – Monday 14th March 2022
Roebourne GATE employability – Wed 16th March 2022
Ngala parenting tour Newman – 14-16th March 2022
EPIC Resilience for WOW Week Hedland – 28th March 2022
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