Ladders Project Report Highlights Outstanding Success
Tuesday, 7 February 2006

Attachment: November Report 2005 v2.pdf

Over three years, Ganbina’s “Ladders to Success” employment program has been an outstanding success, according to the recently issued project completion report (available for download from this site).

The main Ladders to Success Project, implemented December 2002, was a partnership between the Commonwealth Department of Employment Workplace Relations (DEWR), the Department of Victorian Communities (DVC), the City of Greater Shepparton (COGS), Ganbina and approximately 60 local businesses, focused on achieving real and sustainable employment for Indigenous people in mainstream skilled or professional areas. It followed from a pilot “Ladders” project conducted in 2000.

In dealing with 131 individuals registered with the program, 125 fulltime or part-time/casual employment positions were created over the 3 years. A total of 73 full time employment positions were accessed, 10 of which are still progressing towards the 26 week outcome milestone.

This level of outstanding success has been acknowledged through the former DEWR State Manager: “Ladders (to Success) is placing Indigenous job seekers in more numbers and at a faster rate than any other program.” (Bob Harvey), and subsequently the current DEWR State Manager, “The project has also influenced the impact of other service provision and the expectation that both providers and DEWR view as possible for Indigenous job seekers” (Kerren Thorsen).

In the three years of operation of the project, it became apparent that the ‘work ready job seeker pool’ had been significantly depleted. To access the potential employment opportunities still on offer to the Indigenous population, differing methods of engagement and development are required. Ganbina will therefore be launching a new phase of Ladders to Success in 2006.