The Central Desert Regional Council (CDRC) has introduced an innovative approach to empower Central Desert communities with sustainable employment opportunities.

Daniel Shane, Regional Manager, Youth & Community Services at CRDC sees the program as a great way to help with engagement and employment.  ‘We are trying to be locally led and locally managed. In the hopes that communities are going to be more engaged, are going to provide what community wants,’ he said.

As a local government entity covering an expansive 282,000sq km and serving 12 communities to the north of Alice Springs, CRDC is committed to fostering growth and prosperity in the region.

CDRC’s Youth Services team plays a pivotal role in this initiative by nurturing future leaders within these communities.

The Future Leaders Program is a practical leadership framework aimed at ensuring a continuous sucession of capable and educated individuals to carry on the community’s important work.

‘The program is about developing local ownership and leadership of the program, through its local workforce, said Daniel.

Working with communities in the Central Dessert region, CDRC is also identifying other positions that could be filled by local people and will then work through the Youth Services Team to place people into work experience, casual or full-time positions. 

This process will also allow for people to get a variety of opportunities to trial several different roles.

‘We’re wanting to give people an opportunity to get a taste of what it’s like to work in different areas of the CRDC, initially in a work placement type of way. ‘This is a way of removing barriers so people can give it a go, position themselves for future employment,’ explained Daniel.

CDRC will soon have a range of new employment options including traineeships, school-based apprenticeships, and vocational education training pathways to assist with obtaining the required educational outcomes.

‘We have a significant barrier with the cost of training – there are a lot of people who don’t get training that they want value and need, because we don’t have the budget.’

‘Introducing traineeships provides this, built into employment, there will be real skills to get out of it, and people are learning and earning,’ said Daniel.

Through the Future Leaders Program, the Youth Services Team will work with people to re-enrol in education or follow more suitable pathways like structured on-the-job training which can lead to ongoing employment.

The CDRC program will contribute to providing a workforce that better reflects the community’s needs.