The new jobs program is positively impacting job seekers on the Tiwi Islands
The Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program is positively impacting the health and well-being of job seekers, while successfully boosting manufacturing and tourism.
Two art centres on the Tiwi Islands are employing local people through the Remote Jobs and Economic Development (RJED) program, ensuring Tiwi culture continues to be shared through manufacturing and tourism opportunities.
New employees at the Ngaruwanajirri Arts Centre are working in cleaning, maintenance and gardening, food preparation and driving jobs. They also collect and prepare traditional Tiwi art materials such as ochres, ironwood and stringybark, and provide support to local artists with disabilities.
Raphaelina Babui knows how meaningful gaining employment can be.
‘I feel proud and more confident; I was looking everywhere on the Island for a job and Ngaruwanajirri gave me a chance. I am very grateful, and love my job,’ she says.
Over at Bima Wear, they were funded for 8 jobs through the RJED program to help them with their range of services from screen printing to creating funeral garments with family totems, to footy gear for the finals.
‘Getting the RJED funding was such a relief, knowing we have this for 3 years and positions were applied for across a range of areas such as sewers, printers, admin and tourism. This meant the whole Bima family was secured. Very positive,’ Bima Wear manager, Donna Russell says
As part of the RJED program, employers can also apply for additional funding through the Community Jobs and Business Fund (CJBF) which can be used for equipment, infrastructure, employee capacity building, on-costs and overheads to directly help people in their new roles.
The RJED funding is helping Bima Wear to explore tourism activities.
‘Tourism is very new for Bima and would love this to be more regular. We got money for a bus, which allows us to take tourists from the ferry and show them around Bima Wear,’ Donna says.
The biggest impact the RJED program is having on the new employees at both centres is allowing them to support themselves and their families. The income and employment provide people with food security and helps them to improve their self-confidence.
Barbara Tipiloura, who works at Ngaruwanajirri Arts Centre supporting artists with disabilities says, ‘I feel happy, more confident, more secure and safe.’
Since it began, the RJED program has approved funding for around 1,700 jobs.
Find out more information at www.niaa.gov.au/remote-jobs.
Image 1: Bima wear.
Image 2: The Bima wear team.