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Box 11.1.2 ‘Things that work’ — Improving Indigenous employmentoutcomesMoree Aboriginal Employment Strategy (NSW)The Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES) is a community strategy working incooperation with key Aboriginal leaders and in partnership with government and thecorporate sector. Originally driven by former Reconciliation Australia director, DickEstens, in the cotton town of Moree in the north west of NSW, it aimed to create jobsfor Aboriginal people to break down their reliance on welfare, create social stability andend a long history of racial trouble in the town.By helping Aboriginal people into jobs, the project also became an instrument of socialtransformation, achieving a shift in self-perception and wellbeing of Moree’s residents.The project has dramatically increased Aboriginal employment in Moree and has beenexpanded to seven offices in NSW, four offices in regional NSW and three offices inSydney.• In 2005-06 AES found jobs for more than 500 Aboriginal people.• In 2006-07, AES expects to secure more than 800 job placements for Aboriginalpeople.The AES School Based Traineeship program targets Aboriginal students in the last twoyears of high school, offering part time traineeships during their schooling so studentswill have jobs to move into after high school. Partner organisations include banks andlocal councils.• In 2006, 10 of the 12 Aboriginal students successfully completed the School BasedTraineeship Program in the ANZ and Commonwealth banks in Sydney.• In 2007, 81 Aboriginal School Based trainees commenced their two-yearcertificate II business services traineeship.The AES has trainees located in NSW and WA and plans to expand this further toother states in Australia from 2008.Source: (ABC 7.30 Report http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2006/s1823591.htm; ReconciliationAustralia http://www.reconciliation.org.au/i-cms.isp?page=145; AES unpublished).The Accor Asia Pacific Corporate Leaders for Indigenous Employment ProjectThe Corporate Leaders for Indigenous Employment Project encourages private sectorcompanies to generate job opportunities. It encourages them to use elements of theAustralian Government’s Indigenous Employment Programme to develop and tailortheir Indigenous employment strategies to meet their business needs.(Continued next page)11.4 OVERCOMINGINDIGENOUSDISADVANTAGE 2007