<strong>Sureway</strong> operates in numerous communities with large Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander populations and high unemployment rates. <strong>Sureway</strong> will continue to lead by example by continuing to: > > run our annual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Trainee Program > > commit to the Australian Employment Covenant and work with Generation One to promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment > > sponsor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander focussed events like the Bangamalanha Conference in Dubbo > > appoint specialist staff and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mentors in areas of high unemployment > > work with schools, education, training providers and jobactive and community groups to provide preemployment training to First Australian Peoples. > > collaborate with VTEC (TAFE Western) to implement the VTEC program in the Riverina. <strong>Sureway</strong>’s Registered Training Organisation provides certified training courses to clients and training solutions to employers. <strong>Sureway</strong> Skills Training is internally known as our Training Services. <strong>Sureway</strong> Skills Training works with industry and employers to bridge skills gaps and ensure real outcomes for students, employees and employers. They provide training offered at a range of skill levels, delivery modes and industries and create pathways to work by matching people to jobs; ensuring clients develop the right skills. <strong>Sureway</strong> Skills Training delivers personal support, working one-on-one with individuals and businesses; and offer personalised advised, tailored training, flexible delivery and ongoing support. <strong>Sureway</strong> Skills Training offers a range of nationally accredited courses that cover industries from community services to construction. For example, <strong>Sureway</strong> has partnered with Ngangana and similar aged care and disability services to establish, develop and run an embedded aged care industry training program. <strong>Sureway</strong> Skills Training address individual needs through pre-entry level qualifications such as literacy and numeracy, industry-entry qualifications such as apprenticeships and traineeships, and higher level qualifications for those already in employment seeking to improve their skills or reskills in a different industry. <strong>Sureway</strong> continues to be an essential part of the communities we’ve worked in for over 20 years. We have developed extensive labour market knowledge, allowing us to source local vacancies and build strong relationships with employers and Job Seekers. Within each community we work with youth, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and mature aged job seekers. We support these clients by: > > running <strong>Sureway</strong>’s ‘Youth Force’ program which focuses on job seekers who are not yet job-ready and aims to address non-vocational issues > > partner with VTEC provider TAFE Western to implement VTEC services > > providing access to youth mentoring programs > > promoting the Restart Wage Subsidy for mature aged clients directly to employers > > providing access to programs that update mature aged client’s skills > > host information sessions that focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Youth Unemployment The development of our <strong>RAP</strong> is underpinned by our values: > > Compassion: We will take a caring, sensitive and compassionate approach to all people. > > Excellence: We will apply speed and simplicity to achieve goals, yet will pursue an unrelenting quest for excellence. > > Respect: We are committed to treating all staff, Job Seekers, employers and business associates with respect. > > Teamwork: We will collaborate with associates and encourage their positive contributions > > Innovation: We will assist Job Seekers to secure and maintain employment by providing information, opportunities and support in a practical, innovative and environmentally responsible manner. > > Integrity: We will reach for the highest levels of performance by displaying storing ethics, accountability and honesty and will maintain a leadership position in our industry. We will always conduct ourselves with integrity Our <strong>RAP</strong> <strong>Sureway</strong> Employment and Training committed to developing a Reconciliation Action Plan in July 2015. As part of the Strategic Business Plan for 2015, <strong>Sureway</strong>’s focus was to ensure our inaugural Plan followed closely to the organisations vision to: Transform communities by eliminating long term social and economic disadvantage. Our <strong>RAP</strong> builds on our existing Indigenous Employment Plan and Indigenous Procurement Policy and pronounces our commitment to developing ongoing opportunities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the training and employment sectors. At <strong>Sureway</strong>, we respect the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledge the unique position Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples occupy in Australian culture. The intention for <strong>Sureway</strong>’s <strong>RAP</strong> is to acknowledge and demonstrate our respect for Australia’s First Peoples, by building respectful relationships and creating equal opportunities. Situated predominately in regional and rural locations across NSW and VIC and present in areas of high Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations, <strong>Sureway</strong> felt it was time to take the next step towards reconciliation within the organisation, realising that we are currently in a position to contribute to empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in which we operate. <strong>Sureway</strong> invited staff across the organisation to participate and form a <strong>RAP</strong> Working Group. 4 5