All fired up: Elder Chris West, left, Jillian Wet and Therese Dalakian-Favaloro at a welcome to country and smoking ceremony to launch Deadly Yakka jobs program for Indigenous people in the region. Picture: Gary Sissons
A SERVICE for Indigenous job seekers in the Melbourne south east region was launched this week.
Elder Uncle Chris West hosted a welcome to country and smoking ceremony at the Narim Marr Dihambana (Frankston Gathering Place) on Monday (28 May) to launch the Deadly Yakka program.
The program is a MatchWorks employment agency two-week course specifically designed for Indigenous people.
MatchWorks executive general manager Renae Lowry said the program aims to build a network for job seekers to find a job they are passionate about.
“It covers goal setting and personal development, life skills for work, interview skills, cultural awareness training, presentation advice, workplace expectations and job search skills while also addressing personal barriers to understand what has been holding participants back in their journey to work,” she said.
The Deadly Yakka program has previously been rolled out in Bendigo, Sunshine, Bacchus Marsh, Werribee and Warrnambool.
Indigenous mentors stay in touch with job seekers and participants when employed to help with stable employment.
Matchworks has offices in Frankston, Pakenham, Mornington, Hastings and Rosebud in the region.
See matchworks.com.au online or call 5229 8733 for more details.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 30 May 2018