21 December 2011 – The team from Jobfind Centres Australia recently held a community barbeque to improve their engagement with the Indigenous community of Erub Island.

As a provider of Job Services Australia (JSA), Jobfind has been visiting the picturesque Erub Island, in the eastern cluster groups of the Torres Strait, since 2009 – providing assistance to a number of local job seekers on an ongoing monthly basis.

With many of the team’s earlier visits to the island showing lower than expected attendance, Jobfind consultants Louisa Taylor and Jaryd Olsen decided to hold a community barbeque to help better promote Jobfind within the remote Indigenous community.

“We had a great turn out, with around 30 people coming along to the barbeque throughout the day”, said Louisa Taylor, Assistant Manager of Jobfind’s Torres Strait operations. “And since the barbeque, we’ve noticed an increase in attendance when visiting the island – so it was definitely a worthwhile event”.

In addition to community engagement, Jobfind also used the event to provide more information to residents on the upcoming transition from Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) wages to Centrelink income support payments.

“We found that that many of the residents were unclear about how the new changes might affect them or their families, so the event was a good chance to sit down with everyone and clear up any misconceptions”, said Louisa.

The event also gave Jobfind the chance to speak with the Island’s CDEP provider and discuss how both organisations can better work together to meet the needs of job seekers.

Above: Jobfind consultant Jaryd Olsen speaks with residents of Erub Island

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NOTES TO EDITORS: About Jobfind Centres Australia Pty Ltd

Jobfind is a division of the Angus Knight group of companies, an Australian-owned organisation with a proven, decade-long record of providing quality employment and training services. A provider of the Australian Government’s Job Services Australia, Jobfind has placed almost half a million people into jobs since its inception. For more information on Jobfind and the Angus Knight Group, please visit www.jobfindcentre.com.au