This week we celebrate National Reconciliation Week (27 May to 3 June), a time to celebrate and build on the respectful relationships shared by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians.
It is also a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
This year the theme for National Reconciliation Week is ‘Grounded in Truth, Walk Together with Courage’, which promotes the idea that to foster positive race relations, our relationship must be grounded in a foundation of truth.
This year during National Reconciliation Week, Reconciliation Australia invites Australians from all backgrounds to contribute to our national movement towards a unified future.
At Programmed, our Indigenous Workforce Services (IWS) program is committed to providing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with sustainable employment opportunities and supporting individuals throughout their careers with us. In doing so, we are contributing ‘closing the gap’ in Indigenous disparity.
Programmed Indigenous Engagement Manager Brendon Ah Chee leads this program on the West Coast of Australia and is incredibly passionate about his role.
‘Programmed is genuine in its approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement. We are not a tick and flick organisation. We work closely with our host customers to make sure they have a sound understanding of Aboriginal culture so they can provide an environment for our employees that is culturally appropriate,’ Brendon said.
‘More than just providing someone a job, we are also building confidence, raising self- esteem, creating role models, improving health and well-being, developing independence and ensuring better life outcomes for not only the employee but his or her family and their community.’
Brendon is a Nyikina and Yawuru man from the Kimberley region of Western Australia and grew up in the town of Derby. He has spent his career in the Aboriginal engagement space.
‘To me, Reconciliation means the wider Australian community acknowledging and accepting the history around colonization and the impact that it has had on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Once non-Aboriginal people know the history, they can begin to understand the transgenerational impact on families and what families/individuals are dealing with today.
It is also an opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be proud of their culture and be open to sharing their stories with the wider community.
This year’s theme provides an opportunity to put the spotlight on the reconciliation process, and for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to come together to talk about the history, share achievements and take the journey together to look at a unified future in Australia.’
Programmed strives for diversity, inclusion and equality of our people. We seek a workforce that is representative of the communities we work in. We encourage people of all cultures, gender, age, sexual orientation or abilities to apply.
For more information on how to create a diverse and qualified workforce, contact Brendon Ah Chee or Francine Pickett
