WRL is proud to partner with the Clontarf Foundation, a national organisation dedicated to improving the education and life skills of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.
About Clontarf Foundation
The Clontarf Foundation exists to improve the education, discipline, life skills, self-esteem and employment prospects of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and by doing so, equips them to participate more meaningfully in society.
Since opening its first Academy for 25 boys in 2000 at the Clontarf Aboriginal College (Perth, WA), the Foundation has grown to cater for over 10,000 boys in 152 schools across Australia -including 33 in WA. The program is delivered through a number of Academies that establish a welcoming environment and supportive relationships through a range of rich, experiential learning activities. These activities aim to engage students while maintaining a focus on education, leadership, employment, healthy lifestyles, life skills and sport.
The Clontarf programme provides an important school-engagement mechanism for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male students who may otherwise not attend or have very low school attendance. The support provided both in and out of school has seen Clontarf achieve average retention of 90% of students and school attendance rates maintained at an average of 80% across all Academies.
Working in partnership with schools and communities, full-time locally based Clontarf staff members provide an educational engagement and life skills programme which, through a diverse and comprehensive range of activities enables the boys to develop the values, skills and abilities that will assist them to transition into meaningful work and achieve better life outcomes.
The impact of the contribution
WRL funding will support young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men to participate in Clontarf academies in Western Australia.
“We are extremely excited that the Western Rock Lobster Council has become an official partner of the Clontarf Foundation. We are always striving to expose the young Aboriginal men in our programme to new experiences and opportunities and WRL will provide such unique opportunities for our boys that they may never even have thought was possible, or even known about.”
-Gerard Neesham, Clontarf Foundation CEO
Private sector partnerships are critical to the success of the Clontarf Foundation. In addition to the vital funding which enables them to operate their school-based programmes across the country, the real value of partnerships with private sector organisations is in the relationships, interaction, employment and training opportunities with the young Aboriginal men in their programme.
Through our partnership with the Clontarf Foundation, WRL aims to increase aboriginal participation in the industry through meaningful employment opportunities, as well as provide financial support to the Foundation to enable it to assist young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men across Australia.
Getting involved
There are endless opportunities available for our industry to get involved with the Clontarf programme through both social and employment-based activities. You can volunteer at Clontarf events, participate in community activities, engage with the boys in a range of sporting activities or assist with CV writing, interview skills, hosting worksite visits and talking about potential career pathways within your industry.
To learn more about Clontarf visit www.clontarf.org.au or contact Carey-Ann Harper at carey-ann@westernrocklobster.org to see how you can get involved.
