Creating pathways to employment

Argyle recognises that providing local employment and training opportunities is one of the most profound and enduring ways that it can help strengthen the East Kimberley, but that there are a number of impediments to Aboriginal people gaining employment. These include low retention rates at school, low self-esteem amongst Aboriginal young people and lack of academic support. Argyle is trying to address these impediments through its involvement in a number of education support programmes, including:

• Yachad Accelerated Learning Programme: This pilot educational programme is based on education models from Israel that have been very successful in helping students left behind by the regular school system. The programme uses simple educational principles to lift the lower performing students up to and beyond acceptable levels of performance. The programme is being hosted in Western Australia by Halls Creek District High School and will also operate in Shepparton, Victoria and Aurukun, Queensland over a three-year period.
• Follow The Dream Programme: The Follow The Dream programme at Kununurra District High School offers students with strong academic potential greater opportunity to succeed in their school years, by providing them with places in which to study, access to computers, tutoring, leadership development camps and career planning. The programme is a partnership between the Kununurra District High School, the Graham Farmer Foundation, the Western Australian Department of Education and Training, the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training, Rio Tinto Future Fund and Argyle.
• Leadership Camps: The Garnduwa Young Women's Leadership Camp, hosted by Argyle in partnership with the Rio Tinto WA Future Fund and the Garnduwa Aboriginal Corporation, draws on the successes of Argyle's female employees to inspire young women to take control of their lives and become strong leaders in their communities. It targets secondary students aged between 13 and 17 years from across the Kimberley region. Argyle also provides facilities for the Police Rangers Camp, an annual event run in conjunction with the Western Australian Police Department and the Kununurra District High School that is designed to increase self-esteem and leadership amongst young men. Participants are involved in a range of activities on and around the Argyle mine site, exposing them to life in a work environment and building their understanding of their future options.