Indigenous volunteers complete SES training course

4 July 2008 | Minister for Fair Trading, Youth and Volunteering, Linda Burney

Minister for Volunteering Linda Burney today presented certificates to the first group of
Indigenous volunteers to complete a training course for volunteering in emergency services run by the Taree Community College.

Ms Burney said the State Emergency Service (SES) Indigenous Volunteers training project is a joint initiative of the SES, Department of Education and Training and the Office for Volunteering in the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

"I am pleased to be in Taree today to meet the first group of 10 graduates from Purfleet who have completed the course," Ms Burney said.

"Most of the graduates are around 17 years old which indicates to me that young
Aboriginal people are committed to playing a constructive role in sustaining their communities.

"They are now eligible to become volunteers at their local SES branch. Aboriginal people are very active volunteering informally in their communities but accredited courses of this type provide a means for them to join a mainstream volunteering organisation.

"The program has been a great success because of the wonderful support, hard work and cooperation of SES trainers Ray Brewer, Peter Floyd and John Orrick, and Robin
Robert, Indigenous Program Coordinator from Taree Community College."

Run over two weeks, the program included SES and first aid training, an induction at the College, and time spent on site at the local SES branch.

The course in Taree is the first to be run following the success of a pilot program in Moree last year. It is also being held in Community Colleges at Tabulam, Casino and
Wagga Wagga.

"The courses will hopefully boost the vital emergency volunteer response for local communities across NSW," Ms Burney said.

"Something the Iemma Government is very keen to see is an increase in the diversity of the volunteer workforce and initiatives like this one are vital if we want to strengthen our communities and make our society cohesive and caring."

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