South Australian public sector employees can gain valuable experience within an Aboriginal-led community organisation when they join the Jawun Secondment Program.
This program was created in partnership with not-for-profit organisation Jawun, to equip leaders with thoughtful understanding of ongoing Aboriginal community issues and to encourage enriching, practical collaborations with the private sector which benefit the organisations and their communities.
Open to SA public sector employees at an AS06 levels or higher, the program is offered as a six-week residential placement.
To register your interest in the Jawun program or to attend an upcoming information session, please sign-up here
Several steps are involved in placing skilled secondees into Aboriginal organisations:
- Aboriginal origanisations identify support projects
- Required secondee skills identified
- Secondees are matched with projects
- Jawun manages participants induction into the region and provides ongoing support during their secondment.
A Jawun six-week residential secondment is both a challenging and rewarding experience. As a live-in residential program, it offers cultural immersion in a new working environment.
Secondees will require the support of their workplace and family in order to leave for the duration of the secondment. At times, there may be opportunities to engage in community activities outside of the normal required working hours.
Accommodation typically involves secondees having their own room in a house shared by one or two other secondees.
All placements will involve a four-day induction program (including camping out and other cultural experiences), a five-week project period and debriefing and evaluation sessions.
Opportunities are currently available in supporting organisations in one of the following two regions:
Lower River Murray, Lakes and Coorong
The Lower River Murray, Lakes and Coorong region is home to the Ngarrindjeri nation. The Ngarrindjeri’s traditional areas extend one hour south-east of Adelaide from Mannum, and downstream through Murray Bridge and Victor Harbor and along the coast through Goolwa to Cape Jervis, including Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert.
In this region, there is a growing desire among Ngarrindjeri people to create a future centred on caring for country, which incorporates respect for traditions, cultural responsibility and self-determination.
Current initiatives are focused on research, land management and developing a sustainable Ngarrindjeri regional economy.
To read the case study: Growing opportunity on Ngarrindjeri lands, click here.
For more information about the Lower River Murray, Lakes and Coorong region, visit the Jawun website.
Far West Coast
Jawun’s newest region at the Far West Coast has an Aboriginal population of approximately 1100 people and five smaller Aboriginal communities – Oak Valley, Yalata, Scotdesco, Koonibba, and Ceduna.
The leaders of key organisations in this region have identified the following focus areas:
- Maintenance, strengthening and promotion of Aboriginal culture
- Lack of economic and social development opportunities
- Poor education and consequent lack of real employment opportunities
- Poor health outcomes
- Lack of resources and suitably qualified workers in remote communities
- High cost of delivery of services to remote locations
- Lack of recreational and other creative alternatives.
For more information about the Far West Coast region, visit the Jawun website.
Program dates 2024
Round 1
Starts: Monday, 12 February 2024
Ends: Friday, 22 March 2024
Round 2
Starts: Monday, 6 May 2024
Ends: Friday, 14 June 2024
Round 3
Starts: Monday, 5 August 2024
Ends: Friday, 13 September 2024
Round 4
Starts: Monday, 28 October 2024
Ends: Friday, 6 December 2024
Please click here to get more information about the timeline for each round.
Costs may vary depending on the secondee group size, the placement region, and whether Jawun needs to hire a car for the secondee.
As a guide the costs range from $4000 – $6000 per secondee.
The total amount is invoiced to the home agency when the secondment is completed. This includes the six-week accommodation costs and travel, meals, cultural tours and incidentals.
Additional home agency costs:
- Staff wages during secondment (secondees remain employees of their home agency at their existing salary)
- Applicable staff allowances such as meals and incidentals
- Car hire and fuel (only if required)
- Laptop and internet access (only if required)
Criteria
To be eligible for the Jawun Secondment Program you must be employed as an AS06 or higher or an executive in the SA public sector.
Vaccination
All participants who are visiting Aboriginal organisations or regions must have fulfilled the vaccination requirements - including any necessary boosters.
Jawun COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
Application process
Your line manager must approve your application.
Be sure to factor in the program costs and six-week time commitment, before submitting this form.
Please confirm the dates or round that you are available when emailing the completed form to:
Sandra Russell
Department for Correctional Services
Designing an atlas of the Ngarrindjeri Nation
Find out more about Sandra's experience here.
Immacolata ‘Mac’ Bollella
Department of Treasury and Finance
Designing a marketing and nranding strategy for the Ngarrindjeri Nation. Find out more about Mac's experience here.
For more information, please email tristan.alexander@sa.gov.au
To visit the Jawun website, click here.