A partnership with the Clontarf Foundation, which supports young First Nations men at secondary schools, has expanded BAE Systems Australia’s support for First Nations people in the Northern Territory. The new partnership reflects BAE Systems’ commitments to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and will fund programs in local communities close to the Harts Range area, outside Alice Springs, where the Company maintains a Jindalee Operational Radar Network site.
The partnership builds on work already being done with the Stars Foundation, which supports First Nations girls and young women to attend school, complete Year 12 and move into full-time work or further study. The partnerships underpin BAE Systems’ commitment to support the remote communities in which it operates.
Through BAE Systems Australia’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), the Company is creating opportunities for First Nations people via employment, community engagement and building business capability. In partnership with its suppliers, the Company is making sustainable economic contributions that stay in local communities.
Angela Wiggins, Chief People Officer at BAE Systems Australia, said: “We are dedicated to fostering meaningful relationships with remote communities and our work with organisations like Clontarf and the Stars Foundation helps us to address local needs, from education and health to cultural preservation and economic development.”
Ben Hudson, Chief Executive Officer at BAE Systems Australia, said: “Together with the Clontarf Foundation we want to help empower young First Nations men in their pursuit of secondary school graduation. By collaborating closely with Clontarf, we hope to improve school attendance, retention, and completion rates, ultimately creating a future with better opportunities for remote communities in the NT.”
Gerard Neesham, Chief Executive Officer at the Clontarf Foundation, said: “Using supportive relationships, a welcoming environment and a diverse range of activities, the young men in our program develop improved self-esteem and confidence which assists them to participate in society in a positive way. Our approach has proven to be very successful, not only in attracting young men to school and keeping them there, but also in having them embrace more disciplined, purposeful and healthy lifestyles.”
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