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Latrobe City’S Indigenous Employment Program Award SuccessLatrobe City’s Indigenous Employment Program has been recognised at two award presentations, By Latrobe City - 28th February 2011 - Back to News winning at the Local Government Professionals (LGPro) Awards for Excellence and the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) Leadership in the Public Sector Awards.
Latrobe City’s chief executive officer, Paul Buckley, said that the Indigenous Employment Program thoroughly deserved its double success, with proven results over a number of years.
"The LGPro Award recognised the huge amount of work put in by the Community Development team at Latrobe City Council, particularly Jo Brunt, coordinator employment development who delivers the service. The submission entitled ‘Steps to the Future’ was judged in the Service Delivery Initiative category. The judging panel described the program as ‘exemplary’.
"The IPAA Award was judged in the category of Indigenous Employment Award. The judging panel heard that the program was created as a key response to Latrobe City Council’s Statement of Reconciliation and Commitment to Indigenous People.
"We are very proud that both awards reflect the input from officers here at Latrobe City Council, and the wider Gippsland community; the businesses and organisations that employ participants and the participants themselves," Mr Buckley said.
Latrobe City’s manager community development, Steven Tong, said that since the program began in 2003, more than 300 people have been employed, with an average 85 percent retention rate.
"Even more impressive, is that since October 2009, nearly 50 people have been employed and that retention rate currently sits at 90 percent. This includes 26 participants with government roles, agency traineeships, including local government, primary health care, and childcare.
"We put in a huge effort to develop and oversee the program and it’s always good to be acknowledged," Mr Tong said.
Mr Buckley added that Latrobe City had a proud record of achievement in the LGPro Awards for Excellence, receiving awards over the past few years for various initiatives.
"We had finalists nominated in the Special Projects Initiatives with our ‘Supporting our Bereaved Community’ project delivered by the bushfire recovery team; and one of our early education teachers, Kate McCulley, was nominated in the Young Achiever category.
"Alongside those nominations, the ‘Communities in Recovery’ program, established after the 2009 bushfires, was nominated as finalist in the IPAA awards.
Latrobe City mayor, Councillor Darrell White, said that Council prided itself on service delivery across all areas and these awards recognised but a small number of service delivery programs.
"To be nominated as finalist in these diverse areas is testament to the hard work Council staff put in on behalf of the wider community," Cr White concluded.
Media Enquiries:
Media Relations Team
Telephone: 5128 5458 or 0407 862 977
Jacinta Kennedy, Manager Community Relations
Telephone: 5128 5421 or 0401 824 195
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com

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