Not just any job … the right job in a sustainable community

The participants gained knowledge of the environmental, cultural, historical, indigenous and sociological significance of the gallery and the park, while also gaining practical skills. The project achieved environmental, social and cultural outcomes. Indigenous plants, shrubs and trees were planted and all non-indigenous plants were removed. A disability access walkway was designed and constructed in the theme of a “serpent dreaming”. This walkway will eventually encircle the land around the gallery encouraging and allowing all community members to enter. Additional outcomes of the project included the design and construction of signs to promote the cultural and sociological significance of the areas to visitors and community members.

This project provides an excellent example of what is achievable when a genuine community development approach is utilised - an approach which ensures the project provides positive and measurable outcomes for the young people participating as well as for the environment and the community as a whole.

Conclusion

Over the past ten years the employment policy landscape has changed significantly, with an increasing focus on employment outcomes. However, in the future it is likely communities will increasingly demand that employment programs also deliver social and environmental outcomes.

The Green Corps program provides one example of how this can be achieved. We believe that the features of the Green Corps program may be relevant to a number of other employment programs and the future of employment policy and service delivery should be looking towards such models to create employment programs that deliver the right jobs in sustainable communities.