The Wirib Store in Timber Creek put on an Open Day recently to invite young people to think about working in the store.
“It’s important the younger generation in Timber Creek understand that as store managers, we want them to work in the store and they are valued” said Steve Smith the CEO of AIG.
Targeting youth unemployment
The day was the idea of Gunamu Aboriginal Corporation Board to improve employment awareness for Aboriginal youth in Timber Creek. Youth unemployment is a serious issue in the small town, and the board members want to encourage employment in the store.
Larry Johns is a Traditional Owner of the Timber Creek region and while he is an old man these days, working was very much a part of his life as a younger man. He hopes that sharing his story will encourage others to see the value of employment.
“All through the 1950’s, 60 and 70’s we had no choice but to work because there was no sit down money. You had to work or die of starvation. If there wasn’t any work, we used to go elsewhere to find work. And that was a good experience.
“We used to meet more young people from different tribes and used to make friends as we go along. You go another people’s country you had no choice but to make friends with them”.
Barriers to working are very real
The Timber Creek community is made up of eight clan groups that live in various sites near the town centre. A key barrier is that none of the sites are in walking distance to the shop, which means getting to work for young people is hard.
Another key barrier is a general willingness to work. The Indigenous unemployment rate in Timber Creek is close to 90% which means there is a serious lack positive employment role models. The result is youth are not driven to work and earn money.
Financial and general literacy is also an issue. Many of the youth are lacking key skills which makes them less likely to apply for jobs even when they are available.
“It’s like a fire, if you break one of the three elements, the fire goes out. It’s the same for Indigenous employment. There are many things that have to go right for youth in Timber Creek to hold down a job. If one of those things falls away, they invariably they stop working” said Steve.
AIG has been working with Gunamu Aboriginal Corporation since 2011 and managing the store and park since 2018. In that time we’ve struggled to improve the percentage of Indigenous staff despite many efforts. Currently there is only about 5% Indigenous employment in the store.
Ownership of the store has little meaning for the youth of Timber Creek
Gunamu Aboriginal Corporation owns the shop and the tourist park. Unfortunately ownership of the asset hasn’t encouraged Indigenous employment in the store or the park and as managers, we want to change that.
“People know they own the store in a general sense” explained Steve. “But it doesn’t have any meaning. For a long time the store has struggled and very little if any profits have flowed from the business. It’s fine to say it is your business but if there are no local Aboriginal people working there, it doesn’t really have much meaning to know that Aboriginal families own the business”.
Tackling barriers one step at a time
The Open Day was just the start. It was a low key affair that intended to invite people to come and meet store managers and get an idea of how their asset is managed. “We absolutely value the youth, and we absolutely want them to be working in the store and park” said Steve. This was the key message on the day.
Another approach will be training for people who work in the store. Literacy is a good place to start with, but the long term vision is about elevating locals past the role of store assistant and into management. As asset owners, the vision is that Indigenous employees manage their own asset with support from AIG where needed. We are a long way off, but no one is losing sight of this vision. Recently we achieved 100% Indigenous employment at the Bagala Community Store in Barunga and have every hope the same will happen at Wirib.
“We are having honest discussions with the people of Timber Creek about whose responsibility it is to help the youth learn about working. At the end of the day, it has to be collective approach, but everyone has a role to play” said Steve.
