Green Corps comes to Imanpa
Young people in the Imanpa Community in the Northern Territory recently had the opportunity of a lifetime when they participated in the first Green Corps project to be delivered there.
In February, eight young people graduated from the project, which was delivered by Job Futures member organisation Anangu Jobs. Imanpa Community, located 275km south west of Alice Springs, has a lack of native ecosystems as a result of damage to the environment from past land uses. During the six month project, the participants worked hard to reduce fire hazards, repair erosion damage, protect plant species, and reduce dust and wind within the community area.
Community Chairperson Tanya Luckey was impressed with the opportunities that the project gave young people in the community.
‘I am proud of the work that was done around the community by the young fellas who participated in the project; they are an inspiration. Projects like these are helpful in getting young people into the habit of working, especially in remote areas like Imanpa’, she said.
Participant Dan Wongway enjoyed his Green Corps experience. ‘It’s great to have picked up skills while working in my own community’, Dan said.
A number of participants graduated with a Certificate I in Conservation and Land Management. Students worked closely, both in Alice Springs and on-site, with Charles Darwin University’s Simon Leadbeater, who has a wealth of experience in the delivery of remote education.
As a national network of not-for-profit organisations, Job Futures has been delivering Green Corps projects since 2002, including a number of projects in remote communities such as Imanpa and Mutitjulu. Through partnerships with local organisations, Job Futures Green Corps projects make a positive difference to the local environment, the community, and the lives of the young people who work on the projects.
