Awards recognise seniors’ reconciliation efforts

National Seniors Australia has been rewarded for its efforts in reconciliation by being a finalist in the Premier’s 2010 Business Reconciliation Awards in Queensland announced Thursday 27 May.

National Seniors’ Indigenous Skills Transfer and Exchange Partnership (INSTEP) program, which places seniors in Aboriginal communities, was recognised as a top four finalist in the Community Organisation Award category.

INSTEP volunteers go into communities and pass on a range of skills assisting with projects like schooling, trades such as market gardening, community governance, healthy eating and more.

In 2009, 24 seniors collectively volunteered more than 862 days in Indigenous communities. INSTEP volunteers contributed an estimated 4,618 voluntary hours in Indigenous communities.

INSTEP project manager Karen Furnivall said INSTEP had been embraced by a number of communities who see the program as a catalyst for bringing about positive change in areas such as literacy and numeracy, school attendance and employment participation.

“The volunteers who have worked in the communities continue to receive the praise and admiration of Indigenous community and government representatives,’’ she said.

Ms Furnivall said it was the first time INSTEP had been recognised in the Business Reconciliation Awards.

“To be named as a finalist in the awards is fantastic. It’s shows that we are serious about wanting to help Indigenous communities and it’s testament to the volunteers and communities who actively embrace the program.”

Volunteers have been placed in the communities of Hope Vale, Cooktown, Cairns, Mapoon, Sunnybank and Yarrabah (Qld); Burringurrah, Mungullah and Exmouth (WA) and Thursday Island (Torres Straight).

INSTEP is looking for more ‘grey nomads’ to donate their time and expertise in regional communities and in some metropolitan locations around Australia.

To find out more about volunteering opportunities for INSTEP phone 1300 76 50 50.

Media contact: 07 3233 9135