Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships

Home About IEP Cape York Goulburn/
Murray
East Kimberley Redfern Case Studies Key Partners Board Alumni Contact
IEP

The Indigenous community of 6,000 in the Goulburn-Murray region (encompassing Shepparton, Echuca and Cummeragunja) is the largest Indigenous population in Victoria outside of Melbourne.

The community is situated in a relatively prosperous region in Victoria. Despite this, they face a number of challenges

  • Around 50% of Indigenous people don't participate in the labour market.  Of those that do, in excess of 25% are unemployed;
  • Only 13% of school age children complete Year 12 half that of the mainstream community;
  • The large youth population lack connectedness, and feel isolated from the mainstream community.

Amongst these challenges, IEP and its Corporate Partners identified a number of positive characteristics:

  • Strong, passionate leadership who were looking to break out
  • A clear emphasis on youth, through the Rumbalara Football and Netball club (RFNC)
  • The presence of a number of other well organised Indigenous organisations
  • A large number of activities already underway but in need of some additional advice and resource

While only establishing a presence in the region in early 2006, IEP is already making strong contributions with assistance in

Victoria map

"The benefit of IEP also lies in their ability to provide strategic input into long-term objectives in the areas of governance and capacity building. The identification of deficits in community infrastructure of both skills and money needed urgent attention (and continues to need) from supporting bodies like IEP. It is one thing to identify issues; it is another thing altogether to act."
Paul Briggs, Indigenous Leader, Shepparton

football club