September 10, 2014
Out past Goomeri, the Shaftesbury Centre has launched its third program in the South Burnett … this time an agricultural training facility for young indigenous men.
The Deception Bay-based charity already operates a Rodeo School and the Silver Lining Bahun Jal Mono facility at Ficks Crossing near Murgon.
Its latest venture, launched in July, is based at Cherbourg Aboriginal Council’s Bralbin Minya cattle property, located between Goomeri and Kilkivan.
Shaftesbury has entered into 20-year lease agreement with Council to run the property.
CEO Kristian Wale said the aim of the project was to equip young people with the skills necessary for employment as well as teaching sustainable farming practices that promote the long-term viability of cattle farming.
The farm is home to herd of about 150 head of Charbray cattle owned by Cherbourg Council.
At the moment, 10 young men from Cherbourg and Murgon are enrolled in the Bralbin Minya program.
For the past six weeks, they have been working on installing new water troughs on the 900 acre property as well as replacing kilometres of internal fencing.
They have been working under the watchful eyes of trainers and Development Officer Jason Frecklington, who has gone back to his farming roots after spending the past few years behind the counter at his Gloria Jean’s Coffees in Kingaroy Shoppingworld.
“At this early stage we are limiting the numbers of young people that we work with, however we do have a plan of developing social enterprise opportunities for the young people which may include contract fencing, contract mustering and other agricultural activities,” Kristian said.
“Also at this early stage, the program is not open to girls, however, we are looking at how we can accommodate them in the near future.”
As well as learning farming skills, literacy and numeracy skills are also being factored into the training.
Shaftesbury can trace its roots back to London in 1843 when William Williams, a solicitor’s clerk, decided education was the best way to break the cycle of poverty among street children.
His work attracted the patronage of Lord Shaftesbury who in 1866 used his influence to secure the use of an old warship, the Chichester. This was followed in 1874 by the Arethusa. The ships were used to train boys for a future naval career.
As well as its two other projects in the South Burnett, Shaftesbury operates a number of schools and training centres in Queensland, including Arethusa College at Deception Bay, a skateboard factory in Brisbane and several equine therapy centres.
The young people working at Bralbin Minya are working towards a Certificate II qualification but this isn’t the main objective of the program.
“A certificate is just a bit of paper at the end of the day and sometimes its importance is weighted too heavily against someone’s competency in practical skills and ability,” Kristian said.
“The organisation sees value in students participating in practical experiences to develop employment skills in a supportive environment.”
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