Prime Highlights
- The NSW Government has invested more than A$148,000 in a pilot programme to help Aboriginal women launch businesses linked to environmental management and cultural heritage.
- Sixteen Aboriginal women will receive leadership, business and technical training, along with mentoring and cultural support to establish sustainable micro-businesses.
Key Facts
- Currie Country Social Change is leading the pilot programme to build Aboriginal women-led businesses focused on environmental and cultural heritage services.
- The initiative supports the NSW Government’s broader strategy to increase women’s participation in business while promoting Aboriginal economic development and cultural preservation.
Background
The New South Wales (NSW) Government has committed more than A$148,000 to a pilot programme that will help Aboriginal women develop businesses while supporting environmental management and cultural heritage protection across the state’s North Coast.
The funding will support Currie Country Social Change’s ‘Empowering Women for Country: Building Skills in Cultural and Heritage Protection’ initiative. The programme will train 16 Aboriginal women in leadership, business development, communications and cultural heritage. Participants will also receive certifications in drone operation, first aid and four-wheel-drive safety.
The pilot will prepare participants to establish micro-businesses that provide environmental management and cultural heritage services based on Aboriginal knowledge. Alongside formal training, the women will receive mentoring, cultural support and opportunities to learn through intergenerational knowledge sharing to help them build sustainable businesses.
The programme aims to create employment opportunities while protecting the country, preserving cultural heritage and strengthening community resilience. It also supports the NSW Government’s wider efforts to encourage women’s participation in business, particularly among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and other under-represented groups.
The government said the initiative reflects its commitment to supporting Aboriginal-led businesses and promoting long-term economic growth. It added that the programme would help participants develop skills that are increasingly needed in environmental protection, cultural heritage and disaster management.
Currie Country Social Change said the funding would strengthen a First Nations women-led network of environmental, cultural and community enterprises. The organisation added that the programme would support regional women in creating new economic opportunities, building local leadership and preserving Aboriginal knowledge for future generations.
