For First Nations participants living in regional communities, access to culturally safe employment support can make a meaningful difference. In Dysart, about 270km from Mackay (QLD)*, IntoJobs has supported participants to build confidence, strengthen cultural connection and explore local employment pathways.
Through the Moving the Mob program, delivered over three days, participants could connect with one another, reflect on their goals and build practical employment readiness. The program included employer meet-and-greets, motivation and goal-setting activities, cultural capability sessions, discussions about Country and Place, and conversations about cultural safety in the workplace.
This kind of support is especially important in regional areas, where participants can face barriers such as isolation, limited local job options, reduced access to training, and uncertainty about re-entering the workforce. By bringing participants, trainers, community connections and local employers together in one place, Moving the Mob helps create a bridge between personal confidence, cultural identity and employment opportunity.
Real impact and outcomes
Participants reflected on the value of reconnecting with culture and receiving employment guidance in a relaxed environment. One participant said the program was “very engaging, fun, and educational”, while another said it was “awesome in helping me gain confidence, experience, and be more social”.
Another participant shared that the program helped them recognise “what I need to do within my family and what has been missing.”
For participant Lezley, this type of local support proved to be life-changing. After spending time away from the workforce to raise her children, she was feeling anxious and unsure about how to take the next step back into employment. Like many people in regional communities, she was navigating the challenge of rebuilding confidence while also looking for accessible opportunities close to home.
Lezley’s story reflects the broader impact of Moving the Mob: giving First Nations participants a culturally safe space to learn, connect and grow, while also linking them with practical training, local employers and meaningful employment opportunities.
Her IntoJobs Mobile Employment Consultant, Maire, supported her to enrol in a local First Aid course, which gave Lezley the chance to gain a vocational qualification and reconnect with a learning environment. The course also helped her become more comfortable interacting with others in a group setting, building the confidence she needed to see herself back in the workforce.
That step soon led Lezley to secure work at the same venue where the training was held, turning a local learning opportunity into a pathway back into employment.
*IntoJobs services in Queensland are delivered by MRAEL, both part of the IntoWork Group.
