Nirrumbuk Partners With Jawun
Nirrumbuk has partnered with Jawun, a not-for-profit organisation that
places skilled people from Australia’s leading companies and government agencies into indigenous organisations. In April 2014, we brought on our two first secondees.
Our First Secondees
Nirrumbuk requested Jawun secondee support for an assessment of the finance unit and creation of a marketing strategy. Two secondees were sourced from National Australia Bank (NAB) to support this project: Gary Woods, a Senior Credit Manager with a background in credit lending and economics; and Kim Davis, a Channel and Change Management consultant with experience in change management and marketing.
Gary and Kim discovered an unresolved issue of 10 years requiring attention. Nirrumbuk owned three properties in Broome, purchased using government funds in the mid-1990s. As per the policy at the time, the properties had a caveat attached barring their use as security for a bank loan. Gary and Kim researched options for removal of the caveat, drafted correspondence to the funding body (Prime Minister and Cabinet, Indigenous Affairs) submitting it in the first week of their secondment.
Gary then worked on a detailed overview of the business, making recommendations for growth and strategic planning. Kim reviewed Nirrumbuk’s marketing activities, highlighting areas requiring new collateral and drafting a suite of materials for use.
Gary and Kim’s work has provided a strong foundation for future Jawun secondees. August 2014 will see Sharon Sims, Head of Model Monitoring and Governance at NAB, working with the different business arms of Nirrumbuk to update their strategic plans.
About Jawun
Established in 2001, Jawun (meaning ‘friend’ in the Kuku Yalanji language of Mossman Gorge) is an innovative not-for-profit organisation that believes in programs which promote self-reliance, entrepreneurial activity and business planning among Indigenous people. Jawun helps forge partnerships between corporate, government, philanthropic and Indigenous Australia.