A new pilot program to improve English language, literacy, numeracy and digital (LLND) skills will now be available to residents in Doomadgee, a community in northern Queensland.
The Australian Government's $9.9 million Remote Community Pilots initiative will deliver literacy skills to Doomadgee and three other remote areas across Australia.
The $2.3 million Corporate Culcha Pilot will be delivered in partnership with the Doomadgee community, the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation and My Pathway, which currently delivers a number of services in the community.
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said the pilots aim to encourage participation, and engage local communities more effectively to measurably boost the foundation skills of participants.
"Literacy, numeracy, and increasingly digital literacy are the foundations for building skills, getting a job and achieving success in the workplace," Minister Cash said.
"These pilots will work closely with communities to identify, develop and design new and effective ways of helping people improve their foundation skills, as well as their confidence.
"This is part of our commitment to reform the vocational education and training system, acting on the 2019 Joyce Review, which recommended action to address a lack of foundation skills for disadvantaged Australians."
Townsville-based Senator for Queensland, Susan McDonald, said the Corporate Culcha Pilot is the result of continuous local collaboration and community engagement.
"What's unique about this pilot is that it will be co-designed by the local community. This means participants are engaged in identifying the best training for their needs," Senator McDonald said.
"This will go a long way to ensuring training is targeted and practical, leading to real results that can change lives for the better.
"We're hoping this will benefit around 270 people in the town of Doomadgee and be an empowering experience for participants."
Pilots are also rolling out in central Northern Territory, the Far West Coast region of South Australia and the Dampier Peninsula in Western Australia.
The Remote Community Pilots will operate until 30 June 2023 and be measured against the Australian Core Skills Framework and Digital Literacy Skills Framework.
