Jawun facts for kids
| Named after | Word for 'family or friend' in Kuku Yalanji language |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2001 |
| Founder | Noel Pearson |
| Founded at | Cape York Peninsula |
Jawun is an Australian non-profit group. It helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Jawun connects skilled people from big companies and government with these communities. These people, called 'secondees,' work on projects to help the communities grow. Jawun was once known as Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships.
Contents
What Does Jawun Mean?
The word 'Jawun' comes from the Kuku Yalanji language. This language is spoken by people in Cape York, Queensland. In their language, 'Jawun' means 'family' or 'friend'.
How Jawun Works
Helping Communities Grow
Jawun works like a partnership. First, Indigenous communities decide what they need help with. They might want to improve education, health, or local businesses. Then, they work with Jawun to find specific projects.
Skilled Helpers
Jawun finds people from companies and government to help. These skilled people are called 'secondees'. They use their knowledge to support the community's goals. This also helps the secondees learn and grow. Most of these helping periods last about six weeks.
Jawun's Journey
Starting Small
Jawun began in 2001. The Boston Consulting Group and Westpac sent some of their experts to help. These experts worked with Indigenous Australian leaders in Cape York Peninsula. The idea for Jawun came from a book by Noel Pearson. His book, Our Right To Take Responsibility, was published in 2000.
Growing Across Australia
Since 2001, Jawun has grown a lot. It now works in 12 different regions across Australia. These regions include Cape York, East Kimberley, and Inner Sydney. Other areas are Central Australia, North East Arnhem Land, and the Pilbara.
Jawun now partners with over 100 Indigenous groups. It also works with 30 companies and government organisations. More than 5,000 employees have taken part in Jawun programs. They have worked directly with Indigenous Australian organisations.
Government Support
The Australian Public Service started working with Jawun in 2012. Staff from groups like the Defence Materiel Organisation have participated. People from the Australian Taxation Office have also joined. In 2015, a review found that Jawun helped public service staff learn new skills.
A study by KPMG in February 2022 looked at Jawun's work. It found that Jawun helped both communities and its partners. The Australian Government and Westpac paid for this study.
