CQID has moved into the Community Enterprise Inclusion Centre at CQUniversity, Rockhampton campus.

Community Enterprise Inclusion Centre

The history of the Centre; community consultation and collaboration

In 2004 research identified that there was an over representation of Indigenous people living in Rockhampton with higher levels of socio economic disadvantage and the location held the 9th highest population of Indigenous people in Australia. Additionally issues of organisational sustainability, service access, duplication of services and continuity of service provision were also identified by service providers as potential threats preventing social inclusion of Aboriginal and Islander people in Central Queensland.

In 2006, Central Queensland Indigenous Development Ltd (CQID) and the Darumbal Community Youth Services Incorporated (Darumbal) commenced a collaborative process to investigate options to address these issues for the region. The project concept and design was developed in conjunction with Indigenous Service organisations, business leaders and community members over a period of internal and external consultation.

In the first stage of consultation, a broad range of stakeholders and community members came together to develop a strategy to address the gaps in provision and to then provide a unique service delivery that was truly inclusion focused, viable and sustainable and relevant to the cultural issues and community of Rockhampton and Central Queensland.

The community engagement process and feedback from consultation highlighted a need for a dedicated space or centre to accommodate service providers across agencies and organisations, enabling them to operate from a culturally appropriate Community  Enterprise Inclusion Centre. That Centre would link services to support Indigenous people to be prepared for and able to engage in education and/or training leading ultimately to an outcome of employment and wellbeing.

Since the inception of the CEIC concept, the focus of the Centre has been on ensuring inclusion for Indigenous people across Central Queensland. The CEIC will act as a single point of reference for human support services, research, education and training and extended social inclusion programs for Indigenous people in Central Queensland.

Importantly, the Centre will also meet the goals of the Commonwealth’s Closing the Gap Initiative – in particular to increase social inclusion for Indigenous people through support and education.

Partnership with CQUniversity:

In 2009 project funding, through the Commonwealth Government Jobs Fund; Department Education , Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)  was secured.  CQUniversity was identified as the most appropriate site for construction of the facility and a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between CQID and CQUniversity.

The relationships between the CEIC and CQUniversity are multiple and apparent. Both agencies promote social inclusion and are responsible for delivering elements of education and training and both agencies are dedicated to enabling personal and community development.

As an RTO, CQID (as lessees) will be providing training and education opportunities through the CEIC on site. It is intended that the CEIC will provide initial education options and refer potential students to pre-tertiary entrance programs (for example, TEP, STEPS) and as appropriate, direct applicants to University award programs or TAFE courses.

Computer access and meeting room access at the CEIC will enable and encourage Indigenous clients to undertake further education by ensuring access to appropriate resources and support staff within an accessible environment.

Construction:

On December 18, 2010 a Smoking Ceremony and Blessing was held with attendance of over 100 community members. The event featured a welcome and blessing by Wade Mann, Lester Adams and Pastor Barry Mann and an address by Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman. This was followed by children’s activities and a b-b-q lunch. 

The construction of the Centre has provided two indigenous people with apprenticeships, and three indigenous students with school based traineeships, enabling them to gain valuable on the job experience, career development and mentoring support.

“The two first year apprentices were both very proud of the project and their employer Griffin Builders. Peter and Kalen performed an engaging and informative walk through of the project explaining both their work and the apprenticeship training they had completed’.

We have moved:

CQID staff have now moved into the building and are very pleased with the new facility .  Other visiting services include; Capricornia Training Company, Lumbarra Bimbi, Jarlin Training and the Capricornia Division of General Practice.

We can now be found at: The Community Enterprise and Information Centre, Building 26, Darumbal Rd, CQ University, just past the Gundanoo Community Child Care Centre.