Fulton Hogan is a key supporter of the Clontarf Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the lives of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men through education, participation, and employment. Leaders from both Fulton Hogan and the Clontarf Foundation elaborate on this partnership.
From little things, big things grow. That’s the core message of the Clontarf Foundation, a charitable not-for-profit who’s existence is underpinned by a passion to create bright futures for its growing participant base.
The Clontarf Foundation aims to provide young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men with the means to improve their education, life skills, self-esteem and employment prospects.
Mark Riley, Zone Manager, VIC and SA – Clontarf Foundation says the organisation has grown significantly since its humble beginnings more than two decades ago.
“I was a volunteer when we started in 2000. We started with 25 boys back then, three of those young men ended up getting drafted into the AFL, then the next year 100 boys showed up to school,” he says. “Now we’ve got about 11,000 academy members in different schools across the country.”
Through incentives, a myriad of engagement activities and formal guidance, Clontarf aims to increase both school attendance and completion among young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and to provide role models and practical ways to ensure that participants can lead purposeful and healthy lifestyles.
Since that initial class in 2000, Clontarf has helped more than 7000 students to complete Year 12 and attain employment across a wide range of sectors. With 169 participating schools across six states and territories, Clontarf continues to grow on a daily basis.
While sport is central to Clontarf’s program, it’s only the beginning of a journey that fosters positive learning and personal growth.
“Sport plays an important role in the program, but more importantly it’s about having positive role models in a non-judgemental environment so the boys can grow themselves and fulfill their potential,” Riley says. “It’s small things like getting some of the boys out of bed nice and early for training, having a healthy breakfast then we can send them to the classrooms in a more conducive headspace for learning and engaging.”
Foundational change
“A key part of our program is that the community invites us in first,” Riley says. “We have an extensive scoping and conversation process with the community about the outcomes and what we’re hoping to achieve. It’s not a silver bullet or a Band-Aid, it’s a full-time initiative that’s supported by our communities, families and partner schools.”
Partners who provide financial and resource support play a big part in this mission. One such partner is Fulton Hogan, one of Australia’s largest infrastructure and utility service providers.
Fulton Hogan National First Nation’s Engagement Manager Andrew Craig says both organisations are closely aligned when it comes to their values and beliefs, as well as their passion for change.
“The opportunity to work with the boys has really flourished,” he says. “We’ve had plenty of opportunities to bring some of the boys from the program onto our projects, to give them an understanding of who we are and what we do. It’s great to see their excitement and to get them out of their comfort zones.
“Our values of respect, energy, effort, attitude and leadership are the types of things that we try to instil. The respect for not only those around them, such as the teaching staff and their peers, but also their self-respect and the importance of boosting their attendance where they can.”
Fulton Hogan is heavily involved where possible, whether its supporting Clontarf events with facilities such as barbecues, staff volunteering at events and camps, or helping to co-ordinate events.
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“Events like our Fulton Hogan Clontarf NAIDOC week football event enables our people to actively engage with Clontarf participants in an environment where the boys feel comfortable, which is on the football field. It allows us to build relationships and talk to the boys about what we do in our industry,” he says.
Craig says employment opportunities, including traineeships and apprenticeships, have been effective in enabling young participants to get a start in the construction sector.
“We encourage those who may not yet have the skills, to have a go. Traineeships and apprenticeships are a perfect early career pathway. You get hands on practical skills while doing some sort of study so you are continually developing your knowledge of the industry while getting the skills and qualifications that they need to help them succeed,” Craig says.
Student success
Whether it’s helping out with homework, organising health checks or just having a kick of the footy, Clontarf is able to cater its programs to suit the community and its individuals.
Jonathon Wackwitz joined the program when he first made the transition into high school.
“I’d heard about the program, a few of my cousins had gone through it and my Mum had mentioned it as well,” he says. “I started the program in 2017 when I was in Year Seven. Straight away I felt accepted and welcome.”
Wackwitz, who grew up near Sydney, says the support systems in and outside of school help to ensure that students can establish a positive pattern and approach to education.
“They’re very focused on getting boys to school. At the end of the term, if we had more than 90 per cent attendance, we could go on excursions. They also provided lunches that we called the ‘good bunch lunch’. It’s about rewarding attendance and hard work,” he says.
That support remained after Wackwitz concluded his secondary school education – he’s now a Civil Construction Apprentice on Fulton Hogan’s Eastern Region Construction SEASD project.
“The day that I sent out my resume, I got a call from Andrew (Craig) after about 30 minutes. He mentioned there was a promising opportunity with Fulton Hogan. I did some research about the company and what they do, and it sounded promising. It looked like a great experience,” he says. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, so it was great to have the opportunity to give construction a ‘crack’. If it wasn’t for those connections, I don’t think I’d be where I am right now.
“It’s an amazing program, they’ve opened so many doors for me. Whether it’s providing accommodation, helping to facilitate school sports, getting a driver’s licence. Whatever young kids need, they support you.”
Wackwitz says another outstanding aspect has been the direct support of Craig and the rest of the Fulton Hogan team.
“Right from the moment I spoke to him, Andrew seemed like a lovely bloke. He’s always been supportive of me, which is something that I don’t take for granted,” he says.
Clontarf is looking to expand, with agreements with new schools and programs already underway.
Riley says that while the on-going success of the Clontarf Foundation is a positive, there’s still a lot more work to be done.
“These boys have so much to give and to be able to see some of them fulfill that is what it’s all about,” he says.
To learn more about Clontarf’s initiatives, visit clontarf.org.au
This article was originally published in the September edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.