Goodstart proud to be part of the first National Indigenous Employment Index

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) provider Goodstart Early Learning is one of just 43 Australian organisations, and the only early learning provider, to be included in the first comprehensive snapshot of Indigenous employment representation, processes and experiences which was released last week.

To celebrate Goodstart’s inclusion in the index, CEO Julia Davison and Goodstart First Nations Educator Chelsea Croucher attended the launch of the new index along with organisations from banking, energy, transport, fast food and the logistics sectors. 

“I am very pleased that Goodstart has taken part in the first ever snapshot on Indigenous Employment, it is only by carefully measuring our results and learning from others that we can ensure we are an inclusive and culturally safe organisation for First Nations employees, and the children and families they support in our centres,” Ms Davison said.

“Goodstart has a First Nations Employment Strategy plan and as part of the strategy it tracks the employment, training and retention of First Nations people right across our national network.

“We can only meet our targets if we measure and understand the experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and work to remove barriers to their employment and retention,” Ms Davison continued.

“We are working to ensure our Indigenous employees come to work each day in a culturally safe workplace which supports them as they work to support children, families and their local communities.”

As well as supporting First Nations employees, Goodstart’s participation in the index also allows the ECEC employer to learn from other organisations who are working to narrow the Indigenous employment gap.

“At Goodstart reconciliation is woven through everything we do to support the 6.7 per cent of children attending Goodstart centres who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torre Strait Islander. They are supported by increasing numbers of First Nations educators and teachers and interns but there’s more to do,” Ms Davison added.

The goal of the Indigenous Employment Index is to provide an evidence base for “what works” in creating Indigenous employment parity in a sustainable and meaningful way. It was developed by the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre in partnership with the Minderoo Foundation’s Generation One initiative and Murawin Consulting.

Access the full report here.