13 graduates successfully complete Gascoyne Aboriginal Business Leadership Initiative Program

A six-month training scheme to mentor emerging and existing Indigenous entrepreneurs last week recognised 13 graduates successfully completing the program.

The Gascoyne Aboriginal Business Leadership Initiative Program had a ceremony for 13 graduates at the Gwoonwardu Mia Gascoyne Aboriginal Heritage and Cultural Centre in Carnarvon on Friday.

The Indigenous graduates, who either run existing small businesses or aspire to start their own enterprise, have been supported to develop business ideas through the program, which involves extensive mentoring and action planning techniques to progress business goals.

The program is delivered by the Better Heart Aboriginal Corporation, and supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, along with the Gascoyne Development Commission.

Topics such as self-care in business, business financials, marketing, growth strategies and business leadership have been covered.

Successful graduates have been linked up with local, regional and State support networks to ensure their positive momentum continues.

Regional Development Minister Don Punch said the program was a great initiative to boost the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to take a business to the next level.

“This Gascoyne program has been delivered by a graduate from the Wheatbelt program, making it the first time the program has been delivered by an Aboriginal business since it started in 2017,” he said.

The leadership scheme has been successfully delivered in the Gascoyne, Mid West, Goldfields, Wheatbelt, Great Southern, and South West, supporting in total 72 Aboriginal start-up businesses.