Momentum program to help Indigenous employment begins in Kempsey

A collaboration between three organisations is offering a new program to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people get a birth certificate, learner or provisional driver's license and job placement support.

Momentum is the new program created by Pathfinders, Real Futures and ACE Community Colleges Northern Rivers that begins in Kempsey tomorrow (November 16).

Using the resources of all three services, the program aims to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in north eastern NSW overcome common obstacles to securing employment.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders aged between 16 and 55 years old are invited to sign up for the free service at Pathfinders Kempsey Office on 51 Smith Street between 9am and 3:30pm this Wednesday (November 16).

Real Futures Momentum coordinator John Clancy said that it was good to see the program start after being a work in progress over the last four years due to floods and COVID-19.

"It's a really good collaboration between the three organisations and we're really looking forward to it," he said.

"I think it's important because a lot of people don't have birth certificate and don't have licenses and if you don't have those hand in hand, it's really hard to find employment,"

The Momentum program will be coming to several other areas, launching first in Kempsey where it will operate for three months before moving to the next location.

Other areas like Port Macquarie, Taree, Forster, Coffs Harbour, and Armidale will also get the experience Momentum over a four and a half year period with the program expected to end by 2025 in Newcastle.

Pathfinders Momentum coordinator Phil Bird said he was hopeful for Momentum to be expanded in the future.

"It's basically helping the Aboriginal community out and especially we want to see how this one rolls out in Kempsey tomorrow and see how many numbers we get," she said.

"I think it's very important. It'll give them a bit of a kick start and hopefully once we do this one, we can do a lot more."

Earlier this year, Pathfinders estimated that more than 200,000 Aboriginal people are without a birth certificate with barriers like costs and remote locations making it difficult to apply for a birth certificate.

Momentum, which offers free services, has been designed in collaboration with Aboriginal communities and aims to engage and support 2,000 participants during it's service delivery period.

Mr Bird said he recommends that people attend the sign up day tomorrow where refreshments and a BBQ lunch will be available.

"It's very important because I don't know how people get on with life without a birth certificate,"

"Come down tomorrow. If you do miss out, you can leave your name [and number] there."

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