By Pam Kiriakidis
Gold exploration company Southern Cross Gold has partnered with disability support service Goulburn Options to create work pathways for people with a disability.
The natural resources company that explores minerals welcomed a group of participants from Goulburn Options to their site in Nagambie a month ago to introduce the Sunday Creek Project, which primarily takes place at their research site in Clonbinane for mining consumables.
Southern Cross Gold director Lisa Gibbon said participants were building core blocks, which were used for the company’s research.
“We really focus on hiring local, working local, and buying local, and one of the things I saw that there was potential that we got some of our consumables we use for exploration [from] a more local source,” she said.
“And it’d be really good if we can include a bit of diversity in that mix as well.”
The exploration company donated $500 for the disability service to buy new machinery for their facility in Seymour.
Ms Gibbon said participants had delivered their first core blocks.
“The [Goulburn Options] guys felt proud that they’ve done exactly the right thing, and that this is something that they could do,” she said.
“They’ve actually been making things out of the off cuts, they’ve been making wooden Christmas trees … so fantastic creativity, [and] there’s no waste.”
Goulburn Options chief executive Merlinda Burgess said the alliance was an opening for clients to practise their skills that could lead to possible future employment.
“For us, we see that as extra experience, skills development [and] work experience,” she said.
“Our participants love working in our woodwork area and they enjoy developing new skills, but also making something they can see has an end purpose and use.
“If actual employment opportunities came up, they would go through an interview and recruitment process.”
She said the work experience added more variety to their services and strengthened the bond between participants and their community.
Ms Gibbon said the disability service was looking towards other work avenues that could suit Goulburn Options clients to adopt more skills and experience in the new year.
“[Goulburn Options] want to run next year a receptionist program and they really just need a couple of companies to be partners with them,” she said.
“We’re quite happy to let people have work experience, let them experience what it’s like to see if it’s the right fit for them.”