Government plan to send ‘grey nomads’ to volunteer in Indigenous communities
The Indigenous Affairs Minister, Mal Brough, has announced a plan to
send 30,000 retired Australians to act as volunteers in remote
indigenous communities.
Under the plan retired Australians aged between 55 and 75 will work on projects such as teaching trade skills, developing business plans for
communities or helping teachers with literacy work.
The scheme has been developed in association with National Seniors
Association, to bridge the gulf between remote communities and
‘mainstream’ Australia.
The volunteers will be recruited out of the Association’s members. Seventy retirees have already signed up for the initiative and will be given cultural and language training.
Indigenous groups have commented that the plan will only work if there
is an effective skills transfer and prior consultation with Indigenous
communities on how best the volunteers will serve them.
Labor’s spokesman for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Chris Evans said the problems facing indigenous communities were in large part problems of lack of infrastructure, adequate housing and resources.
“Sending in volunteers, however well-intentioned for two or three months at a time won’t address these problems,” he said.
