Jamie Williams joins Bamara as First Nations Programs Operations Manager
Jamie is a proud Wonnarua man from Maitland, and we're thrilled to have him on board at Bamara.
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So, you can’t get work because you don’t have the right qualifications. But you can’t get the qualifications you need because you don’t have transport! You can’t afford to get driving lessons, let alone a car, because you don’t have a job. Talk about gridlocked.
How do you get out of this kind of situation?
This was where Mahlia found herself. And on top of it, she had her little girl to look after as well. Luckily, Mahlia was referred to Bamara’s ParentsNext program in August 2019, where she connected with Support Mentor Edith in Palmerston, NT.
Mahlia knew she wanted to work in Community services but needed at least a Certificate III qualification. Edith helped her to enrol in an appropriate training course. Through the ParentsNext Participation Fund, Bamara provided her with a laptop so she could follow courses from home.
Edith also got Mahlia enrolled in the DriveSafe NT program, the Participation Fund, again allowing Bamara to take care of the fees.
Meanwhile, they worked together on Mahlia’s resume and gave her some insights into what to expect and how to present in an interview. And they looked at the kinds of job opportunities in the local region.
It It took some time and a lot of grit and determination on Mahlia’s part, but she stuck with it.
“I’m so very proud of Mahlia, who has always engaged with Bamara appointments, always showed eagerness to complete all the requirements of her Certificate III in Community Services and is willing to work,” said Edith.
Not just willing! In November of 2022, all Mahlia’s hard work paid off. With Edith’s help, she found a position with a local community services provider as a Home Support Worker. Some final bits of assistance were the required Police Check, Working With Children Clearance, and some appropriate work clothes and Mahlia was on her way.
Untangling tricky situations can often happen with the right kind of help, and that’s what Bamara does. Our fantastic Support Mentors, like Edith, know how to work with people’s strengths, use available resources to their advantage, and help them to get back on their feet.