Women’s Business 2nd Chance
Building new futures for women in Western Sydney, Kempsey New South Wales, and Carnarvon Western Australia.
Many First Nations women have found themselves marginalised – excluded economically and socially – through circumstance and stereotype.
The Women’s Business Second Chance (WBSC) Hub is a ground-breaking program for women at risk of being left behind. It aims to give them the chance to achieve quality learning, entrepreneurship and employment outcomes through access to educational, employment and support services, tailored to their needs as learners and future earners.
There is an urgent need to drive solutions, especially for women who have missed out on education and ensure that they are able to access decent work opportunities.
Sarah Hendriks, Director, Programme, Policy and Intergovernmental Division at UN Women in New York.
We invite First Nations women to join us and begin a journey of success and reward
Watch the video from our launch, featuring current deadly members of Women’s Business Second Chance Hub, as well as Real Futures’ founder and chair, Wendy Yarnold, UN Women’s Sarah Hendriks, and Brodie Vansleve from our supporting partner BHP Foundation, with messages of support from Minister Wyatt, Minister Cash, and Minister for Indigenous Australians, Minister Burney.
Watch our launch video
We understand there are barriers to overcome
When we asked Western Sydney women currently registered with the hub to identify the barriers they face in trying to enter the workforce or engage in study:
more than 70% identified housing and finances as a major barrier; most have difficulty affording rent and mortgages
28% identified serious health barriers – physical and mental
22% cited parenting and caring responsibilities.
It starts with getting to know you
We start with a yarn – spending time with you so we can understand your circumstances, as well as your dreams and aspirations, and tailor our support to what you need.
These are the kinds of things we could help you with:
foundation life skills, pre-vocational training, industry and skill-building workshops
bridging or return-to-education courses, and enrolment to new fields of study or licencing
job readiness assessment and training
trainee preparation and industry pre-vocational programs in partnership with employers
preparation for formal interviews and onboarding requirements for employment
nutrition, fitness and general health and wellbeing support
help with travel for training and work
online resources for individual solutions
promoting business development and entrepreneurship.
Are you a woman interested in joining our program?
Please take your time to call us on 1800 732 538 if you get stuck.
Once you have completed the form please contact us and arrange an appointment to go through this together. In order to protect your privacy, please do not email this form.
Are you an employer interested in hiring from our program?
Please get in touch with us and let us know you are interested in the Women’s Business Second Chance (WBSC) Hub.
Not only do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women play pivotal leadership roles in their families and communities, but they are also central to the development, growth and diversity of the Australian economy.
The Hon. Ken Wyatt AM, Minister for Indigenous Australians
Hear from some of our current members
Carla Whitton
Carla joined Women’s Business Second Chance hub to get assistance with completing her diploma in childcare. As the primary carer for six children, Carla finds it hard to have time for herself! Having worked in schools for the past seven years, she appreciates the need for more Aboriginal people in teaching positions. She is currently working as a Student Support Liaison Officer at a preschool and wants to complete her diploma to become a childcare teacher.
Yulara Frail
Yulara worked very hard at high school. After graduating, she completed a traineeship at Commonwealth Bank, where she continued to work until she gave birth to her first child.
Today, as a mother of three, Karla joins the Women’s Business Second Chance Hub to improve her skills, as well as to “get out of the house to be around other women”. Yulara’s dream is to work in community and empower other Aboriginal people to strive for greatness.
Dolie Ufi
Dolie grew up in the Mount Druitt area and saw firsthand the disadvantage our elders face advocating for their own healthcare. Having worked many years in community health, Dolie believes more support in general is needed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to navigate the healthcare system.
An incredibly inspiring woman, Dolie is the Founder/Chairperson of Yaama Mou’i Services, a disability service that provides NDIS services. She has already made inroads, implementing more culturally safe practices at a local health clinic here in Western Sydney.
The painting
Local artist Rhiannon Wright talks about her painting Dyinalyung Muruga – Women’s Journey.
“We are all connected, we all start our journey with different histories, we all want to soar.”
The footprints represent Marana Yana (tracks to the hub), the first walk or the beginning of the journey within the program.
The hand prints represent Burbangana (Real Futures helping hands).
The campfire represents Ngarra (listening and learning).
The gum leaves represent Naala Birrung (look to the stars to reach your full potential).
The feather represents Wumara (to soar and fly).
“The dot circles represent all of the women who will journey through the program; the different sizes show the different stages of their journey as they start and progress through the program… They also show that we are all connected, and that together we can support each other to build a better future not just for ourselves, but for everyone.”
A message from our Founder and Chair
UN Women has honoured us with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of a global force opening doors for First Nations women in Greater Western Sydney to facilitate a second chance. It is for Indigenous Australian women, who may be feeling stuck or unsupported in their learning and career journey, to have access to a second chance to learn, to work, to heal and to be a beacon for other women looking in.
It is Women’s Business from a cultural perspective, with resources designed especially for each woman to progress, a hub of activity, a matriarchal, culturally responsible environment. Our WBSC team continue to fight and endure the battle to push beyond the shadow of the acceptable norm that continues to permeate in society today for Indigenous women. We are a service that provides real solutions to barriers to real jobs for a real future.
We are designing, creating and tweaking sophisticated systems for recording data that will inform the social and economic development of women in the Greater Western Sydney geographic area. These are indicators of change that will measure the personal and societal impact of our women finishing school, starting university, completing a vocational course, feeling stronger, more able, engaging in positive and creative social interaction, designing and starting a business, winning a new job and seeing a career path.
Wendy Yarnold
Founder and Chair
Real Futures acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their connection to land, water and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders past, present and emerging.
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