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A Cup of Tea, a Chat and a Hard Day's work

There’s one thing for sure, if you rock up to the Warakurna Community Development Shed at eight in the morning, you’ll be greeted with a hot cup of tea.

It’s all part of CDP officer John Tibble’s approach of creating an environment where everyone is welcome to participate in work.

 

After a cup of tea and breakfast, the men sit together to discuss the tasks on the day’s agenda, before splitting off into teams to get the jobs done.

 

Warakurna CDP General Hand, Roy Bennett, said that they get involved by fixing things around the community, tending to the community garden, and making sure the community stays clean through regular rubbish collections.

“We’re out here every day. We come to CDP shed, we have breakfast, and then get to work,” he said.

 

“I enjoy the work, it’s good for me, good for community.”

 

John says teamwork is crucial to the program's success, with local Yarnangu empowered to take responsibility for the jobs that need doing around town.

 

“It’s like that saying, you can give a man a fish and he will eat today,” John said.

 

“But if you teach a man to fish, he will eat tomorrow.

 

“That’s the kind of analogy we want to implement here in Warakurna, empowering people to become self-sufficient and self-reliant. We’re just here to support.”

 

Jason, Warakurna’s CDP Activities Coordinator, says it’s nice to see the ownership the men take in keeping the community clean, and the pride they hold in doing so.

 

“Every Monday we are out here with the men, working as a team to collect rubbish,” he said.

 

“If you look around the community, you’ll see the men here do a really, really good job.

 

“One of their favourite things is to keep the community tidy and clean and take care of the rubbish.”

 

When the men aren’t out on tractors cleaning up community, you’ll often find them in the Warakurna Men’s Shed, a hub for a variety of CDP activities. The shed is a safe space for men to work together and was built in collaboration with the support from the whole community.

 

John said his approach prioritises supporting local people to learn life skills that empowers them to support their community.

 

“It means people can take control of their own destinies, while getting people job ready.”

 

We’re working to reimagine CDP and the work being done in Warakurna is a great example of how community collaboration is leading the way for a better future.

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