Orange Aboriginal Community Plan

Since my election to Council and over the past 4 years I have noticed and been a part of making our Aboriginal Community more inclusive. We have included our Aboriginal Community into our 2020 plan for Orange, Council activities with the flag being placed outside the chambers and the reading of acknowledgement to Country at each of our Council meetings.
Over time Orange City Council and Councillors have been all encompassing with the Aboriginal Employment strategy and with the Aboriginal community the development of the Orange Aboriginal Community Plan 2007-2011.
It is now we can share with the wider community the Orange Aboriginal Community Plan 2007-2011. The aim being "To create an Aboriginal community that fosters unity, ownership, participation and leadership, while contributing to the social, cultural and economic activities of the wider community with Orange."
The Orange Indigenous Social Action Plan is for the Orange Aboriginal Community and was developed by the Orange Aboriginal Community Working Party with assistance from community members, the Orange City Council and planning consultants.

The four main priorities that emerged from the planning were:

1) Community development and information sharing:
The plan supports strengthening Community unity, leadership, communication and promoting cultural awareness and sharing success.

2) Education:

The plan supports educational activities that give Aboriginal people in Orange the chance to go to an Aboriginal pre-school, finish high school, go on to further study and gain meaningful employment.

3) Employment:

The plan aims to make imaginative use of community resources and particularly help young people just entering the work force and those people who have been unemployed for long periods of time.

4) Home Ownership:

The plan aims to provide practical self-help support to people wishing to purchase their own home.

The Community Working Party will organise Sub-Committees that include community people who have skills or interests in the activities. At least three Sub-Committees will be formed, to cover:
1) Housing (mainly private home ownership)
2) Employment (mainly expanding employment opportunities), and
3) Education (mainly support and mentoring).

Time lines, responsibilities and milestones will be developed in discussion with each Sub-Committee and tasks will be revised to fit Sub-Committee feedback and interest.

As you can see there has been considerable work done and will continue well into the future.

Some information on this page has been referenced from the flyer provided at the launch of the Orange Aboriginal Community Plan launch held at the Orange Civic Theatre. For further information contact: The Secretary, Community Working Party, C/- Department of Housing, 272 Summer Street, Orange, NSW, 2800 or phone 6360 8170