A smoking ceremony on Hare St has marked the official opening of Ganbina’s new Echuca site. The opening was attended by community leaders and Ganbina staff, including Shepparton and Echuca general manager Tracy Hardie, chief executive Anthony Cavanagh, Uncle Rick Ronnan, Nerrissa Leitch, Uncle Keith Hearn and Paulleen Markwort.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
A highly successful Indigenous youth support program with a track record of outperforming national school completion rates has officially expanded to Echuca.
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Ganbina opened its fourth regional location — tucked among the shops on Hare St, opposite Alton Gardens — on Friday, July 10, with a traditional smoking ceremony marking the occasion.
The opening was attended by local community members, leaders and Ganbina employees, who listened to Uncle Rick Ronnan, Uncle Keith Hearn and Ganbina chief executive Anthony Cavanagh speak about the relevance of the service’s expansion to Echuca.
Through its Jobs4U2 programs, Ganbina supports young people aged five to 25 to stay in school and move into meaningful, long-term employment.
The organisation boasts an 88.7 per cent school completion rate for Year 12 students participating in Ganbina programs — 22.7 percentage points higher than the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander completion rate of 66 per cent.
Uncle Rick Ronnan spoke before the smoking ceremony.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
The Echuca site will be led by two local Yorta Yorta community members — Uncle Keith as site co-ordinator and Nerrissa Leitch as education program project officer.
Speaking at the opening, Uncle Rick said the biggest thing kids can do is to get an education.
“The more educated you are, the further you’ll go in life,” he said.
“That’s what this is all about.”
Mr Cavanagh said he was delighted to officially welcome the young people and families of Echuca into “the Ganbina family”.
“This office is more than a new location. It is a place of connection, opportunity and belonging,” Mr Cavanagh said.
“(It will be) a place where children and families will be welcomed, supported and encouraged to pursue their aspirations, and where partnerships can grow, ideas can flourish, and strong futures can be built together.”
Ganbina will service young people in Echuca, before potentially expanding across the border to Moama; however, Mr Cavanagh said it would be a carefully planned rollout.
For more information on the program, visit ganbina.com.au
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