Formation 2001 (2001) Founded at Cape York Peninsula | Founder Noel Pearson Website jawun.org.au | |
Named after Word for 'family or friend' in Guugu Yalandji language Mission Forming partnerships to benefit corporate, government and Indigenous Australia | ||
Jawun (formerly named Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships) is an Australian, non-profit organisation which manages secondments from the corporate and public sectors to a range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partner organisations in urban, regional and remote communities across Australia.
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Name
Jawun means 'family or friend' in the language of the Kuku Yalanji people.
Operating model
Under the Jawun operating model, Indigenous partners determine their development priorities. Working with Jawun, these partners identify projects and areas for secondee support, then Jawun engages corporate and government secondees who apply their skills to assist Indigenous partners achieve their development goals, while gaining an opportunity for personal and professional growth. Generally, secondments are five to six weeks in length.
History
Jawun was established in 2001 when the Boston Consulting Group and Westpac seconded several executives to work with Indigenous Australian leaders in communities in Cape York. The model for Jawun was based on concepts in Noel Pearson's 2000 book Our Right To Take Responsibility. Politician Alan Tudge was a secondee through Jawun in its first year, while working at Boston Consulting Group.
Since 2001, more than 600 Westpac staff have taken part in Jawun secondments with Indigenous Australian organisations.
The Australian Public Service commenced participation in Jawun in 2012. Staff from agencies including the Defence Materiel Organisation, and the Australian Taxation Office, have participated since that time. In 2015, an Australian Public Service Commission evaluation found participation in Jawun was delivering significant professional development for public service staff.
Jawun celebrated its 15th anniversary at a celebration dinner in Canberra on 16 June 2015.
A KPMG review of Jawun, delivered in April 2016, found that Jawun had brought benefits both to communities and to their corporate and government partners. The review was funded by the Australian Government and the Commonwealth Bank.