19 September 2024

Narrabri Clontarf Academy boys inspired by visit to Whitehaven Coal’s Sydney office

Last month, Whitehaven Coal (Whitehaven) was delighted to welcome a group of senior boys from the Narrabri High School Clontarf Academy to its corporate office in Sydney as part of the company’s longstanding partnership with the Clontarf Foundation.

The visit provided an opportunity for the group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boys to learn more about Whitehaven’s operations and they also gave a presentation to the Whitehaven team and senior executives about some of their recent successes at the Academy.

Clayton Pursche, Narrabri Academy Director, accompanied the group to Sydney and said the visit was an eye-opener for the boys.

“It’s great that the boys get an opportunity to see how a large company like Whitehaven operates and that Paul Flynn (CEO & Managing Director) and Michael van Maanen (EGM – Corporate, Government & Community Affairs), and other members of the team made the time to meet with us.

“The boys were impressed to learn so much about the ins and outs of the company. They felt privileged to meet Paul and appreciated how open and conversational he was. The young men were taken aback by the office building and the views from up high.

“I could see they got a lot out of the visit and it was impactful for them to hear why Whitehaven gives back to the community and specifically to Clontarf. Hopefully we have inspired some of the next generation to take up employment with the company.”

Whitehaven is a national partner and long-time supporter of the Clontarf Foundation, which harnesses the power of sport to support school retention amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boys. The Foundation operates 158 academies in WA, NT, QLD, NSW, VIC and SA and supports more than 11,400 participants aiming to improve year 12 graduation rates and transition from school into further study or employment.

Whitehaven works closely with the Narrabri, Quirindi and recently-opened Gunnedah Academies in particular, which are nearby to the company’s north west NSW operations. This includes regular engagement with students from the Clontarf Academies through regional Employment Forums and site visits to demonstrate the diverse range of rewarding mining career opportunities available to young men in the region.

In 2019, Whitehaven committed $120,000 over three years to help establish the academy at Narrabri High School and in 2022 this partnership was extended for a further three years, with Whitehaven becoming a National Partner organisation.

Whitehaven’s Michael van Maanen said the long-term partnership aligns closely with the company’s focus on empowering future generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“Our approach is underpinned by a commitment to taking practical steps that make a substantial and sustainable difference for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,” he added.

“We strive for outcomes that drive intergenerational change, whether it be through working with partner organisations like the Clontarf Foundation, our well-recognised employment strategy, or other initiatives across procurement, health and wellbeing.

“We’ve seen the significant impact the Clontarf team has had at the Narrabri, Quirindi and Gunnedah Academies in recent years and we’re proud to be supporting them.

“Our people are incredibly passionate about the work we do with Clontarf. It was great to have the opportunity to spend some time chatting to the boys about what we do and learn more about their journeys.”

Whitehaven’s commitment to supporting Indigenous communities, businesses and services is formalised through the company’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which includes ambitious but realistic targets that Whitehaven continues to make steady progress towards.

For more information, please refer to Whitehaven’s Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan.

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