9 October 2024

Strengthening partnerships and supporting Indigenous youth

Last month, Whitehaven Coal (Whitehaven) was delighted to host a group of Year 11 and 12 boys from the Gunnedah Clontarf Academy at the NRL Voice for Mining Day as part of their weekend excursion to the Newcastle region.

The boys enjoyed watching a resounding Newcastle Knights victory over the Gold Coast Titans, with the Knights once again running out in their NSW Mining themed jerseys.

It was also an opportunity for the boys to learn more about the mining industry and the opportunities it presents, with representatives from Whitehaven and a range of other mining companies participating in pre-match information stands and other festivities.

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.

Prior to the Newcastle excursion Whitehaven’s Aboriginal Community Relations team met with newly appointed Gunnedah Clontarf Academy Directors, Grant Elwin, Graham Smith, and Ash White, as well as the new Gunnedah High School Executive Principal, Darren Monte, to discuss opportunities to continue to grow the partnership between Whitehaven, Gunnedah Clontarf, and Gunnedah High School.

Grant Elwin, Gunnedah Clontarf Academy Director, expressed his gratitude for Whitehaven’s continued support.

“The support from Whitehaven is unbelievable, we couldn’t do a lot of these things without them.

“The opportunities they provide to the boys – opportunities they might never have otherwise – are invaluable,” he added.

“The team at Whitehaven is always approachable and willing to help. As a new member of Clontarf, I look forward to engaging more with Whitehaven and creating further opportunities for our boys, including worksite visits and face-to-face interactions.”

The partnership between Whitehaven, Gunnedah Clontarf Academy, and Gunnedah High represents a continued effort to provide enriching experiences and foster positive change for the community’s youth.

This includes regular engagement with students from the Gunnedah Academy through regional Employment Forums and site visits to demonstrate the diverse range of rewarding mining career opportunities available to young men in the region.

“Whitehaven is committed to supporting programs that engage and support Indigenous youth to achieve tangible benefits for their participants,” said Bob Sutherland, Whitehaven’s Senior Manager – Aboriginal Community Relations.

“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 across North West NSW via the Gunnedah, Narrabri and Quirindi Academies, and we’re proud to be supporting them.

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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