MOREE-based, Aboriginal-led construction social enterprise Warrama-li has suffered its share of setbacks in recent months.
In June, the not-for-profit organisation, which relies solely on philanthropic causes and does not receive government funding, lost valuable equipment and infrastructure when a fire – believed to be deliberately lit during an alleged break-in – tore through a storage facility at the SHAE Academy site on Anne Street.
Fire and Rescue NSW attended and extinguished the blaze. However, much of the shed, along with vehicles and gardening equipment and tools were destroyed.
Warrama-li is now looking for a full-time enterprise director to help put the pieces back together.
The Moree organisation is guided by Social Enterprise Finance Australia, an advisory service that helps impact-led organisations like Warrama-li get people back on track and into the workforce.
SEFA impact and engagement team leader, Renee Martin, said the damage caused by the fire and break-in, and subsequent loss of property, was heartbreaking.
“It’s devastating,” Ms Martin said.
“We lost so much equipment, including three cars, all the tools, trailers, and mowers.”
The total loss is estimated at around $100,000, but the setback and time lost to the crew working with Warrama-li is immeasurable.
“There is still some equipment locked in the storage shed because we haven’t been able to get an outcome from the insurers. It’s all there sitting and waiting, but the boys can’t use any of it,” Ms Martin said.
(from left) Anton Jarrett, Mark Pegus, Russell Tighe, Miyay Birray Youth Service CEO Darrel Smith and Stanley Smith at Warrama-li’s burned-out storage facility.
Warrama-li, which works closely with parent company, Miyay Birray Youth Service, creates training and employment pathways for young Aboriginal men and women.
The call-out is now on to find a suitable person to head up operations, ideally someone local who knows the lay of the land.
Key responsibilities and skills include team leadership and operations, client and stakeholder management, project management with quality assurance, financial and risk management, and strategic leadership and business management.
“Warrama-li supports personal and professional development by offering training and employment opportunities in carpentry, plumbing, and cleaning and maintenance services,” Ms Martin said.
The local organisation aspires to provide young Aboriginal people with a sense of purpose and motivation, greater confidence, and feelings of self-worth through employment and wrap-around support.
Employee Stanley Smith, who enjoys spending weekends during winter playing rugby league with Moree Boomerangs, began employment with Warrama-li earlier this year.
“I’ve been with Warrama-li for about eight months, and do general maitenance and mowing with the boys,” Mr Smith said.
“It’s part-time at the moment, but more work is coming in.
“It’s good to give back to the community and let the younger fellas know there’s work out there – plenty of work.
“It creates a different lifestyle, with choices, and offers independence, and there’s a wage going in the bank every week,” he said.
Over the past two years, Warrama-li has helped participants gain hands-on construction experience, as well as qualifications and life skills, while providing mentorship that builds confidence and possible long-term employment.
Despite recent challenges, Warrama-li has shown strong resilience and is determined to rebuild – with a suitable leader required to help strengthen governance, operations and business development.
A new enterprise director will lead the next phase of growth as Warrama-li scales its impact for Aboriginal people in the Moree region.
“SEFA has been working on this since Warrama-li was a dream,” Ms Martin said.
“We got the business model built, and finances and operations sorted for philanthropy to come in and provide the start-up funding to enable Warrama-li to run for the next few years, while they were building trading revenue.
“We’ve been alongside Warrama-li as a strategic adviser, and they’ve been trading as such for 18 months as its own entity – a tax-deductible DGR 1 charitable, not-for-profit organisation.
“This business will become profitable doing what is does, and that is providing employment which is life-changing for young Aboriginal people.
“When it becomes profitable, the surplus will be reinvested into Miyay Birray Youth Service, and that will reduce Miyay Birray’s dependence on government grants and provide them with choices about how they support the community,” she said.
There is no government funding for Warrama-li. The National Indigenous Australians Agency has helped by providing money to buy trailers for ride-on lawnmowers and push mowers.
“NIAA has provided a little bit of capital, but philanthropy is the main source,” Ms Martin said.
“There has been no local funding or government funding – it’s all based on trading revenue and philanthropy.
“Most of Warrama-li’s contracts are with the Aboriginal Housing Office and Homes North, the community housing providers in Moree,” she said.
The team has also been doing periodic work with Moree Plains Shire Council.
“This has been on a more ad-hoc basis, when work is needed to be done, and we’ll be looking at tendering for more opportunities with council as well,” Ms Martin said.
“In time, our intention is to move into the private market, but we’re in a rebuild situation at the moment.”
To find out more about the position of enterprise director and how to apply, open the PDF sheet here: Warrama-li Enterprise Director Job Description Updated
