Envisioning a better future for Indigenous people

Like many other training providers, enVizion works to give people the skills to get a job. Unlike other training providers, enVizion goes above and beyond to equip Indigenous Australian clients with the life skills they need for ongoing full-time employment in the jobs of their dreams.

enVizion’s CEO Julie Ann Lambourne, a Torres Strait Islander with links to Mabuiag and Darnley Islands, formed  the Cairns-based enVizion in early 2013 with three other key people, when they realised that most training providers were training people for jobs they were not suited for.

“There was a huge gap in the labour market for employees with the right skills and mindset and we decided to respond to that need,” Julie Ann said.

“It’s easy to get someone into training and then place them in a job but if the position doesn’t suit them or they are dealing with dysfunction or addiction issues, then they will find themselves back in unemployment soon.”

Julie Ann and her team can speak of dysfunctional upbringings with experience.

“All of us at enVizion had traumatic childhoods or other extreme life situations but we survived and knew we could help and teach other people to survive,” she said.

“We recognised that current training methods did not necessarily address the range of issues clients presented with.

“To give people the best chance at successfully completing their training program as well as successfully maintaining long-term employment, we had to start from scratch and think outside the box. We had to look at what was actually needed, not just deliver whatever would secure traditional funding,” Julie Ann said.

enVizion developed the “Partnership in Prosperity” (PIP) Program for clients who may be experiencing complex issues like mental health problems, substance addiction or trauma.

“We work with clients to deal with any issues they have and then assist them to make the appropriate decisions for their future. It’s important that we get people in the right frame of mind for work so they successfully enter and stay in the workforce,” Julie Ann said.

Julie Ann also discovered that businesses are willing to take a chance recruiting trainees with poor employment records if managers can see that the trainees have taken responsibility for their own lives.  To support this, enVizion provide wrap-around mentoring from first contact through to post employment. Julie Anne believes that this is a key factor in their success.

“A lot of businesses out there want to help people who are willing to work and our trainees really want to work and get paid so they can afford their rent and bills,” Julie Ann said.

“Our trainees do work experience at the company for free so it gives employers the opportunity to see how they perform. Our trainees have to show managers they are the right person for the job while we work with the trainee to ensure they have the mentoring and support to be able to fulfil their capability for the job.

“We’ve found that this approach has had great success getting people into jobs,” Julie Ann said.

“One woman recently got a job in Alice Springs while another got her dream job in the Torres Strait Islands organising fishing trips.

“We’ve had people who were homeless or never had a job when they signed on with us and are now employed, are in accommodation and feel much better about themselves.”

Julie Ann is equally excited about the future of enVizion.

“There is a long wait list to get into PIP and we are looking to expand beyond Cairns. We’re currently meeting with businesses in Brisbane to discuss what we can do there. Some of the clients we’ve placed in jobs I can see as future Indigenous leaders so it’s exciting to think of their future as well,” she said.