Holden And The Smith Family Celebrate 10 Years With A New Partnership

SYDNEY – June 16, 2011: Holden and The Smith Family celebrated 10 years of working together by announcing a new partnership program today at Karama Primary School in the Northern Territory with a little help from some friends.

Holden’s V8 Supercar heroes, Garth Tander and James Courtney took a break from their SKYCITY Triple Crown preparations to join 300 local school students and community members to announce Holden’s support for the Ramingining Experiential Mentoring Program.

Ramingining is an Indigenous community of approximately 800 people, 580 kilometres east of Darwin in Arnhem Land.

Run by The Smith Family in partnership with Ramingining School, the Experiential Mentoring Program allows Indigenous secondary school students to experience the social and work culture of mainstream society and take back what they learn to help shape the future of their community.

Senior students travel to Darwin twice a year to work in a variety of jobs related to work available back in their community and get to experience urban mainstream living through the support of volunteer host families. Work experience the students get involved with includes construction, childcare, banking/finance, supermarket and retail, broadcasting, nursing, hairdressing, tourism and hospitality.

Since the Experiential Mentoring Program began in 2006, 83 per cent of graduates are employed in the community in their first year out of school.

Holden’s Community Relations Manager, Brodie Restall said The Smith Family’s Experiential Mentoring Program with the Ramingining School is a unique way for Holden to demonstrate a commitment to education and give back to the community.

“Growing up and taking on the challenges of adulthood can be a very daunting task. We hope that through supporting The Smith Family’s Ramingining Experiential Mentoring program, the students involved are able to get an idea of the range of possibilities available to them once they complete their education and the work involved in getting there.

“Education and life skills are integral parts of a child’s development, being able to support the kids and contribute to a future generation of community leaders is very special and a partnership that we take very seriously,” she said.

Tricia Rushton, The Smith Family’s Northern Territory General Manager said the partnership would make a lasting and meaningful impact on the community, “The Ramingining leaders asked The Smith Family to help their older students experience life beyond their community. They said they wanted their young people educated so they can run their community.

“Thanks to the generous support of Holden, The Smith Family is able to give Ramingining students the unique opportunity to experience work culture and urban mainstream living which they don’t have access to in their community.

“These experiences will help give students the inspiration they need to stay in school so they have the opportunity to reach their personal work and life goals and in doing so, make the positive contribution that the leaders in the community hope for,” she said.

The Smith Family is a national, independent children’s charity, helping disadvantaged Australian children to get the most out of their education, so they can create better futures for themselves.

Holden’s partnership with The Smith Family started 10 years ago through the Learning for Life program in Elizabeth, South Australia. The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program gives disadvantaged children the assistance they need to develop vital life skills, stay engaged in their education and have the best chance to realise their potential.

Over the last decade Holden employees have been involved in a variety of volunteering and fundraising activities with The Smith Family culminating each year with the annual Christmas Toy and Book Appeal.