In our August 22nd, 2012 posting we referenced the June 1, 2012 online issue of The Sustainability Report, Editor Rachel Alembakis, posted an article: “Banks’ plans address Indigenous hiring, financial exclusion,” which described, in detail, the efforts by Australian banks to meet this social challenge.

Although the focus of the above is a financial institutions attack on exclusionary forces effecting Indigenous (Aboriginal) communities in Australia, we at TandC Associates were struck with the relevance to the exclusionary forces faced by those suffering from severe mental illnesses. Thus , we presented several ways in which by attacking exclusionary practices in social, employment, housing and educational areas opportunities for increased integration in the community is achieved for those suffering from mental illnesses.

On March 28, 2013, Alembakis presented an update on what one Australian Bank has done to overcome exclusionary employment practices for indigenous individuals, entitled “NAB publishes 2013 plan for Indigenous employment, inclusion.”  The National Australia Bank (NAB) has released its 2013 reconciliation action plan (RAP): (1) outlining their approaches to employing Indigenous Australians; (2) addressing financial exclusion,; (3) building partnerships with indigenous organizations and traditional owners with an eye to creating commercial opportunities; and (4) increasing cultural awareness within the bank.

Glen Brennan, head of Indigenous finance and development at the National Australia Bank says:
“The main employment story is converting to real jobs. We don’t want kids doing traineeships and internships for the sake of doing them – we want them to be a vehicle for kids to learn and get full-time employment in the bank. There has to be a pathway to a career.”

As usual, we at TCA invite our readers’ comments and critiques at tandcassociates@gmail.com  or the URL below