A back to the future program, which is meeting seven closing the gap targets in a remote Centralian community has sent a powerful message to government that with the right approach young Aboriginal people can remain on country and have job security into the future.
In the 1960s and 70s the community of Warrabri (currently known as Alekarenge) located 378 km north of Alice Springs had huge market gardens which supplied not only its own people but Tennant Creek and surrounding pastoral leases with fresh fruit and vegetables.
Joe Clark (pictured) is a business strategy manager with the Centrefarm Work Experience Pilot Program at Ali Curung. He says two and a half years ago he had to think outside of the box to create job pathways for young people in the community which would allow them to stay on country. At the time he had very little government support.
Mr Clark told CAAMA that Traditional Owners and community members had put a substantial amount of their own lease money into the project for the future generations.
Listen to the full interview with Joe Clark from Centrefarm here: