IJC leads by example in demonstrating what is possible for Indigenous people using private enterprise business models to generate income.

The success of IJC is due to the diversification of its interests. This strategy has helped the organisation to move away from dependence on government grants.

By having a range of income streams, IJC is able to offer more training, support services and business development opportunities for the Indigenous peoples of Cairns and Tablelands.

Go Work & Safety

Go Work and Safety is a work and safety wear company that supplies a wide range of work and protective clothing options including headgear, footwear, corporate wear and HI VIS work wear. Established as partnership between IJC and Natural Art Australia, Go Work and Safety now supplies thousands of trainees and newly employed workers throughout Queensland including the preferred supplier of work wear to ESQ’s 20000 jobseekers. Business development activities will see distribution of the clothing to other markets.

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Bundarra

IJCs Board and the Go Work and Safety project team identified a growing interest in sporting leisure wear in Indigenous communities. As a division of Go Work and Safety, Bundarra will make quality sports uniforms and leisure wear items specifically for Indigenous sporting teams and supporters. The first shirts will be available from 1 July 2011.

Bundarra was quietly launched at the Laura Dance Festival with great acclaim

Bundarra is the Djabuguy word for cassowary. The cassowary keeps the rainforest clean and regenerates the plants and trees. A healthy rainforest means healthy rainforest people. By linking the health giving cassowary with our new sports leisure range, our people can feel the link between healthy activity and healthy life.

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ESQ

With 40 offices, 300 staff and 30 outreach centres, ESQ is a significant force in the provision of employment services; assisting over 20 000 people across 10 Queensland Employment Service Areas. Formed in 2009, Employment Services Queensland (ESQ) is a partnership of four not-for-profit organisations. Through this partnership, IJC has developed another income stream that it can then use to provide services in the Tropical North. Chris Martin, the CEO of IJC, was appointed as the Chairman of ESQ in December of 2010. IJC’s ESQ partners are Skill Centred Queensland Inc, Career Employment Australia Inc and Challenge Employment and Training.

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Bilwon Farm

Bilwon Farm is a working farm 15km north of Mareeba incorporating training facilities, sheds and a diverse range of farm equipment. This facility uses it’s training programs to produce crops for sale commercially including pumpkin, lucerne, hay, watermelons and sorghum.

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