The Na Muk A Run Mob Yarning Shed in Napranum is proving to be the perfect place to host our latest Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW) Community Foundation Skills program.

Using a somewhat different model to our previous projects, the Napranum “Get Ready, Get Set, Go!” program allows for a rolling intake of local participants interested in growing their digital confidence and literacy. Beginning with a core group employed by local contractor Robert Wigness, the Yarning Shed’s wrap-around supports allowed a space and the support for the ten guys to get started in the engaging Skills Explorer program.

Lunch breaks soon became opportunities to jump on and practice digital skills, and once all set up with apps and logins on their personal devices this group also continues to extend their learning in their own time too. They are enjoying not only the progress, but also the independence and autonomy their new digital skills afford.

To provide another entry gateway to the project, we hosted the ‘Big Jam’ in late February, inviting the community to come and play our newly sourced instruments alongside a professional musician, Isabella from Cairns. With several guitars, a keyboard, bongo drums and Isabella’s own electric guitar and amp, a core crew leapt into practicing some initial songs. It wasn’t long before the music, and word of the jam going down, spread through the community and people began to drift in when they could to join in for a song or two.

The Na Muk A Run Mob plan to identify a core group of locals interested in forming a community band, which could perform at local events and provide entertainment options. We have recently sourced another electric guitar, electric bass guitar and amplifier to further support this band as they progress.

During the “Big Jam”, we pulled the Yarning Shed Coordinator, Rhonda Parry aside to find out a bit more about her approach and hopes for the programs which you can hear in the video below (as well as the jam sessions going down):

Additional opportunities through the week of the ‘Big Jam’ included the Yarning Shed community Laundry being made free for community use and our very own travelling hairdresser (and Project Coordinator) Becc set up shop offering free haircuts to further enhance the draw.

Over three days, more than 20 Napranum locals came to the Yarning Shed, spoke to the Na Muk A Run team and began their journey towards joining in some of the great things on offer at the Yarning Shed. With further conversations we hope to see many of them on the starting line in the coming weeks; “Getting Ready, Getting set and Going!”

Community Foundation Skills is one of the programs that form part of the Queensland Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative. Through a suite of targeted skills and training programs, Skilling Queenslanders for Work aims to improve the skills, employment opportunities and social inclusion of Queenslanders.