Ngulla Training & Community Centre

ABOUT NGULLA
Driven by a social purpose and dedicated to providing a unique, community-based working and training environment for disadvantaged people within the Kwinana community, Ngulla was established in August 2006 as an innovative horticultural-based social enterprise project that supplies native plants to industry and generates employment and work place training opportunities for local youth, job seekers and the community. Ngulla is a business driven by a social purpose and dedicated to providing unique community based work and learning environment where participants have every opportunity to realise their potential and become valid members of the community.

Auspiced through BTG’s Registered Training Organisation (RTO), accredited and non accredited training is undertaken at Ngulla; Building & Construction,(non-accredited) as well as Horticulture and Conservation & Land Management Certificates 1 & 2(accredited). Each of the accredited courses are focused on experiential learning with written material encompassing just 25% of core learning. This approach was adopted to eliminate issues of numeracy and literacy shortfalls within the student body, which in themselves are addressed by BTG in a separate program – Language, Literacy & Numeracy (LLN).

At present Ngulla delivers training to 80 students ranging in ages from 17 to 24, in both Horticulture and Conservation & Land Management; the Building & Construction component is run as part of a “Work for the Dole” (WFD) work experience program.

HOW WE'VE GROWN
Over the past 6 years, Ngulla has constructed its entire infrastructure internally with only the assistance of students, staff and Work-for-the-Dole participants. To date only two funding grants gave been awarded to Ngulla, including an initial $160,000 Federal grant in 2006 to fund the appointment of a Project Manager to lead the development, and a Lotteries Commission grant of $40,000in 2010 put towards the purchase of new machinery (a haul-tractor and trailers) and an upgrade to the existing shed to house new training rooms and a dedicated “arts” centre space for the disabilities arts program run by Nulsen Haven.

OUR PLANT STOCK
Ngulla supplies a large range of native, rehabilitation and restoration plants which are endemic to Western Australia and suitable for rivers, streams, coastal, bushland revegetation and wetlands.

With a recently updated species and stock list, we would love for you to pop down to the nursery and explore the extensive range of native plants on offer. Our friendly staff are here to help and you can even arrange a tour! Contact Nursery Manager, Peter Bird on 0411 366 385 to find out more.

CURRENT TRAINING & LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Ngulla Community Nursery’s ‘New Leaf’ program pairs real industry experience with networking opportunities to offer underemployed persons aged 20-65 with a free 4-month full-time study and industry accredited field training course with potential for permanent employment and/or further training in conservation and land management.

For more information about the ‘New Leaf’ Program, phone Sarah Carberry on 9550 1111 or email mailbox@bridgingthegap.org.au to register your interest.