Ganbina is a Yorta Yorta word meaning rise up and for nearly three decades it has captured what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in Shepparton have been doing through this remarkable organisation.
Founded in 1997 through a collaboration between local Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal business leaders, Ganbina was born from frustration with systems that were failing children and young people. At the time, up to eight in ten Aboriginal people in the region were unemployed. Government programs focused on short term jobs, not long-term futures. Ganbina took a different approach, one that started with children and stayed with them into adulthood.
Today, Ganbina leads a holistic pathway supporting children and young people from five through to their mid‑twenties, strengthening school engagement, building confidence, developing an understanding of the world of work and supporting young people to transition into careers of their choosing.
Transformational impact doesn’t happen by chance, it takes vision and support of funders who believe in the long arc of community‑led change. The William Buckland Foundation is proud to walk beside those partners, investing in possibilities that endure.
A model that changes life trajectories
At the heart of Ganbina is the Jobs4U2 model, a proud, strengths‑based approach that backs children and young people to realise their potential. By building skills, confidence and high expectations from an early age, Jobs4U2 supports children and young people to create strong futures for themselves, their families and communities.
The results speak for themselves. Nearly 89 percent of Ganbina participants complete Year 12. That is higher than the non-Indigenous average and more than 25 percentage points above the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rate. Graduates go on to university, TAFE, apprenticeships and careers in fields ranging from microbiology and dentistry to trades and small business.
But the impact runs deeper. Independent evaluation has shown Ganbina increases school engagement, strengthens cultural pride, builds life skills and self-confidence, reduces contact with the justice system and creates young people who become role models in their families and communities.
Walking alongside young people
Education Program Project Officer Nikkia McLennan, a Wemba Wemba, Ngyiaapa and Yirrganydii woman, works directly with students in Years 7 to 9.
“I’m a proud Indigenous woman and I love advocating for our people. To support our people, we have to start from the bottom. Our children need support and we build them up from there,” she says.
Her days are grounded in visiting secondary school students, checking in, listening, encouraging, liaising with teachers and carefully documenting each student’s journey through detailed case notes that reflect their strengths, education aspirations and personal goals.
“You don’t know what a kid’s home life is like. So just showing up and being consistent matters. When they know, you are committed to their goals, they stay committed,” she says.
Building pathways into adulthood
For Executive General Manager Paulleen Markwort, consistency is vital. “It is central to building trust with participants, families, schools and communities,” she says.
“By the time Ganbina participants finish secondary school and begin considering university, TAFE or apprenticeships, the groundwork has already been laid. Throughout their journey, young people are supported to set goals, think critically and reflect on their education and employment pathways. They gain real‑world insight through industry tours, work experience and connections across a range of industries and workplaces. Ganbina’s Careers Night further expands these opportunities, often leading to first job outcomes for participants.”
Ganbina students are sought after by local employers, because they are prepared, confident and work ready.
Leadership, culture and confidence
Youth Leadership Coordinator Valerie Atkinson, a proud Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri woman, runs Ganbina’s leadership program.
“Ganbina operates on my Country. The word means rise up in Yorta Yorta, and that’s exactly what we see,” she says.
“Leadership looks different for everyone. You don’t have to be the school captain. Some of our quietest kids absolutely flourish. They might start shy and by the end of the year they are standing on stage in front of 300 people at our awards night as MCs.”
The program combines leadership training, cultural identity and life changing experiences, including trips to Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns and overseas. For many students, it is their first time on a plane, their first passport, their first glimpse of life beyond Shepparton.
“It’s about knowing who you are, where your mob is from and the land you are on. That’s leadership too,” Valerie says.
Why long-term support matters
The William Buckland Foundation has committed funding to Ganbina through to 2030, marking eight years of steadfast support for their powerful vision.
“Multiyear, flexible philanthropic funding is powerful,” Paulleen explains. “It allows us to work outside the constraints of political cycles and program limitations, so we can adapt to the needs of our participants and communities. That self‑determination is core to our model.”
William Buckland Foundation’s support allows Ganbina to invest in relationships, culture and continuity, the things that cannot be rushed or short funded but are essential to lasting change.
Ferdi Hepworth, Lead at William Buckland Foundation, says the partnership works because it is grounded in trust, continuity and community leadership.
“What we see at Ganbina is young people who are connected to culture, supported to stay in learning and building real pathways into work and further study,” Ferdi says. “That kind of change does not happen in one year. It happens when organisations are given the time and backing to do what they know works for their community.
“At the William Buckland Foundation our commitment is to support communities to put children and families first. Ganbina is a wonderful example of how impact funding has positively changed lives and communities. This work is backing a generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people to rise up, lead and build futures that once may have felt out
