wirrpanda foundation

Leading the provision of education, employment and business opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

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We aim to lead the provision of education, employment and business opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. We influence and inspire the empowerment of our people through our diverse work force, which is led by our First Australian role models.

ABOUT US

Programs across education and employment

jobseekers placed into employment in 2020

girls currently mentored through Deadly Sista Girlz

aboriginal and torres strait islander businesses serviced by our wirra hub coaches

Programs across education and employment

Jobseekers placed into employment in 2020

girls currently mentored through deadly sista girlz

aboriginal and torres strait islander businesses serviced by our wirra hub coaches

who we are

Our story, told by our people.

meet our team

Troy Cook

Director and General Manager of Community Development

Josie Janz-Dawson

General Manager of Education

david wirrpanda smiling

Dale Kickett

CDP Supervistor Coordinator

More

program delivery sites

latest news

Wirra Hub Kwinana Regional Pop Up Success

Indigenous businesses owners and entrepreneurs joined with industry leaders to discuss partnership opportunities at a Kwinana Regional Business Hub hosted by the Wirrpanda Foundation’s Wirra Hub this week (14 September). Guests heard from Wirra Hub business coaches...

David Fleay Finds his Dream Job

How many people love their job so much that they arrive 30 minutes early every day? Well David does. Since David started work experience with Veolia he has enjoyed learning new skills and working with a supportive team. David’s journey with the Wirrpanda Foundation...

VTEC Participant Joins MetroNet Project

“I wanted to seek employment and start turning my life around in another direction. I’ve been on the other side of the law, but now I’ve put my priorities in place by changing my ways and attitude.” Jonathon began this journey at Employment Services and was advised to...

Kicking Goals at Ken Wyatt Cup 2021

More than 130 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls recently participated in Wirrpanda Foundation’s Deadly Sista Girlz 2021 Ken Wyatt Cup - a round-robin football carnival, running alongside a careers expo featuring 25 industry and tertiary institution stalls....

A life changing phone call

It’s one of those exciting phone calls you don’t expect to receive - that you have been promoted! Noongar woman, Hayley Garlett, first started working at Eastern Guruma, a civil and mining contractor in 2019 as a Gardener-Labourer. Within 18 months, she received the...

Building partnerships through art

As part of our partnership with Western Power, our teams came together to create multiple collaborative art pieces, led by Whadjuk Noongar artist Julianne Wade. Participants from our P242 and Deadly Sista Girlz programs joined staff from Western Power across 5 of...

Indigenous Basketball Talent Shines

Indigenous Basketball talent shone when over 60 participants from our Deadly Sista Girlz came together to compete in the 2021 DSG Senior Basketball Carnival. Supported by the National Indigenous Australians Agency and delivered by strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait...

Wirra Hub empowers Aboriginal Businesses

It was a photo of her late grandfather that inspired emerging artist Jarni McGuire to pick up a pen and start sketching. Now years later, and with the help of the Wirra Hub, Jarni is turning that passion for art into a growing graphic design business – Jarni Creative....

Job success for Yoshi through p242

“I was really lucky for my brother to introduce me to the Wirrpanda Foundation. If someone is Indigenous and needs employment one hundred percent go with the Wirrpanda Foundation, it just makes the whole process easier and there’s a community feeling that’s good.”...

Inaugural Deadly Cricket Carnival a Success

Last week six of our Deadly Sista Girlz sites competed in the first ever Deadly Cricket Carnival. A relatively new sport for many of our DSGs, it was a great opportunity for them to learn new skills and get to know their fellow participants. As well as increasing...

latest news

Wirra Hub Kwinana Regional Pop Up Success

Indigenous businesses owners and entrepreneurs joined with industry leaders to discuss partnership opportunities at a Kwinana Regional Business Hub hosted by the Wirrpanda Foundation’s Wirra Hub this week (14 September). Guests heard from Wirra Hub business coaches...

David Fleay Finds his Dream Job

How many people love their job so much that they arrive 30 minutes early every day? Well David does. Since David started work experience with Veolia he has enjoyed learning new skills and working with a supportive team. David’s journey with the Wirrpanda Foundation...

VTEC Participant Joins MetroNet Project

“I wanted to seek employment and start turning my life around in another direction. I’ve been on the other side of the law, but now I’ve put my priorities in place by changing my ways and attitude.” Jonathon began this journey at Employment Services and was advised to...

Kicking Goals at Ken Wyatt Cup 2021

More than 130 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls recently participated in Wirrpanda Foundation’s Deadly Sista Girlz 2021 Ken Wyatt Cup - a round-robin football carnival, running alongside a careers expo featuring 25 industry and tertiary institution stalls....

A life changing phone call

It’s one of those exciting phone calls you don’t expect to receive - that you have been promoted! Noongar woman, Hayley Garlett, first started working at Eastern Guruma, a civil and mining contractor in 2019 as a Gardener-Labourer. Within 18 months, she received the...

Building partnerships through art

As part of our partnership with Western Power, our teams came together to create multiple collaborative art pieces, led by Whadjuk Noongar artist Julianne Wade. Participants from our P242 and Deadly Sista Girlz programs joined staff from Western Power across 5 of...

Indigenous Basketball Talent Shines

Indigenous Basketball talent shone when over 60 participants from our Deadly Sista Girlz came together to compete in the 2021 DSG Senior Basketball Carnival. Supported by the National Indigenous Australians Agency and delivered by strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait...

Wirra Hub empowers Aboriginal Businesses

It was a photo of her late grandfather that inspired emerging artist Jarni McGuire to pick up a pen and start sketching. Now years later, and with the help of the Wirra Hub, Jarni is turning that passion for art into a growing graphic design business – Jarni Creative....

Job success for Yoshi through p242

“I was really lucky for my brother to introduce me to the Wirrpanda Foundation. If someone is Indigenous and needs employment one hundred percent go with the Wirrpanda Foundation, it just makes the whole process easier and there’s a community feeling that’s good.”...

Inaugural Deadly Cricket Carnival a Success

Last week six of our Deadly Sista Girlz sites competed in the first ever Deadly Cricket Carnival. A relatively new sport for many of our DSGs, it was a great opportunity for them to learn new skills and get to know their fellow participants. As well as increasing...

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