We are focusing on the delivery of the following projects:
Indigenous Disaster Resilience, Recovery and Response Team.
This project is a collaboration between Choice, the Cairns Show Association, the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander Youth Welfare Corporation, the Gr8motive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation and ITEC Employment and is located at the Cairns Showgrounds. The project is designed to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and vulnerable peoples and elderly peoples in disaster resilience (education, awareness and training) and involve the aforementioned formally and financially in the recovery and response efforts.
In 2006 Choice became formerly involved in disaster management through the direct employment of over 520 people impacted and unemployed as a reult of ex-tropical cyclone Larry. In 2010 we directly employed over 130 people impacted and unemployed as a result of the global financial crisis. In 2011 we directly employed over 266 people impacted and unemployed by ex tropical cyclone Yasi In 2021 we were commercially engaged to provide disaster response support in New South Wales from the 2019-20 bushfires.
The Indigenous Disaster Resilience, Recovery and Response Team increases the capacity of the Indigenous community along with vulnerable and elderly members of the community to be much better prepared for disaster and life. The project also enhances the capacity of the Cairns Showgrounds (the Fred Moule pavillion) is a formal part of the local disaster management plan and is the largest disaster centre in Cairns.
The project has been supported financially by the Cairns Show Association and Ergon Energy.
Australia Post (Cairns city store) nominated Choice for a Your People of Post grant which was successful. The grant funds will contribute towards improved use of paperless field based apps and the training required to use them.
Stronger and Resilient Community project:
This project is a collaboration between Choice, the Cairms Show Association, the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander Youth Welfare Corporation, Gr8motive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation and ITEC Employment as a way to iimprove the capacity of Cairns social capital. Existing and established local service providers including Indigenous organisations, a registered training provider, an employment service provider, sporting clubs, an organisation committed to multicultural affairs and others have become formally involved in the Cairns Showgrounds as a way to create positive human behaviour change.
Financial investment has been made by ITEC Employment and the Cairns Show Association and FGF Developments. Deadly Choices and separately Woolworths Raintrees and separately Coles Cairns Central have provided in kind support to this project.
