Trending
April 10, 2025
February 15, 2025
February 2, 2025
For decades, the social and economic disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia has been one of the nation’s most complex and urgent challenges. These disparities extend far beyond employment and education—deep into historical trauma, marginalisation, and systemic exclusion. But at the heart of this national conversation stands one organisation rewriting the story of what’s possible.
Ganbina, established in Shepparton in 1997, is Australia’s most successful Indigenous school-to-work transition program. Their flagship initiative, Jobs4U2, has become a blueprint for long-term community empowerment—not just through education or training, but through deeply integrated, generational change. At the helm is Anthony Cavanagh, a Taungurung man and seasoned leader whose own lived experience adds layers of insight to the charity’s mission.
Anthony’s leadership journey spans over three decades across recruitment, training, operations, and community development. Since taking over as CEO in 2013, he has refined Ganbina’s approach into a model that doesn’t just produce data points—it transforms lives. His philosophy is clear: you can’t solve systemic inequality with surface-level fixes. Real change demands long-term commitment, authentic community partnerships, and a vision built from within.
Ganbina’s impact starts when children are as young as five, and doesn’t end until they’re 25. This 21-year continuum of care covers primary and secondary schooling, vocational education, job training, and ongoing employment support. Most importantly, it acknowledges that no part of a young person’s life exists in isolation. Education is supported with life skills. Employment is tied to mentorship. And every milestone—from opening a bank account to receiving a diploma—is treated as a stepping stone, not an end point.
This holistic approach has yielded remarkable results. On average, 88.7% of Ganbina’s participants complete Year 12, a figure that surpasses national averages and significantly outpaces typical graduation rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Beyond education, the program also contributes to reductions in teenage pregnancies, youth crime, and mental health issues within participating communities—an impact that can’t be overstated.
Ganbina’s success is rooted in its community-embedded methodology. Each participant is matched with a dedicated Project Officer who provides regular check-ins and mentoring. Families are looped into every stage of the journey. And schools become partners in the process, not just institutions to be navigated.
The effect is a structure of support that is flexible, responsive, and deeply personalised. Every touchpoint—whether it’s guidance on navigating tertiary pathways or helping secure essential documents like a tax file number—is designed to remove the barriers that keep young Indigenous people from thriving.
One of Ganbina’s most unique qualities is its commitment to remaining independent of government funding. While many organisations rely on public grants to operate, Ganbina has chosen a different path—funding its work entirely through philanthropic partnerships. This independence allows it to stay agile, evolve programs based on real community feedback, and most importantly, avoid the red tape and shifting targets often associated with government grants.
“Ganbina was founded and developed by local business leaders, Indigenous and Non-Indigenous working together who understand first-hand, the history, culture, and needs of Indigenous people today,” says Cavanagh. “That’s why the program works—and why autonomy is essential.”
Philanthropic supporters echo this sentiment. One partner shared, “We look for programs that are evidence-based, have a real impact, address the underlying causes of Indigenous inequality and deliver tangible results. Ganbina ticks all those boxes and is really hitting the mark in terms of making positive, lasting change.”
Rather than chasing enrolment quotas or adapting to shifting political priorities, Ganbina stays focused on its core mission: transforming outcomes for young Indigenous Australians—one student, one family, one community at a time.
For many young Indigenous people, socio-economic challenges are not just occasional obstacles—they are constant realities. Ganbina’s Life Skills component is designed to bridge this gap. By equipping participants with essential personal development tools—from financial literacy to health awareness—the program ensures that success isn’t just academic or professional, but also emotional and practical.
This isn’t abstract theory. It’s hands-on, day-to-day empowerment.
Participants learn how to manage personal finances, understand the expectations of workplaces, and build the resilience needed to navigate a world where they may still face systemic discrimination. More than just employable graduates, Ganbina produces community leaders and agents of change.
The ripple effect is powerful. Young people who complete the program often return to support their families, serve as role models, and contribute to a new generational narrative of hope and capability. Ganbina doesn’t just build futures—it rebuilds legacies.
In a sector that often prioritises fast results, Ganbina’s ambition stands apart. The organisation’s strategic plan aims to close its doors by 2047. This is not a sign of defeat—it’s a declaration of success.
“Our goal is to reach a point where programs like ours are no longer needed,” says Cavanagh. “That means Indigenous communities will have achieved social and economic equality—and the cycle of disadvantage will be broken.”
To achieve this, Ganbina has outlined clear milestones. These include scaling the Jobs4U2 model to other communities, investing in long-term participant tracking, and strengthening partnerships with schools, employers, and training providers nationwide. The organisation also maintains a rigorous evaluation framework to measure progress and adapt where necessary.
One of its most exciting current initiatives is the “Sharing Our Model” Project, which began in 2018. Through this project, Ganbina is actively working with other like-minded communities to replicate and adapt its proven framework—expanding its reach while maintaining the localised, culturally relevant approach that has made it so successful.
At the heart of Ganbina’s work is a profound understanding of Indigenous culture and community. The program doesn’t just overlay a mainstream model onto Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lives. It’s grounded in cultural respect, lived experience, and a deep commitment to healing the wounds of the past.
Cavanagh and his team know that the trauma of dispossession, forced removal, and systemic exclusion has lasting impacts—particularly on women and children. Many of the participants come from families that have endured generations of welfare dependency, unemployment, and fractured identities. Ganbina provides a pathway not just out of poverty, but toward restored dignity and pride.
Mentorship, financial assistance, and cultural connection aren’t “add-ons” to Ganbina’s model—they are its foundation. And they’re what make the difference between a program that works on paper, and one that changes lives.
Ganbina’s model proves that community-driven, long-term investment works. The results are there. The lives changed are real. And the model is ready to scale.
With its commitment to partnership, transparency, and measured impact, Ganbina is inviting more businesses, organisations, and philanthropists to join its journey. Not just as funders—but as genuine allies in a movement for justice, equality, and generational empowerment.
“We’re not just supporting young people to get jobs,” says Cavanagh. “We’re helping them build futures. And we’re building a stronger Australia in the process.”
“We’re not just supporting young people to get jobs. We’re helping them build futures. And we’re building a stronger Australia in the process.”
—Anthony Cavanagh, CEO, Ganbina
Company Name: Ganbina
Founded: 1997
Locations: Shepparton, Melbourne, Brisbane
Website: www.ganbina.com.au
Featured Leader: Anthony Cavanagh, Chief Executive Officer
Ganbina is Australia’s leading Indigenous school-to-work transition organisation. Its award-winning program, Jobs4U2, supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth from age 5 to 25 through education, training, and employment. With a strong focus on independence, cultural connection, and life skills, Ganbina has helped thousands of young people achieve graduation, secure meaningful employment, and become community role models. By staying true to its Indigenous-led roots and maintaining funding independence, Ganbina delivers impact with authenticity and agility—building a new future for Indigenous Australia.
