In the sweeping reaches of Arnhem Land, where small homeland communities are distant dots on far horizons, paid jobs can feel just as distant.
However, for many Yolŋu folk in the homelands, the journey to employment begins not with a job application, but with something far more fundamental: an identity document.
Rachel Telgenkamp works for Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal (ALPA) Corporation as an employment consultant, helping people take their first important steps with the government’s Community Development Program, and she knows just how profound these first steps can be.
“One of the key goals we focus on is helping individuals obtain identification, as it’s often the first essential step in their journey toward employment. Without ID, securing a job is not possible,” Rachel said.
“For a lot of people, it might be the first time they've ever had one; especially out in homelands, there's not always a need for ID.”
There are some communities that it can be almost impossible to get to regularly without MAF.
Obtaining a birth certificate or a driver’s licence may seem mundane elsewhere, but for those born on remote homelands, it opens doors to paid work, banking, and even driving legally for the first time.
“We support them with things like registering their birth, obtaining a birth certificate, or progressing towards a driver’s licence,” said Rachel. “In their community, these steps aren’t always common practice. If no family member before them has had employment or identification, it might not be something they’ve ever done.”
But making these visits possible, week after week, is no small feat. That’s where Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) steps in, providing crucial charter flights that connect ALPA staff with isolated communities.
“MAF makes such a difference,” Rachel said. “There are some communities that it can be almost impossible to get to regularly without MAF. So, being able to come out regularly and having a schedule that the community can rely on makes such a difference.”
Beyond paperwork, ALPA staff can connect clients to resources that build literacy, numeracy, and computer skills, and even arrange on-site driver training—all stepping stones toward economic independence.
“The ideal outcome is that individuals gain employment, but we understand that for everyone, it's not always a viable goal, especially out in homelands. This is where an individual’s goals may be more around training and practical skills,” Rachel acknowledges.
“We help our clients in whatever way we can, so they may be able to support others in their family and pass their newly learnt skills and knowledge as they go.”
Thanks to the partnership between MAF and ALPA, life-changing opportunities take flight—one scheduled visit at a time.
Watch this video and join pilot Simon Zingg as he flies the ALPA crew to Baniyala on a typical Arnhem Land flight.