The Paws Up team and their jumping dogs are off to Canberra this week to show the Prime Minister and other politicians in the Parliament House precinct why they are beating all-comers.
Member for New England Tony Windsor has organised the trip, on the back of an $800,000 federal grant over four years to support the Armidale based BackTrack Program.
New England Mutual (NEM), which has supported BackTrack since its inception six years ago, has donated new jeans and jumpers for the 12 boys heading for the nation’s capital.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard will attend the demonstration in a courtyard at Parliament House on Thursday morning and meet the BackTrack team and their champion border collies who have taken out the major prizes in agricultural shows across NSW and Qld.
NEM CEO Kevin Dupé, who chairs the BackTrack steering committee, thanked Mr Windsor for his support.
“Tony has taken a great interest in the programs and the outcomes being achieved to turn around the lives of the young people involved,” he said.
BackTrack, managed by Jobs Australia, runs four programs: Iron Man Welders, Paws Up, AgLads and a girls’ program.
Manager Bernie Shake-shaft and his team currently have 52 young participants, the majority Aboriginal.
To join the program, which has the strong support of local high schools, young people must continue with school studies or equivalent training. They are also involved in on the job training to learn welding in the BackTrack workshop and the whole gamut of on-farm skills through three nearby training farms, as well as studying for formal qualifications in Agriculture.
Paws Up involves the boys in training their dogs and also engages them with the community at shows and demonstrations. Last year the team gave demonstrations at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney and, as well as competing in shows, they appear at many local events.
