Central West Farming Systems (CWFS) in Condobolin has been successful in the latest round of Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) funding under the Tackling Tough Times Together program.

CWFS’ project ‘Tapping a Natural Resource – A Rural and Regional ‘Remote’ Workforce’ will support individuals (particularly women) to build confidence and acquire the skills to re-enter the workforce remotely.

It will provide a highly developed educational and networking program to upskill, activate and engage underemployed people to remotely work in Central West NSW increasing professional and economic opportunities and encourage community engagement.

The program will take the form of face-to-face workshops, online training and webinars over a three month period. Individuals who participate in the program will have the opportunity to be ‘remote work ready’ and will be prepared to look for remote work.

With the support of FRRR and the donor partner The Paul Ramsay Foundation, this project will increase skills and capacity to work remotely through provision of a tailored training program to address skill shortages for the communities in the Central West of NSW.

CWFS has a long history of delivering practical and relevant programs to the Central West and looks forward to working with Jo Palmer, an experienced professional in the ‘remote work’ space, to provide the training component of this project.

In 2017 Jo founded Pointer Remote, a job matching platform that connects businesses with talent that works remotely from anywhere in Australia. Jo was awarded the National AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award for her work supporting, educating and connecting rural communities through remote work in 2019.

CWFS is an independent, not-for-profit, farming systems organisation. Their reach extends to 14 million hectares in the lower rainfall, mixed farming zone of Central West NSW (350-500 millimetres rainfall). CWFS provides a range of RD and E projects relevant to the region to improve the profitability and sustainability of farming businesses and local communities.

By Melissa Blewitt.