FEDERAL Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce said Inverell’s BEST Employment will receive $403,679 under the Australian Government’s Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS) grant round to deliver an advocacy and support program for employment opportunities.

Mr Joyce said the project to be delivered by BEST Employment would deliver demonstrable benefits for local First Australians in Inverell and additional regional townships.

Mr Joyce said the project aims to provide culturally appropriate advocacy, mentoring and support for Aboriginal clients to access programmes and services.

This, he said would lead to sustained employment, improved school attainment, wellbeing and increased Indigenous engagement with mainstream services.

“This programme for the 2015-16 financial year, will be based in Inverell and delivering outreach services in additional regional townships,” Mr Joyce said.

The Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Nigel Scullion, said the Government’s investment through the IAS grant round had increased from $860 million to $1 billion, with 996 organisations to receive funding for over 1,350 projects throughout Australia.

“The increased investment through the grant round is the result of the Government honouring its commitment to provide longer funding agreements for important frontline services and ensure that any gaps that emerged as part of the round were filled as quickly as possible,” Senator Scullion said.

“This increased investment will help deliver on the Government’s key priorities of getting children to school and adults to work and making communities safer,” he said.