The Navy Indigenous Development Program (NIDP) was launched in March 2014 and is aligned with the national Closing the Gap strategy and Defence Reconciliation Action Plan objectives.
The program is designed for young Indigenous men and women between the ages of 18 and 30 to develop and gain employment skills. The program enables them to reach the required standard to permanently enlist in the Australian Defence Force if suitable, or equips them to return to civilian life and their community with new workplace skills.
The program partners with TAFE Queensland to deliver an Indigenous Australian contextualised course as an alternative to Year 10 Maths and English.
It enhances the recruits’ Indigenous cultural awareness through a number of cultural immersion days; improves and develops their physical fitness, personal values and reflective behaviours; and develops their leadership and confidence to improve employability.