This week we meet Emma Sckrabei, Ginninderry’s Head of Community, Training and Employment.

Emma’s role at Ginninderry is to champion the project’s social impact, including the SPARK training and employment initiative, community development, cultural planning and arts. These are vital components of the project, as Ginninderry delivers more than bricks and mortar.

Ginninderry measures its impact across environmental, economic and social factors with a focus on the triple-bottom-line sustainability approach. This approach makes Ginninderry different to many projects across Australia. Emma has played a crucial role in establishing and supporting the SPARK training and employment, initiative community development, cultural planning and arts impact on Ginninderry’s vision of being a sustainable community of international significance in the Capital Region.

Tell us a bit about yourself.       

I’m a girl who was born in Old Reynella, South Australia. I have always had a strong social focus; all my job roles have had social inclusion, social justice and community building interwoven into the roles and objectives.

My employment journey has been different to most. I don’t have a university degree, but I like to think life has been my university. Although I don’t have a degree, working with disabled youth, unemployment, recruitment, training and skills and  community engagement has led me to where I am today.

When I started my employment journey, I could never have imagined that I would end up on such a wonderful and diverse project, but it’s funny how things work out. I couldn’t be prouder of the team at Ginninderry and Uniting Care Kippax. Seeing what we have created with the SPARK training and employment initiative has been wonderful and seeing all the individuals who have benefitted has been extremely rewarding.

What does your role bring to the Ginninderry project?   

My role allows conversation and discussions that wouldn’t usually occur on a project like Ginninderry. Why? Because we have a responsibility to ensure the project’s economic benefits are shared amongst the Capital Region and, more specifically, those in our community that are disconnected from the labour markets for whatever reason.

We know that the more people are educated and employed in the community, the stronger the community becomes. I feel like I have a voice to be able to fight for the underdog and ensure those people who have multiple barriers to engaging in employment and the community are brought along for the journey and not left behind. This is an essential part of Ginninderry.

A Fun Fact?

At 47 years of age, I have a 4-year-old and a 10-month-old. I used to work for Disney Cruise Line in the USA. And in 2019, I was honoured to receive the ACT Women of the Year award.

Many moons ago, I repped for SA in softball… and was good at it!