Up at the crack of dawn, these calves have given inmates at a regional Victorian prison something to care for and something to strive for.
The men have been braving the frost, feeding them by hand, and making sure their every need is met.
They’ve also been learning about the journey the calves will take to become dairy cows, as they work towards becoming dairy farmers.
John* has never worked in the dairy industry before, but has a background in metalwork and hopes to merge the two.
“For people who don’t have a home to go to it gives them hope, it gives them a restart,” he said.
“A lot of people fail in the first couple of weeks when they’re out because they have no home, they’re given a few days accommodation.
“They’re out on their own, they’re living out of a car, and they have no choice.”
A path to employment
Jason and Deena Tharle run a dairy farm in Gippsland and have already hired two workers from the program, with the hope of taking on more upon their release.
Ms Tharle said the men were genuinely eager to learn all they could and hiring them was a lot easier than sponsoring overseas workers, like they had been.
“The questions they’re asking … they want to know the answers and to know everything about it,” Ms Tharle said.
“By the time they get home at night they’re going to be tired and they’re just going to be wanting to go to bed.
“These guys are on a routine and a schedule in prison and it’s sort of the routine and schedule of a dairy farm. I think they’re the perfect candidate for a dairy farm job.”
They hope the jobs will give them a structured, fresh start.
“Hopefully they don’t reoffend, because they feel like they’re giving back,” Ms Tharle said.
“They’re at work, they’re helping, they’re learning, they’re engaging, they’re making friends, and it keeps them away from their old lifestyle.
“They’re going to be busy and it’s going to stop them from going maybe back to where they were.”
Reconnecting on the outside
Ned* grew up on a dairy farm on the other side of the state.
It’s been a decade since he last set foot in a dairy, and he’s been surprised by how far the industry had come.
“The friendship between worker and owner seems to have come a long way,” Ned said.
“The work that goes into the dairy farm seems to be noticed and has come a long way, with better pay.
“The workers are a lot happier these days I think.”
On the outside, Ned’s partner is renting with his young children, and he hopes to offer them an easier life when he’s out.
“My kids and their mum are struggling out there, paying $400 a week for something that’s only just liveable,” he said.
“Farm jobs often come with houses these days and there’s a rental crisis going on, so a job with a house and a better lifestyle with it for the kids, why not?
“If it’s worked into a package on a farm you’re saving a lot of money.”
The collaboration between the region’s dairy industry body GippsDairy, the Gardiner Foundation, Jaydee Events, and GEO Group’s Fulham Correctional Centre aims to fill worker shortages in the industry while giving the men a fresh start when they’re released.
The course is called Cows Create Careers and was developed in South Gippsland by the Strzelecki Lions Club.
It has been running in schools across the country for 20 years.
Natalie Greenfield is the general manager of Fulham Correctional Centre.
“Once they’re in a stable home it helps them to reconnect with their partners, their families, and with their children,” Ms Greenfield said.
“With one man already living and working on a farm, and two preparing for their release with jobs already secured, this program is already demonstrating its benefits.”
But it’s not all hands-on work.
Education is critical
When the men aren’t on farm or looking after the cows they’re in the classroom learning about rearing healthy calves, biosecurity, disease prevention, farm safety, farm technology, and career options.
GippsDairy regional manager Karen McLennan hopes the program would lead to addressing worker shortages.
She originally hoped to have the program up and running before the pandemic but the global crisis put it on the back burner.
“We’ve already got three people lined up to work on farms so it’s a 50 per cent success rate,” Ms McLennan said.
“It’s been great seeing how engaged and motivated the participants are to learn skills in dairy.
“This program has the benefit of not only supporting these men to find meaningful, long-term employment, but also supporting our farmers by offering a new way of attracting workers to the industry.”
*John and Ned are pseudonyms used to de-identify the men.
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