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Former trainee Allan de Plater now captains the
flagship
Tribal Warrior. Photo: Frederic Courbet
In the wake of the global financial crisis of
2007–2008, Jawun secondees focused on a strategy
and business plan targeting the surest markets for
Tribal Warrior’s product. It worked, and today
cultural cruises take 45 group bookings a year,
including from Jawun partners such as Westpac,
QBE and KPMG.
Shane sees how one success led to another: a
stronger organisation enabled an effective training
and mentoring program, and supported profitable
social enterprises. A solid track record justifies
more growth:
Our past gives us credibility. We’ve been operating
with maritime training and cultural cruises for
nearly 20 years. When I go in to pitch a new idea, I
have tangible assets to show. I can show them our
mentoring program, where ex-mentees are now
working, including as formal employees on our
cruises. These guys are also creating good influence
back in the community, setting a benchmark there
when they could have been costing the government
a lot of money if they’d stayed on drugs. I can
show them how the cultural cruises see a growth
in revenue and sales every year, and how profits
go straight back into the community because it’s a
100% social enterprise. It’s running by itself so I can
focus on new programs. And when I do, and pitch
an idea, I know we have all that at our back. That’s
massively important.
I am that person whose life turned
around because of Tribal Warrior.
Before I did the training I had a
cleaning certificate—you don’t even
need a cleaning certificate! The
training meant I could take care of
my family, I could make choices, my
family could make choices, and I
could be part of a community.
36 JAWUN
2017 LEARNINGS AND INSIGHTS