MONDAY 30 MARCH: First Nations and Torres Strait Islander young women will gain new pathways from education to employment under a new national partnership between Kmart Group and the Stars Foundation.
Having already achieved Indigenous workforce participation of 4.5% across Kmart and Target which is in excess of population, the partnership expands Kmart Group’s Indigenous Employment Program and supports young women to transition into meaningful work – strengthening the Group’s commitment to reconciliation, economic participation and culturally safe workplaces for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
The national partnership formalises an already established working relationship between the two organisations, spanning more than ten years. Many of Kmart Group’s Deadly Stores work closely with local Stars Programs- particularly across Western Australia and the Northern Territory – creating local education-to-employment opportunities.
Building on that success, the newly established formal partnership will now scale nationally, to increase education-to-employment pathways for Indigenous young women and is already delivering results, with one Stars Program participant set to start a management role at Kmart in Western Australia this month.
Stars Foundation has supported more than 1,300+ Alumnae since establishment in 2015 and is currently mentoring and empowering 4,300+ First Nations girls and young women across 80 programs in partner schools across Australia. Through our long-standing partnership, Kmart Group continues to support employment-focused initiatives with Stars, helping to create pathways from education into meaningful work.
“This partnership is about turning potential into real career opportunities for First Nations young women,” said Tristram Gray, Chief People & Corporate Affairs Officer at Kmart Group. “We’ve already seen what’s possible at a local level — now we’re working towards scaling that impact nationally, creating clear, supported pathways from school into long-term, meaningful work.
By working alongside Stars Foundation, we’re aiming to provide the right support at the right time, so more young women can move confidently from education into employment.”
Stars Foundation Founder and CEO, Andrea Goddard, said formalising this partnership with Kmart Group is an important step in scaling opportunities for First Nations young women nationally, ensuring transition into meaningful, long-term work.
“Experience shows that when First Nations young women are supported through school and into employment, the impact extends far beyond the individual - it strengthens families, communities and future generations,” said Andrea Goddard.
“We commend Kmart Group on its leadership and commitment to joining Stars in its mission to improve education, health and employment outcomes for First Nations girls and young women.”
From this month, Kmart Group and the Stars Foundation will expand store-based relationships and deliver workshops through Stars Programs, while equipping store leaders to support First Nations young women and girls in their communities.
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About us:
About Kmart’s Indigenous Employment Commitment
Kmart is committed to creating meaningful, long-term opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across its business. As part of its Reconciliation Action Plan, Kmart focuses on building a culturally safe, inclusive, and supportive workplace where Indigenous team members can thrive. This includes dedicated recruitment pathways, tailored career development programs, and a national Indigenous Employment team that provides culturally informed support from onboarding through to leadership progression.
Kmart has exceeded workforce parity, with more than 4.5% of its team identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and continues to invest in initiatives that strengthen representation at all levels of the organisation. Through programs such as the Deadly Store initiative, Kmart deepens community connections, enhances cultural capability across its stores, and creates targeted employment opportunities in areas with strong Indigenous populations.
Beyond employment, Kmart partners with community organisations, supports youth education and training, and champions national cultural events such as NAIDOC Week. Together, these commitments reflect Kmart’s ongoing dedication to reconciliation and to building a workplace where Indigenous peoples feel respected, represented, and empowered.
About Kmart Group Deadly Store Network
At Kmart Group we are on a journey to not only create a culturally safe place for our team members and our customers to shop but actively create pathways to meaningful employment within First Nations communities right around Australia. A big part of how we do this is through our Deadly Store Network which consists of over 208 Kmart, K hub and Target stores across Australia.
Deadly Stores are situated in areas with high representation of First Nations peoples and are designated stores designed to not only increase cultural awareness and connection to better serve our customers but also provide a vehicle for delivering dedicated Indigenous employment impact and outcomes.
To achieve our aims, partnership with local First Nations communities is key, with all our Deadly Stores cultivating active relationships with community partners to create a strong focus on ensuring team members and customers feel culturally safe when in our store.
To create this, we commit to the following in our Deadly Store Network:
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Representation of First Nations team members exceeds local community parity
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Compulsory and extensive cultural awareness and confidence training for all team members
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Active local community partnerships in place including participation in local community events
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Active development and nurturing of First Nations team members to support pathways to Indigenous leadership programs
About Stars Foundation
Stars Foundation mentors and empowers First Nations young women across Australia to complete school and make active choices towards realising their full potential. Established in 2015, Stars Foundation works with 4,300+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and young women in 80+ primary and secondary schools operating across all mainland states and the Northern Territory.
Contact details:
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Prue Gillespie |
Sanna Conquest +61 474 747 577
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