During the 1850s goldrush, Ballarat was one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse places on the planet.
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The promise of striking it rich attracted half a million people from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales between 1851 and 1860.
But prospectors came from further afield too – places like China, New Zealand, North America, and throughout Europe and beyond.
A new diversity and inclusion policy at Sovereign Hill hopes to not only recreate the ethnically-rich goldfields, but also give work placement and job opportunities to the city’s migrants and refugees.
Mark Karlovic, head of people, performance and legal, said Sovereign Hill was currently working with the Centre for Multicultural Youth, which organised students from diverse backgrounds to undertake work experience at the site.
The young people come from a range of backgrounds as first or second generation migrants or refugees from difficult backgrounds.
“Balllarat in 1852 and during the goldrush was one of the most diverse places on the planet, with people from around the globe,” Mr Karlovic said.
“We want to do a lot more in this space for young kids, especially for those coming from backgrounds that are extraordinarily difficult as refugees.”
He said last year, a number of Chinese students as well as young people from the Horn of Africa, Iran and Iraq had taken place in the program.
Mr Karlovic said the idea was to not only give the young people work experience opportunities, but further down the track, even permanent work options.
“We want to make the feel and experience out there as authentic as possible as to what the goldfields were like,” he said.
“We already employ 15 Mandarin-speaking people...but we want to get a diversity of African Americans in...and kids from the middle east. We had a goldfields that was not just European, it was from every area of the globe.”
Currently, three Year 10 Mt Clear students are participating in the program, including Zaire Wilson, of New Zealand and German heritage, Karissa Cribbes, who is half Chinese, and LJ Chawech, who was born in New Zealand but whose family is from South Sudan.
The three said they had spent time experiencing customer service, retail, administration, confectionery, and candle-making during their time on placement.